Bush to Democrats: 'We are at war'  —  WASHINGTON - President Bush compared Congress' Democratic leaders Thursday with people who ignored the rise of Lenin and Hitler early in the last century, saying "the world paid a terrible price" then and risks similar consequences for inaction today.

S.C. Dems reject Colbert candidacy  —  Stephen Colbert's satirical run for the presidency has run into its first roadblock - his bid to be on the ballot in the South Carolina Democratic presidential primary was rejected on Thursday.  —  The party's executive council voted 14 to 3 …

But They're Unaffiliated, Of Course  —  Media Matters insists that it has no intention of supporting a candidate, but it's hard to tell that from its content.  As Jonah Goldberg noted, the site went into a full-throated defense of Hillary Clinton by attacking Tim Russert for ... well, asking questions about issues:

Sen. Kennedy turns against AG nominee  —  WASHINGTON - President Bush, seeking Thursday to salvage the embattled nomination of Michael Mukasey as attorney general, defended the former judge's refusal to say whether he considers waterboarding as illegal torture.  But the nomination suffered another setback in the Senate.

Obama Pledges 'Aggressive' Iran Diplomacy  —  Senator Barack Obama said he would "engage in aggressive personal diplomacy" with Iran if elected president, and would offer economic inducements and a possible promise not to seek "regime change" if Iran stopped meddling in Iraq and cooperated on terrorism and nuclear issues.

Pilot of plane that dropped A-bomb dies  —  COLUMBUS, Ohio - Paul Tibbets, who etched his mother's name — Enola Gay — into history on the nose of the B-29 bomber he flew to drop the atomic bomb over Hiroshima, died Thursday after six decades of steadfastly defending the mission.  He was 92.

Victory at University of Delaware  —  University Dumps Thought Reform Program  —  Late Thursday, University of Delaware President Patrick Harker released on the school's website a Message to the University of Delaware Community terminating the university's ideological reeducation program …

Blackwater sneak silencers into Iraq?  —  Security firm under investigation for allegedly sidestepping export controls  —  A Blackwater employee shows off a silencer-equipped rifle in Iraq in a photo obtained by NBC News.  The picture has been digitally altered to protect the identity of the subject.

Knollenberg aide who went nuts on YouTube takes leave of absence  —  When we last saw Trent Wisecup, chief of staff to Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-Mich.), he was busy blowing a gasket on YouTube and berating an anti-war protester for following around the congressman with a video camera.

The most influential US conservatives: 21-40  —  As the US prepares for what is arguably the most open presidential election since 1928, the last time there was no incumbent president or vice-president on the ballot, the Daily Telegraph's Washington correspondents compile a list of the 100 …

"He's an Incumbent.  That's What We Do."  —  The beautiful thing about primaries is how they clarify people, players and priorities.  —  Lest there be any confusion about the incumbent protection racket for Bush Dogs, here's today's statement from Pelosi's office, justifying her fundraiser for Maryland Corruptocrat Al Wynn:

Time to Close the US Embassy  —  I don't try to start an internet campaign very often, because the blogosphere has its own priorities and logic that are democratic and should not be forced.  But here is a plea for everyone in the blogging world to help force congress to save our diplomats.

Feds Probing Dem Sen. Relationship to Former Aide  —  As the feds are bearing down hard on Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK), raiding his Alaska home and convening a grand jury in Washington, D.C., another investigation into a sitting senator has been proceeding quietly up in New Jersey.

Tracking Lieberman-Warner: What's next?  —  America's Climate Security Act — aka the Lieberman-Warner bill — passed through its first markup hearing today, but not without losing support from the Senate's most vigilant advocate for action against climate change, Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)

U.S. Falls Short of Iraqi Refugee Target  —  The United States accepted only some 450 Iraqi refugees in October, well short of the Bush administration's stated goal of 1,000 a month.  —  The figure also marks a decline from September, when 889 refugees were admitted.