How Lawmaker Rebuilt Hometown on Earmarks  —  Johnstown Gets Billions  —  With Power Broker's Aid;  —  FBI Questions a Contract  —  JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — If John Murtha were a businessman, he'd be the biggest employer in this town.  —  The powerful U.S. congressman has used his clout …

New Congress at war over everything  —  In a closed-door meeting before the last vote on the children's health care bill, House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer appealed for the support of about 30 wavering Republican lawmakers.  What he got instead was a tongue-lashing, participants said.

Fineman: What Obama must do in the debate  —  WASHINGTON - As Sen. Barack Obama prepared for Tuesday night's crucial NBC debate in Philadelphia, his high command back in Chicago was watching a lot of old Clinton videotape — not of Hillary Clinton, but of Bill, and not of Bill as president …

"Ron Paul Spammers" Targeted by UAB Spam Team  —  Contact: Deborah Lucas or Virginia Smith UAB Media Relations, 205-934-8946  —  UAB Spam Team Spots First Presidential Campaign Spam  —  Anti-spam researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) noted a disturbing …

Against Giuliani  —  "Hillary and Obama are kind of debating whether to invite [Osama bin Laden and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad] to the inauguration or the inaugural ball," says Rudy Giuliani.  Andrew's right.  This guy is out of his goddamn mind.  —  You know, a few years ago …

Zogby Poll: 52% Support U.S. Military Strike Against Iran  —  Most see Clinton as the presidential candidate best equipped to deal with Iran, followed by Giuliani and McCain—but many express uncertainty  —  A majority of likely voters - 52% - would support a U.S. military strike to prevent Iran …

Official: Blackwater not offered immunity  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — No blanket immunity deal was offered to Blackwater guards for their statements regarding a shootout in Iraq last month that left 17 Iraqi civilians dead, two senior State Department officials told CNN Tuesday.

Statement of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton on Her Opposition to the Nomination of Judge Michael Mukasey to be Attorney General of the United States  —  We need an Attorney General who has the strength to challenge this Administration when it is wrong, who is committed to reestablishing …

Iraqi Dam Seen In Danger of Deadly Collapse  —  AT THE MOSUL DAM, Iraq — The largest dam in Iraq is in serious danger of an imminent collapse that could unleash a trillion-gallon wave of water, possibly killing thousands of people and flooding two of the largest cities in the country …

Three plead guilty in fake voter scheme  —  Three of seven defendants in the biggest voter-registration fraud scheme in Washington history have pleaded guilty and one has been sentenced, prosecutors said Monday.  —  The defendants were all temporary employees of ACORN …

Gay Enclaves Face Prospect of Being Passé  —  This Halloween, the Glindas, gladiators and harem boys of the Castro — along with untold numbers who plan to dress up as Senator Larry E. Craig, this year's camp celebrity — will be celebrating behind closed doors.

Sharpton chides Cheney over Confederate flag flap  —  Nobody got shot, but Vice President Cheney still fired up controversy Monday when he went hunting at a private club that hangs the Confederate flag.  —  A Daily News photographer captured the 3-by-5 foot Dixie flag affixed to a door …

Lessons in hate found at leading mosques  —  Books calling for the beheading of lapsed Muslims, ordering women to remain indoors and forbidding interfaith marriage are being sold inside some of Britain's leading mosques, according to research seen by The Times.

HOW TO GET THE WORLD TO LIKE US -THE CASE FOR ISOLATIONISM  —  Bummed out about international hostility to the US of A?  Waiting for the good times to roll again?  Actor/activist Ron Silver has a proposal for you.  (NOTE: Silver begins his new PajamasXpress blog "Silver Bullet" for Pajamas Media on Wednesday)

Lawyer: No Charges for Tasered Student  —  ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - A University of Florida student who was shocked with a Taser after persistently questioning Sen. John Kerry won't face criminal charges and has apologized for his actions, his attorney said Tuesday.

ARI FLEISCHER: A NEW BREED OF JEWISH LEADER  —  Jane Whitson - AKA Nashville-based blogger Webutante - barely knew Jewish Republicans existed until last week, when she met former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer, whom she now views as "a modern day Moses leading his people out of slavery, into freedom.