Hardball fun  —  Hardball tonight was great political TV, Penn and Axelrod sparring pretty hard while Joe Trippi sticks in the knife where he can.  —  Also, Matthews introduces the three as "starfighters."  —  Highlights include Axelrod making clear that his campaign only grudgingly …

Pelosi: Republicans `like' Iraq War  —  WASHINGTON (AP) - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi lashed out at Republicans on Thursday, saying they want the Iraq war to drag on and are ignoring the public's priorities.  —  "They like this war.  They want this war to continue," Pelosi, D- Calif., told reporters.

HRC struggles for points at last debate  —  Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's shift from confident front-runner to scrappy, challenged candidate became clear at the final Democratic debate before the Jan. 3 Iowa caucuses, as she strained against the limits of the staid event to draw contrasts with her rivals.

Fred Thompson Campaign Apologies  —  From Karen Hanretty, Deputy Communications Director:  —  In light of Mike Huckabee's heartfelt apology to Mitt Romney for making reference to Romney's religion in the New York Times Magazine, we at the Thompson Campaign would like to offer Huckabee …

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," …

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.

Players listed in the Mitchell Commission report … Here are players mentioned in the Mitchell Commission report and how it links them to performance-enhancing substances:  —  Information Learned During this Investigation Concerning BALCO and Major League Baseball (9 players/3 active in MLB in 2007)

Global Carbon Tax Urged at UN Climate Conference  —  BALI, Indonesia - A global tax on carbon dioxide emissions was urged to help save the Earth from catastrophic man-made global warming at the United Nations climate conference.  A panel of UN participants on Thursday urged the adoption …

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.

Military Leaders: Ignore Bush Veto Threat, Ban Waterboarding  —  Thirty retired admirals and generals have penned a letter to key Democrats, urging them to defy President Bush's veto threats and pass legislation requiring U.S intelligence agents to follow strict standards for detainee treatment.

Govt's Kooky Cult Terrorism Case Goes Bust  —  The Miami "Seas of David" terror bust was such an important blow in the War on Terror that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales himself gave a press conference in July of 2006.  Federal agents had stopped a plot to blow up the Sears Tower, he said.

After the Money's Gone  —  On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve announced plans to lend $40 billion to banks.  By my count, it's the fourth high-profile attempt to rescue the financial system since things started falling apart about five months ago.  Maybe this one will do the trick, but I wouldn't count on it.