Iowa poll says Clinton breaking away from the pack  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — A stunning new Iowa poll seems to show the New York senator with an apparent double-digit lead over her nearest rival among likely Democratic caucus goers, with voting just over a week away.

Kerry presses NFL  —  Massachusetts Senator John Kerry has appealed to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to take action to ensure that all Patriots fans in New England, and across the country, will have the chance to view the team's season finale against the Giants.  —  The game is scheduled to be broadcast on NFL Network.

The Ron Paul Vid-Lash  —  Ron Paul, our Internet president, seems to have Nazi troubles, as in they're saying he's one of them.  —  Stormfront, a “white nationalist” Internet community, has given him money.  And he can't seem to stop meeting with self-described neo-Nazis, according to Bill White …

The Proverbial Rug  —  Bruce Bartlett responds to my post on his book: … No, no, no!  I don't think the history should be swept under the rug at all.  What I think is that the history reflects well on present members of the Democratic Party.  The political views of the Southern Democrats …

Pope Makes Appeal on the Environment  —  ROME — Pope Benedict XVI reinforced the Vatican's growing concern with protecting the environment in the traditional midnight Christmas Mass on Tuesday, bemoaning an “ill-treated world” in a homily given to thousands of pilgrims here in the seat of the world's billion Roman Catholics.

Monday Late Nite: Wedged in the Chimney  —  Give it away, give it away, give it away now...  HAMPTON, N.H. — Rudolph W. Giuliani has entered a turbulent period in his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination, marked by what his aides acknowledge are missteps …

Anger over plan to broadcast Muslim call to prayer on loudspeaker in Oxford  —  Muslim plans to broadcast a loudspeaker call to prayer from a city centre mosque have been attacked by local residents who say it would turn the area into a “Muslim ghetto".  —  Dozens of people packed …

Fear of subpoenas ‘crippling’ the White House?  —  As she departs the White House, and steps down as Bush's chief terrorism adviser, Frances Fragos Townsend stopped to tell the NYT how disappointed she is with the political climate in DC. … Oh, those poor, poor White House officials.

Media's two-faced Christmas coverage  —  Muslims driving Christians out of Bethlehem, but media outlets choose to blame Israel  —  Ah, Christmas in Bethlehem.  Manger Square is ablaze with colorful lights.  The weather is usually a bit chilly.  Aggressive merchants bombard passersby with …

A Web Troll's Toll on the Clinton Campaign  —  FORT MITCHELL, Ky. — In Norse mythology, trolls steal babies and leave their own shape-shifting offspring behind.  On the Internet, they just steal attention.  —  As candidates increasingly use the Internet to build political bridges …

Margaret Thatcher's grandson is rising star of American football  —  She was known as the Iron Lady and now her teenage grandson is a rising star of gridiron.  —  Michael Thatcher is continuing to foster Baroness Thatcher's special relationship with the U.S. - by helping …

Shielding Money Clashes With Elders' Free Will  —  Eight years ago, when Robert J. Pyle was 73 years old, he had about $500,000 in the bank and owned a house in Northern California worth about $650,000.  He was looking forward to a comfortable retirement.  —  Today, at 81, he has lost everything.