Played for a Sucker  —  Lately, Barack Obama has been saying that major action is needed to avert what he keeps calling a "crisis" in Social Security — most recently in an interview with The National Journal.  Progressives who fought hard and successfully against the Bush administration's attempt …

Panel Drops Immunity From Eavesdropping Bill  —  Reflecting the deep divisions within Congress over granting legal immunity to telephone companies for cooperating with the Bush administration's program of wiretapping without warrants, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved a new domestic surveillance law …

How Do Republicans Get Away With It?  —  The NYT has picked up on the McCain "How do we beat the bitch" incident that TPM Election Central first noted earlier in the week, but get a load of the double-triple-reverse psychology that Katharine Seelye's piece employs.

Come Home … The Dome Under the Cross: Local Muslim and Christian leaders had prepared the church for his arrival.  —  A Bishop came to St John's Church in Baghdad today, 15 November, where a crowd of locals welcomed him home.  They were joined at the service by soldiers from the 2-12 infantry battalion …

Senate blocks Iraq war money  —  WASHINGTON - The Senate on Friday blocked a Democratic proposal that would have paid for the Iraq war but required that troops start coming home.  —  The 53-45 vote was seven votes short of the 60 needed to advance.  It came minutes after the Senate rejected …

CNN LIVE EVENT/SPECIAL  —  Democratic Debate in Las Vegas  —  THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT.  THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.  —  WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: So let's begin our questioning tonight, Campbell Brown.  —  Campbell?  —  CAMPBELL BROWN, CNN …

President Bush Delivers Remarks at Federalist Society's 25th Annual Gala  —  Washington, D.C.  —  THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all.  (Applause.)  So much for the dress code.  (Laughter.)  I'm honored to be with you.  Thanks.  I appreciate being with an organization that understands the value …

Department of Apples and Oranges  —  Andrew links to a shocking article in The Times of London that suggests an epidemic of suicides among veterans: … The implicit suggestion is that the toll of the Iraq war is higher than we ever dared imagine, that even after they return to the States …

"Diamond v. Pearl" Student Blasts CNN (Updated With CNN Response)  —  Maria Luisa, the UNLV student who asked Hillary Clinton whether she preferred "diamonds or pearls" at last night's debate wrote on her MySpace page this morning that CNN forced her to ask the frilly question instead …

Controversy Over Eurostar's Shock Skinhead Urinating Advert  —  An advert depicting a tattooed skinhead urinating into a china teacup is being used to promote tourism to London.  —  The image is part of a new Eurostar campaign aimed solely at the Belgian market.

Gonzales Defense Fund Set Up  —  Supporters of former attorney general Alberto R. Gonzales have created a trust fund to help pay for his legal expenses, which are mounting in the face of an ongoing Justice Department investigation into whether Gonzales committed perjury or improperly tampered with a congressional witness.

BREAKING: Reid shut downs Bush recess appointments during Thanksgiving  —  Now who's relevant?  A statement from Senator Harry Reid (and more background on this issue here):