Carter says U.S. tortures prisoners  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — The United States tortures prisoners in violation of international law, former President Carter said Wednesday.  —  "I don't think it.  I know it," Carter told CNN's Wolf Blitzer.  —  "Our country for the first time in my life …

Effort to Curb Illegal Workers' Hiring Blocked  —  A federal judge barred the Bush administration yesterday from launching a planned crackdown on U.S. companies that employ illegal immigrants, warning of its potentially "staggering" impact on law-abiding workers and companies.

On CNBC's The Big Idea, Coulter said that "we" Christians "just want Jews to be perfected"  —  During the October 8 edition of CNBC's The Big Idea, host Donny Deutsch asked right-wing pundit Ann Coulter: "If you had your way ... and your dreams, which are genuine, came true ... what would this country look like?"

Empire State Building to go green for Muslim holiday  —  New York's iconic Empire State Building is to be lit up green from Friday in honor of the Muslim holiday of Eid, the biggest festival in the Muslim calendar marking the end of Ramadan, officials said.  —  "This is the first time that …

House Panels Vote for More Scrutiny Over Foreign Eavesdropping  —  Two Congressional panels on Wednesday rejected President Bush's request to renew the government's broad eavesdropping authority, and instead adopted a measure that would give federal judges greater oversight and more scrutiny …

Exclusive: Nearly 90 House Dems Sign Letter Pledging To No Longer Fund War  —  I've just learned that nearly 90 members of the House of Representatives have now added their names to a letter to the President pledging not to vote for any more funding for the war and only to vote for supplementals …

An open letter to Steven Knapp, president of The George Washington University  —  2121 I Street, N.W.  —  Washington, D.C. 20052  —  Dear President Knapp,  —  Seven students at your institution falsely attributed the "Hate Muslims?  So Do We!!" fliers to The George Washington University chapter of Young America's Foundation.

Paul Krugman, pussycat  —  The Conscience of a Liberal is um...not that polemic.  It's not that shrill.  There is an argument, to be sure, but the book has much more economic history than I had expected, and much more political history.  —  I've already blogged on The Great Compression …

Terror watch: Gonzales lawyers up  —  Still under investigation by Congress and Justice Department lawyers who once worked for him, the former attorney general has turned to a leading Washington attorney to help him beat the rap.  —  No sooner did Alberto Gonzales resign as attorney general …

What Did Hillary Really Say To The Washington Post About Torture?  —  Hillary is taking a pounding in the blogosphere over this passage from today's Washington Post front-page interview with her, in which she appears not to take a firm stand against torture:

Put Some Steak on the Plate  —  Last night's GOP debate featured strong, pro-growth, supply-side policies from the four major candidates — Rudy, Romney, McCain, and Thompson.  As Steve Moore reports in today's Wall Street Journal political diary, Ronald Reagan was actually the big winner …

Guantánamo Detainees Enjoy Historic Protections, Administration Says  —  The Bush administration, preparing for the next Supreme Court argument on the rights of the hundreds of detainees at Guantánamo Bay, asserts in a new brief that they "enjoy more procedural protections …

Marines Press to Remove Their Forces From Iraq  —  The Marine Corps is pressing to remove its forces from Iraq and to send marines instead to Afghanistan, to take over the leading role in combat there, according to senior military and Pentagon officials.  —  The idea by the Marine Corps commandant …

Canada's Expectant Moms Heading to U.S. to Deliver  —  Mothers in British Columbia are having a baby boom, but it's the United States that has to deliver, and that has some proud Canadians blasting their highly touted government healthcare system.  —  "I'm a born-bred Canadian …

Malkin vs. Malkin  —  My first favorite scene in this movie is the one in the beginning where Michelle pees standing up next to Jesse.  But my second favorite scene is this one:  —  Sulkin' Malkin, August 27, 2004: … VERSUS...  Stalkin' Malkin, October 9, 2007: … BONUS QUOTE, BULIMIC CRY-FOR-HELP DEPT.: