Fred Wins, Iowa Loses  —  Why Carolyn Washburn should keep her day job.  —  HERE WE WERE on Wednesday, a nation of political junkies gathered around our televisions to watch the candidates debate each other one last time, and we had as a moderator one Carolyn Washburn, the editor of the Des Moines Register.

Deal would give Bush victory on war funding  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — Democratic lawmakers and staffers privately say they're closing in on a broad budget deal that would give President Bush as much as $70 billion in new war funding.  —  The deal would lack a key provision Democrats had attached …

Clinton Aide Sees Problem for Obama  —  DES MOINES — A top adviser to Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton said Wednesday that Senator Barack Obama's admission of illegal drug use as a young man could threaten his electability and be seized on by Republicans if he won the Democratic presidential nomination.

The Cartoon Mitt Romney Doesn't Want You To See [VIDEO]  —  Posted by Oliver Willis, Oliver Willis.com at 4:32 AM on December 12, 2007.  —  That it's got over 500,000 views on YouTube can't help someone like Mitt Romney  —  I don't know enough about Mormon theology to know if this bit …

Muslim helps Jews attacked on New York subway  —  NEW YORK (CNN) — A Muslim man jumped to the aid of three Jewish subway riders after they were attacked by a group of young people who objected to one of the Jews saying "Happy Hanukkah," a spokeswoman for the three said Wednesday.

Misreading the Iran Report  —  The extraordinary spectacle of the president's national security adviser obliged to defend the president's Iran policy against a National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) raises two core issues: How are we now to judge the nuclear threat posed by Iran?

General won't say waterboarding violates Geneva Conventions  —  WASHINGTON — A U.S. military legal advisor wouldn't rule out the possibility that statements by suspected terrorists subjected to waterboarding, or simulated drowning, could be used at hearings being conducted at Guantánamo Bay.

Idaho Senators Block Bush's ATF Pick  —  Idaho's senators are blocking President Bush's nominee to head the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, saying the agency has become overly aggressive in enforcing gun laws.  —  Republican Sens. Larry Craig and Mike Crapo placed separate holds …

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,