Bob Kerrey Apologizes To Obama Over Raising Muslim “Issue”  —  I didn't mean to do it.  —  That's the gist of former Nebraska Senator and Hillary Clinton supporter Bob Kerrey's written apology to Democratic Senator Barack Obama for raising the issue of Obama's Muslim background …

Giuliani Admitted to St. Louis Hospital … KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Republican Rudy Giuliani was admitted to a hospital Wednesday night for flu-like symptoms, his campaign said.  —  The former New York City mayor felt the symptoms while campaining for the Republican presidential nomination in Missouri …

WAS IT ALL A DREAM?  —  EXCLUSIVE: Mitt Romney claims that his father marched with MLK, but the record says otherwise  —  In the most-watched speech of his political career, speaking on “Faith in America” at College Station, Texas, earlier this month, Mitt Romney evoked the strongest …

Official: Justice Dept. slowed probe into phone jamming  —  WASHINGTON — The Justice Department delayed prosecuting a key Republican official for jamming the phones of New Hampshire Democrats until after the 2004 election, protecting top GOP officials from the scandal until the voting was over.

Senior Qaeda Theologian Urges His Followers To End Their Jihad  —  WASHINGTON — One of Al Qaeda's senior theologians is calling on his followers to end their military jihad and saying the attacks of September 11, 2001, were a “catastrophe for all Muslims."  —  In a serialized manifesto written …

Down to the wire in Iowa: Dems in a dead heat  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — Two weeks to go until the Iowa caucuses and it  —  appears to be a dead heat in the battle for the Democratic presidential nomination in the Hawkeye State, according to a new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll out Thursday morning.

The Clintons And Their Donors  —  The Clintons have long kept hidden the identities of the donors to their foundation, and now we know why.  The New York Times finally got a look at the books, and they discovered millions of dollars coming from people with a lot to lose during the Clinton administration.

Crackdown has illegal immigrants leaving Arizona  —  NOGALES, Sonora - It's a common scene this time of year: streams of overloaded cars, pickups and vans with U.S. license plates crossing into Mexico for the holidays.  —  Most are filled with Hispanic families from Arizona and other states …

Tancredo set to quit race  —  Immigration-reform champion failed to gain traction in presidential bid  —  WASHINGTON — Rep. Tom Tancredo plans to withdraw from the GOP presidential field today, ending a campaign in which he failed to gain much attention or traction as rivals largely adopted his long-held immigration positions.

Powerful Iraq cleric may extend freeze on militia  —  NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr is considering extending a freeze on the activities of his powerful Mehdi Army militia, his official spokesman said.  —  “Yes, there is a chance that the freeze on the Mehdi Army …

A Nuclear Site Is Breached  —  South African Attack Should Sound Alarms  —  An underreported attack on a South African nuclear facility last month demonstrates the high risk of theft of nuclear materials by terrorists or criminals.  Such a crime could have grave national security implications …

The Endless Campaign  —  The Iowa caucuses are 14 days away, with the New Hampshire primary five days later.  And what follows from there won't be pretty.  The way Americans are selecting our presidential candidates in 2008 is, frankly, a mess.  —  The first problem is the overall length of the campaign.

Final Third-Quarter GDP Rises 4.9% As Weak Housing Offset by Spending  —  WASHINGTON — The government left untouched its estimate for economic growth during last summer, saying the pace was the strongest in four years even though housing fared worse than earlier thought.

Bad Huck  —  The unhinged correspondence of Mike Huckabee.  —  Max Brantley, the editor of the alternative weekly Arkansas Times, has feuded with Mike Huckabee since the presidential candidate first appeared on the political stage during his failed 1992 Senate run.

Sondra K-Grande Conservative Blogress Diva 2008  —  When we launched the Grande Conservative Blogress Diva contest this year, we expected to have a number of blogresses nominated and seconded as we did.  So, we assumed a run-off would be necessary.  —  What we did not anticipate was the number of glitches in this year's competition.

Fertility rate in USA on upswing  —  The fertility rate among Americans has climbed to its highest level since 1971, setting the country apart from most industrialized nations that are struggling with low birthrates and aging populations.  —  The fertility rate hit 2.1 in 2006 …