Exclusive: Senator Chris Dodd Will Put A Hold On Telecom Immunity Bill  —  Senator Chris Dodd plans to put a hold on the Senate FISA renewal bill because it reportedly grants retroactive immunity to telephone companies for any role they played in the Bush administration's warrantless eavesdropping program, Election Central has learned.

House Fails to Override Child Health Bill Veto  —  Supporters of a bill to provide health insurance for 10 million children failed this afternoon, as expected, to muster enough support in the House to override President Bush's veto.  —  The vote to override the veto was 273 to 156 …

Brownback to withdraw from GOP race  —  WASHINGTON - Republican Sen. Sam Brownback, the Kansas conservative who struggled to raise money and gain recognition in the 2008 presidential campaign, will drop out on Friday, people close to him said Thursday.  —  Money was a main reason for his decision …

Mukasey: President Can Break Some Laws  —  While Mukasey doesn't think there's an inherent presidential right to torture — which he said is explicitly prohibited by the Constitution — that's not to say he doesn't take a broad interpretation of the president's Article II authority.

Twin blasts strike near Bhutto  —  Ex-prime minister unhurt, up to 45 others killed, 100 injured  —  Flames burn in the center of Karachi after two explosions strike near a procession carrying former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who returned to Pakistan Thursday after eight years of self-imposed exile.

Paul, Obama draw support from military voters  —  WASHINGTON — Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, the congressman from the Houston area who opposes the Iraq war, has gotten more contributions than any other White House contender from donors identified as affiliated with the military.

Polling Shows Increased Support for Surge  —  A new Harris Poll of 2,565 adults has some encouraging news for proponents of the U.S. effort in Iraq.  While Americans remain skeptical of the mission and have little trust in either Congress or the president, their view of the situation in Iraq has improved.

DANIEL HENNINGER ON THE POLITICS OF IRAQ: "Arguably it is the proper role of politics to intervene, to question.  But during Vietnam and again now, we haven't been able to avoid simultaneously putting troops on the battlefield while fighting bitterly amongst ourselves at home for the length of the war.

72-year-old concerned citizen takes down suicide bomber  —  Multi-National Corps - Iraq  —  Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory  —  APO AE 09342  —  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  —  RELEASE No. 20071018-04  —  72-year-old concerned citizen takes down suicide bomber  —  2nd BCT, 3rd Inf.  Div.

Yee-haw  —  So later this month, according to THIS INVITATION, the presidential campaign of Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, is holding a "Rural Americans for Hillary" lunch and campaign briefing at the end of this month....  ..but she's holding it in Washington, DC....  ...at a lobbying firm...

BREAKING: Pelosi working on Bush Impeachment?  (UPDATED)  —  Via Richard M, who attended a meeting of anti-war activists in Los Angeles on Sunday: … Sadly, each of these explanations seems equally plausible.  Which — equally sadly — speaks volumes about today's Congressional Democrats.

Rush Limbaugh eBay Auction, Anti-Conservative Smear Campaign  —  SMASHING EXPECTATIONS  —  Reid Smear Letter Bidding Reaches Shocking Level  —  *** FLASH ***  —  When bidding reached $10,000, we were amazed.  And when it ratcheted up to $45,000, many were astounded.

Supporters, protesters wage a war of words over Berkeley recruiting station  —  (10-17) 14:38 PDT Berkeley — Dozens of flag-waving military supporters squared off boisterously with peace activists Wednesday in the first major showdown over a U.S. Marine Corps recruiting station that until recently …

Wingnuttery  —  Keep it up, GOP.  Please, please, please keep acting crazy.  —  For those with bad eyes, Mr. King has created a chart claiming the S-CHIP really stands for "Socialized Clinton-style Hillarycare for Illegals and their Parents."  —  Guys, you've done outdone yerselves on this one.