Obama goes for the capillaries  —  Barack Obama delivers a rousing speech in Iowa on Saturday night, all but calling out Hillary Clinton, and then gets weak-kneed on Sunday morning.  —  Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., speaks during the Iowa Democratic Party's Jefferson Jackson Dinner on Nov. 10 in Des Moines.

Al Gore's next act: Planet-saving VC  —  The recovering politician is teaming with a legendary venture capitalist and bigtime moneyman to make over the $6 trillion global energy business.  A Fortune exclusive  —  (Fortune Magazine) — It's lunchtime on Sand Hill Road, and Al Gore wants answers.

Iran has a right to seek nuclear capability  —  is a writing fellow with International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, the 1985 Nobel Peace laureate  —  Some call it "the nuclear double standard;" others, "nuclear apartheid;" still others, "America's nuclear hypocrisy."

Falling Flags  —  ABC News' Eloise Harper and Rick Klein Report: It's been a rough stretch for Hillary Clinton — a tough debate performance, a lost voice, and the revelation that the Clinton campaign had been coaching questioners at events.  —  Then, on Sunday, everything started falling down around her.

A New Channel for Soft Money Starts Flowing  —  The so-called Wounded Warriors Act, legislation intended to improve health care for veterans, has attracted nearly unanimous, bipartisan support in Congress.  So why would the newly formed Foundation for a Secure and Prosperous America begin running …

Hurdles Stall Plan For Iraqi Recruits  —  Shiite Leadership Wary of Bringing Fighters Into Ranks  —  BAGHDAD — The U.S. effort to organize nearly 70,000 local fighters to solidify security gains in Iraq is facing severe political and logistical challenges as U.S.-led forces struggle to manage …

TOP SPITZ MAN TOLD AIDE TO LIE: INSIDER  —  Gov. Spitzer's former communications di rector, Darren Dopp, asked another Spitzer aide to lie about the origins of the Dirty Tricks Scandal - including the governor's own allegedly extensive knowledge of the plot to smear the Senate's GOP leader, a well-placed source told The Post yesterday.

'24' chief scoffs at Hillary  —  SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Hollywood producer Joel Surnow dismissed as "nuts" the notion that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton can be elected president and said he and other conservatives in the entertainment industry are leaning toward supporting Republican Rudolph W. Giuliani's presidential campaign.

Security Guard Fires From Convoy, Killing Iraqi Driver  —  An Iraqi taxi driver was shot and killed on Saturday by a guard with DynCorp International, a private security company hired to protect American diplomats here, when a DynCorp convoy rolled past a knot of traffic on an exit ramp in Baghdad …

Even ascendant, Dems wary of 'liberal' label  —  The Democratic front-runner shied away, saying the "word" — noticeably not using the word — has taken on a connotation that "describes big government.  —  "I prefer the word 'progressive,'" she said.  It has a "real American meaning."

Thompson's scarlet 'L'  —  FORT MILLS, S.C — .  — Campaigning in New Hampshire and South Carolina, Republican presidential hopeful Fred Thompson raised his voice and shook his fists as he described his vision of an America true to conservative values.  —  The display of vigor last week was timely …

Ron Paul's record in Congress  — by Dave  —  In the comments thread to my previous post on Ron Paul, the indispensable Trefayne compiled a series of posts on Paul's track record as a congressman, particularly those bills he sponsored or co-sponsored.  —  Here's Trefayne:

Armitage 'foolish' to leak CIA agent's name  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — The man who revealed that Valerie Plame worked for the CIA said that he was "extraordinarily foolish" to leak her name.  —  Former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage told CNN's Wolf Blitzer in an interview broadcast Sunday …

Lions for Lambs...Slaughtered  —  Looks like the Saturday night box office estimates are in and while Lions for Lambs basically doubled its take from Friday, $6.7 million in box office is only good for 4th place.  —  A distant 4th place: Bee Movie grossed $26 million, American Gangster $24 million, and Fred Claus $19 million.

A Failed Congressional Ploy  —  WASHINGTON — The ploy had been hatched behind closed doors by Democratic leaders of both houses.  A pork-laden appropriations bill filled with $1 billion in earmarks would combine with veto-proof spending for veterans.  Instead, the two measures were decoupled in a Senate party-line vote last Tuesday.

Farmers Ask Federal Court To Dissociate Hemp and Pot  —  Wayne Hauge grows grains, chickpeas and some lentils on 2,000 acres in northern North Dakota.  Business is up and down, as the farming trade tends to be, and he is always on the lookout for a new crop.  He tried sunflowers and safflowers and black beans.