The Democratic Debate  —  The following is a transcript of the Democratic Presidential debate in Las Vegas, as provided by the Federal News Service.  —  PARTICIPANTS:  —  FORMER SENATOR JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC)  —  SENATOR BARACK OBAMA (D-IL)  —  MODERATORS:  —  WOLF BLITZER, CNN  —  CAMPBELL BROWN, CNN

"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 …

Democrats unable to bring troops home  —  WASHINGTON - Nearly a year after anti-war voters put them in power, congressional Democrats remain unable to pass legislation ordering troops home from Iraq.  —  Frustrated by Republican roadblocks, Democrats now plan to sit on President Bush's $196 billion request …

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):

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 …

Eliot Spitzer's Death Wish  —  New York Governor Eliot Spitzer has taken a lot of abuse in recent weeks—for his hastily-dropped plan to give driver's licenses to illegal aliens, his quickly-withdrawn plan to tax internet purchases, and his move to speed-up release for violent criminals.

Who is "desperate to believe the Iranians"?  —  Michael Goldfarb at the Weekly Standard's blog links to a post by Eric Hundman, a regular Passport contributor who works at the Center for Defense Information, and writes: … He then goes on to quote selectively from Eric's post, omitting entirely the part where Eric airs his concerns:

CNN's and Carville's lack of ethics  —  Would it kill CNN to not include partisan supporters of the various candidates in their post-debate spin?  —  Would it kill CNN to disclose that James Carville is a partisan Clinton supporter when talking about the presidential race?

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 …

Why are so many people leaving the UK?  —  The papers today ask why 400,000 left the Uk last year to live and work somewhere else.  I would have thought the answer was obvious.  —  They've had enough.  —  We live in a country where anyone who has gained some qualifications …

Karl Rove at Newsweek?  —  Newsweek magazine hiring Karl Rove to be a political commentator illustrates everything that is wrong with the corporate media system.  Here is a guy whose scorched earth politics have left the nation reeling with ill effects and crippling divisions and he is rewarded …

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 …