BREAKING NEWS: Giuliani fundraiser was mystery initiative backer  —  A close friend and major fundraiser of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani has identified himself as the mystery financer of the proposed California initiative to apportion the state's 55 electoral votes by congressional district instead of winner-take-all.

The Anatomy of a Smear: "Phony Soldiers" Is a Phony Story  —  BEGIN TRANSCRIPT  —  RUSH: What?  Am I going to apologize?  It is I who am owed an apology.  Greetings, my friends, and welcome.  The Rush Limbaugh program.  It's Friday.  —  JOHNNY DONOVAN: Live from the Southern Command …

The Age of Turbulence  —  I  was in the midst of reading up on Alan Greenspan, whose new memoir, The Age of Turbulence, has just been published to wide publicity and boffo sales, when I saw in a local gossip column that he and his wife had been spotted (somehow!) spending yet another Sunday afternoon …

Bill Clinton Questions Obama's Experience  —  Former President Bill Clinton showed his singular ability to diminish his wife's presidential rivals when, in a television interview, he said that Senator Barack Obama had about as much experience as Mr. Clinton did in 1988 — the year Mr. Clinton decided not to run for the presidency.

First Jell-O, now Santa  —  So long, Halloween parade.  Farewell, Santa's gift shop.  —  The holiday traditions are facing elimination in some Oak Lawn schools this year after complaints that the activities are offensive, particularly to Muslim students.  —  Final decisions …

UPDATE 2 - WAXMAN PISSED: Krongard, SUSPEND All Communications  —  Henry Waxman, is starting to see major red where Inspector General Howard Krongard is concerned.  (H/T to Nolo at IndictDickCheney Blogspot)  —  Krongard is "apparently" threatening his employees with retaliation …

U.S.: Major al Qaeda in Iraq leader killed  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — A U.S. military commander Friday reported the death of a senior al Qaeda in Iraq leader, a Tunisian who was considered the "emir of foreign terrorists in Iraq."  —  U.S.-led coalition forces killed militant leader Abu Usama al-Tunisi …

At Climate Meeting, Bush Does Not Specify Goals  —  President Bush said Friday that the nations that contribute most to global warming should all set goals for reducing greenhouse-gas emissions.  But he did not specify what those goals should be and repeated his stand that nations …

BBC's Newsround fed youngsters Al Qaeda propaganda, claims ex-spy chief  —  Britain's former spy chief accused the BBC of "parroting" Al Qaeda propaganda to children as young as six.  —  Dame Pauline Neville Jones, who is also a former BBC governor, is infuriated at the stance …

Holly-cons: in the closet?  —  Are Hollywood conservatives largely in the political closet for fear of social or even workplace retribution, or are they a bunch of whiners?  Why are most of the actor/politicians Republican?  Why do Hollywood Dems always seem to back politicians …

Gore Dodges Repeated Calls to Debate Global Warming  —  As over 150 heads of state and government gather at UN headquarters in New York to discuss climate change, former Vice President Al Gore, the most prominent proponent of the theory of the human-induced, catastrophic global warming …

6 die from brain-eating amoeba in lakes  —  PHOENIX - It sounds like science fiction but it's true: A killer amoeba living in lakes enters the body through the nose and attacks the brain where it feeds until you die.  —  Even though encounters with the microscopic bug are extraordinarily rare …

A New Entitlement?  —  The big problem with U.S. fiscal policy is that, over the years, politicians of both parties have voted for unfunded entitlements for the elderly, which will (unless scaled back) result in substantially higher taxes on future generations.  Click here for my views on the problem.

MSNB-No?  —  Looks like MSNBC correspondent David Shuster may have deprived loyal MSNBC viewers of their favorite GOP talking heads — at least for now.  —  This week, the MSNBC reporter "sandbagged" Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) during an interview by asking her to name the last solider from her district to die in Iraq.

Sen. Craig's fall may benefit salmon  —  WASHINGTON - The surprising fall of Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, removes a longtime obstacle to efforts by Democrats and environmentalists to promote salmon recovery on Northwest rivers.  —  Craig, who was removed from leadership posts on the Senate Appropriations …

Justice Thomas Lashes Out in Memoir  —  Book Attacks Liberals and the Media, Breaks Near-Silence on Anita Hill  —  Justice Clarence Thomas settles scores in an angry and vivid forthcoming memoir, scathingly condemning the media, the Democratic senators who opposed his nomination to the Supreme Court …

Edwards: 'Pretty Soon We're Not Going to Have a Young African-American Male Population in America.'  —  Asked about what he could do about "inner-city kids partaking in violence" at the MTV/MySpace Forum yesterday, Democratic candidate John Edwards offered an apocalyptic prediction for young black males: