Targeting the neglected white male  —  Which of these statements are racist?  Which are sexist?  Or which are merely political?  —  "We can't make John black; we can't make him a woman.  Those things get you a lot of press, worth a certain amount of fundraising dollars," says Elizabeth Edwards.

BREAKING NEWS: L.A. Times/Bloomberg poll dissected  —  The new L.A. Times/Bloomberg poll, which you can peruse here, provides welcome news for Democrat Hillary Clinton and, to a lesser extent, Republican Rudy Giuliani.  But a closer look at the results also identifies the hurdles that could keep either out of the White House.

1,155 homes — and counting  —  Criticism is mounting that the region was unprepared.  —  Exhausted and sometimes discouraged, firefighters struggled for a third day Tuesday to wrest control of more than a dozen wildfires in Southern California that threatened such familiar landmarks …

Hillary Says She Would Support Filibuster Of Intel Committee's Telecom Immunity Bill  —  At a press availability in Colorado a little while ago, Hillary commented on the Senate FISA bill and said that she would support a filibuster of the current legislation that's just emerged …

Sept 11 'not that terrible' says Doris Lessing  —  Doris Lessing, the Nobel Prize-winning British author, has called the attacks on New York on Sept 11, 2001, "not that terrible", compared to the campaign of terror waged by the IRA in the UK.  —  Lessing, 88, who won the Nobel Prize …

Perchance to DREAM  —  In anticipation of today's cloture vote, DREAM Act supporters have been telling people that the measure would give amnesty to only 60,000 illegal aliens a year; see this, for instance, from the Daily Kos.  But even their own think tank disagrees …

As Campaigns Chafe at Limits, Donors Might Be in Diapers  —  Elrick Williams's toddler niece Carlyn may be one of the youngest contributors to this year's presidential campaign.  The 2-year-old gave $2,300 to Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).  —  So did her sister and brother, Imara, 13 …

New book says US uses 'methods of the most tyrannical regimes'  —  More than 100,000 pages of newly released government documents demonstrate how US military interrogators "abused, tortured or killed" scores of prisoners rounded up since Sept. 11, 2001, including some who were not even suspected …

Redstate Bans Ron Paul Supporters  —  Redstate has made a mistake in dealing with the Ron Paul Internet phenomenon.  Instead of dealing quietly with trolls, the excellent conservative blog has announced a blanket policy banning supporting diaries and comments for Ron Paul from the site.

RUDY AWAKENING....What would Rudy Giuliani be like as president?  In our November issue, Rachel Morris looks for the answer by digging around in the nooks and crannies of his two terms as mayor of New York City.  Here's an excerpt: … Choosing the best presidential candidate among the 2008 contenders is a tough job.

Wilton: Romney endorsement a mistake  —  SPARTANBURG, S.C. (BP)—South Carolina pastor Don Wilton said Oct. 23 he made a "personal error" in agreeing to support the campaign of Mitt Romney for president.  —  The pastor of First Baptist Church in Spartanburg and a former president …

McCain says he wants to shoot Osama  —  ROCHESTER, N.H. — Republican presidential candidate John McCain told workers of small weapons factory that he not only wants to catch Osama Bin Laden if elected, but said he "will shoot him with your products".  —  "I will follow Osama Bin Laden …

Harry Reid Blames California Wildfires On Global Warming...Before He Denies He Said It.  —  After a closed door policy meeting with other Senate Democrats, Majority Leader and utter buffoon Hary Reid of Nevada took to the microphones just outside the floor of the United States Senate, and fielded questions.

Children's Health Yields to the Senators From Pork  —  The United States Senate yesterday was confronted with a stark choice: health care for children, or pet projects for lawmakers' home states.  —  The final tally?  —  Pet Projects 68, Kids 26.  —  In truth, the children never had a chance.

Madness as Method  —  Dick Cheney's craziness used to influence foreign policy.  —  Now it is foreign policy.  —  He may have lost his buddy in belligerence, Rummy.  He may have tapped out the military in Iraq.  He may not be able to persuade Congress so easily anymore — except for Hillary — to issue warlike resolutions.

Nonie Darwish at Berkeley  —  during Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week … The online nicknames of the seven "citizen journalists" are: bbuck, Chicken Kiev, Dan K., Luvpotion v.9.0, Marwan's Daughter, neocon hippie, and Temmy. … "Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week" is a nationwide series of lectures …

Remember Iraq  —  Boy, am I glad we finally got out of Iraq.  It was so painful waking up every morning and reading the news from there.  It's just such a relief to have it out of mind and behind us.  —  Huh?  Say what?  You say we're still there?  But how could that be — nobody in Washington is talking about it anymore?

How to Cool the Globe  —  DESPITE growing interest in clean energy technology, it looks as if we are not going to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide anytime soon.  The amount in the atmosphere today exceeds the most pessimistic forecasts made just a few years ago, and it is increasing faster than anybody had foreseen.

A buttery voice for Obama  —  Norma Duffield Stong Lyon does some of her best work in 40-degree temperatures, so she is certainly hardy enough to deal with January's Iowa caucus weather.  —  Strong, who goes by "Duffy," is something of an Iowa icon, where she is known as the "Butter Cow Lady" …