ANALYSIS: Huckabee Shines in Lackluster Debate  —  Last Chance GOP Debate a Missed Opportunity for Would-Be Iowa Contenders  —  The GOP Des Moines Register debate was lackluster but good news for front-runners Mike Huckabee, of Arkansas and former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts.

Clinton N.H. Official Warns Obama Will Be Attacked on Drug Use  —  Bill Shaheen, Clinton's New Hampshire co-chair.  (AP).  —  DOVER, N.H. — Billy Shaheen, the co-chairman of Hillary Clinton's campaign in New Hampshire, raised the issue of Sen. Barack Obama's past admissions of drug use …

Pelosi backs down in spending battle  —  In the face of stiff opposition from powerful fellow Democrats, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) has abandoned a proposal she supported less than 24 hours ago to eliminate lawmakers' earmarks from the omnibus spending package.

The Huckabee Factor  —  Mike Huckabee walked into the lobby of the Des Moines Marriott at 5:30 a.m. on Dec. 3, deposited an armful of dirty laundry at the desk and checked to make sure he was being credited with Marriott Rewards points toward his next stay.  Then, accompanied by his wife …

Attackers Shouted "This is a Christian Country"  —  ...before the ten of them started beating up a group of Jews on the Q train in New York City.  —  2 Comments for the post: Attackers Shouted "This is a Christian Country"  —  Entropy said,  —  And the point of this post is?  —  Idiosyncrat said,

Rep. King Decries 'Assault On Christmas,' Calls On Americans To 'Stand Up' And 'Worship Christ'  —  Rep. Steve King recently (R-IA) introduced legislation recognizing the "importance of Christmas and the Christian faith," despite previously opposing resolutions recognizing the Muslim celebration of Ramadan and the Hindu Diwali.

Sen. Kit Bond: Waterboarding Is Like 'Swimming'  —  Yesterday on PBS's Newshour, host Gwen Ifill asked Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO) whether waterboarding constitutes torture.  Bond replied that the technique is actually more like "swimming": … Watch it:  —  Conservatives have repeatedly tried …

Personal Presidential Elimination Process: The Case Against Mike Huckabee  —  In my continuing quest to decide which (if any) of the GOP candidates to support in the 2008 Presidential primaries, we come back to the case of Mike Huckabee.  I've joked in the past about never giving Hope …

Novak's non-scandal  —  So remember all the hubub and rapid-response that ensued when Robert Novak floated a mystery scandal about Obama? … Two sources tell me his column, which runs tomorrow, will report that the "scandalous information" in question arrived in the form of the attack on Obama's PAC as a …

Boehner admits GOP money situation 'sucks'  —  One of the best things that can be said of Rep. John A. Boehner's leadership is that the head of House Republicans is no Newt Gingrich, no Tom DeLay.  —  The Ohio lawmaker has an affable, understated style and runs a team that has the long knives …

Update on Ratings of Bush, Congress  —  Thirty-seven percent approve of Bush, 22% of Congress  —  PRINCETON, NJ — A new Gallup Poll, conducted Dec. 6-9, finds 37% of Americans approving of the job George W. Bush is doing as president, an improvement from his recent scores in the low 30s.

C.I.A. Chief Admits Failure to Inform Congress  —  WASHINGTON — Gen. Michael V. Hayden, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, acknowledged on Wednesday that the C.I.A. had failed to keep members of Congress fully informed of the facts that the agency had videotaped the interrogations …