S.C. poll: Huckabee bolts to top of GOP; Obama cuts into Clinton lead  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) - Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee surged to the top among Republican presidential candidates in South Carolina, while Sen. Hillary Clinton's lead over Sen. Barack Obama among Democrats narrowed since July in that state, according to a new poll.

Senate passes energy bill without oil tax increase  —  Senate Democrats yesterday bowed to Republicans and stripped a proposed tax increase for oil companies from a broad energy bill, clearing the way for passage of the measure that includes the first increase in vehicle gas-mileage standards in 32 years.

Paul foots bill for Huckabee critics' trips  —  LITTLE ROCK, ARK. — Two former Republican legislators from Mike Huckabee 's home state are in Iowa this week criticizing Huckabee's record on immigration and taxes on trips paid for by Ron Paul, one of Huckabee's Republican presidential rivals.

Hundreds of Taliban Killed By Salmonella And Combined Arms, But Mostly Combined Arms  —  The US Military had a "temper tantrum," I guess ABCNews would say.  —  A wonderful temper tantrum.  "Hundreds killed," not the 50 or so reported earlier. … Now you may wonder why a major victory in the …

Unfettered 'citizen journalism' too risky  —  You're beginning to get a lot more news ... from you.  —  It ranges from the CNN YouTube debates to political blogs to cellphone video of that sniper who opened fire at an Omaha Mall.  These are all examples of so called "citizen journalism," …

Obama edges Clinton in poll  —  Romney well ahead in 'Monitor' survey  —  December 14.  —  Barack Obama has come from behind to turn the Democratic presidential race in New Hampshire into a toss-up, according to a new Monitor opinion poll.  The results - which show Obama with a one-point edge …

Code Huckabee  —  Is the thought of Mike Huckabee as president just vaguely scary?  Or have we learned enough about the man that we should be hair-on-fire alarmed at the prospect, still pretty remote, that he could actually win?  —  True, none of his opponents for the Republican nomination inspires much confidence.

Vuitton-clad Venezuela minister spouts socialism  —  CARACAS (Reuters) - A video of a Gucci- and Louis Vuitton-clad politician attacking capitalism then struggling to explain how his luxurious clothes square with his socialist beliefs has become an instant YouTube hit in Venezuela.

Greenpeace: Let Them Eat Cake  —  Third dispatch from the U.N. climate change conference in Bali  —  Nusa Dua, Bali - On December 11, Greenpeace distributed slices from a gigantic chocolate cake to participants at the U.N. Climate Change conference (COP-13) to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol.

Rudy and The Undocumented Multitudes  —  The Romney campaign this a.m. is dropping this video....

Protecting Hillary: Bill Clinton Severs Business Ties With Billionaire Buddy Burkle  —  Bill Clinton has severed business ties with Los Angeles billionaire Ron Burkle, fearful that their deals could erupt into bad publicity damaging his wife's presidential bid, according to sources who know both men.

Perry says Bush never was fiscal conservative  —  Texas governor makes pointed remarks at a party fanning support for Giuliani.  —  Texas Gov. Rick Perry aired unusually pointed criticism of President Bush while stumping in Iowa for Rudy Giuliani for president last week.