Edwards says he'll accept public financing  —  ABOARD THE CNN ELECTION EXPRESS, New Hampshire (CNN) — Former Sen. John Edwards Thursday said he will accept public financing for his presidential campaign, and challenged his chief rivals for the Democratic nomination, Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, to follow his lead.

Limbaugh: Service members who support U.S. withdrawal are "phony soldiers"  —  During the September 26 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Rush Limbaugh called service members who advocate U.S. withdrawal from Iraq "phony soldiers."  He made the comment while discussing …

Transcript Reveals Impeachable Offenses by Bush Re: Iraq War  —  El Pais published a transcript (reprinted at this link) of the conversation between George W. Bush, Jose Maria Aznar of Spain, and Condoleeza Rice held at Crawford before the Iraq War.  Bush is typically bullheaded, impatient …

Matthews To Dodd: 'Do You Find It Difficult To Debate A Woman?'  —  During last night's post-Democratic presidential debate analysis, MSNBC host Chris Matthews was hung up on the fact there is a woman running for president.  After questioning Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) about Sen. Hillary Clinton's …

Bob Gates's Victory  —  To little notice, the Defense secretary has gotten his way on Iraq, and possibly on Iran.  Now, Gates is about to appoint a former top Clinton official to prove he means business.  —  Defense Secretary Robert Gates is, quite by choice, the anti-Rumsfeld …

Documents point to S.C. terror plot  —  Explosives materials in car  —  In a 12-minute video posted on YouTube, an Egyptian man wearing a white shirt, khaki pants and rubber gloves explains in Arabic how to turn a toy boat into a bomb.  —  His name is Ahmed Abdellatif Sherif Mohamed …

Can't Win with 'Em, Can't Go To War without 'Em: Private Military Contractors and Counterinsurgency  —  Foreign Policy at Brookings, Policy Paper #4, September 2007  —  Executive Summary  —  The recent incident involving Blackwater contractors in Iraq has brought to light a series …

Following Bush Over a Cliff  —  The spectacle Tuesday of 151 House Republicans voting in lock step with the White House against expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) was one of the more remarkable sights of the year.  Rarely do you see so many politicians putting their careers in jeopardy.

Singles will check out eligible candidates at Obama rally  —  Looking for a date for Friday night?  Want someone to read thepoliticker.com with and talk to about Eliot Spitzer's fiscal policy late into the night?  —  Like-minded city singles are looking to tonight's Barack Obama rally …

GALLUP: Trust in Federal Government, On Nearly All Issues, Hits New Low — Even Less Than in Watergate Era  —  NEW YORK A new Gallup poll reveals that, as the organization puts it, Americans now "express less trust in the federal government than at any point in the past decade …

Dems could do far more to end Iraq war  —  The vast majority of Democrats in Congress are powerfully clear about what they think about the war in Iraq.  It is the greatest strategic blunder of a generation.  —  It is a lost cause.  Above all, it is immoral — with more men and women dying each …

Craig Remains in Office, for Now  —  Despite His Pledge to Resign, Embattled Senator Will Continue to Work in Senate  —  Though Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, had previously pledged to resign by Sunday, amid allegations he cruised for gay sex in a public bathroom, he now says he will stay in office.

Bin Laden may have just escaped U.S. forces  —  August mission in Tora Bora almost snared 'high value target'  —  A little more than a month ago, with the anniversary of Sept. 11 approaching and fears of a new al Qaeda attack rising, some U.S. intelligence and military analysts thought …