Thompson criticizes appeal to Saudis  —  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Appealing to Saudi Arabia to encourage higher oil production to help lower prices is not in the long-term interest of the United States, Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson said on Wednesday.

Former lawmaker charged in terrorism case  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — A former congressman and delegate to the United Nations was indicted Wednesday as part of a terrorist fundraising ring that allegedly sent more than $130,000 to an al Qaeda and Taliban supporter who has threatened U.S. and international troops in Afghanistan.

Obama: Reagan Changed Direction Of Country In Way Bill Clinton Didn't  —  This is interesting — Obama is turning up the volume of his argument with what he terms Clinton style “incremental” change, arguing that Ronald Reagan fundamentally changed the direction of America in a way Bill Clinton didn't.

In Testy Exchange, President Clinton Defends Suit Over Nevada Voting  —  At a stop in Oakland this afternoon, President Clinton vigorously defended a lawsuit challenging Nevada's decision to permit casino workers to join presidential caucuses at their workplaces, even as he denied …

Bachmann: I'm ‘Proud’ That ‘We Have People Working Two Jobs’ And ‘Longer Hours’  —  Topping Congress's agenda as it returns this week is a plan to “jump-start the economy and try to shorten the slowdown that many economists say has already begun to take hold.”

British Muslim computer geek, son of diplomat, revealed as al Qaeda's top cyber terrorist  —  A computer nerd from Shepherd's Bush, West London, became al Qaeda's top internet agent, it can be revealed today.  —  Younes Tsouli, 23, an IT student at a London college, used his top-floor flat …

Rove previews strategies against Clinton, Obama  —  Karl Rove told a group of state Republican officials Wednesday that while the GOP primaries “are far from over,” each of the candidates can beat the top two Democrats — and the former White House aide then outlined a strategy how.

Mitt Romney and Double Standards  —  Ramesh writes, in response to my post on Romney's industrial-policy pandering: … I think my tone obscured my meaning.  I don't actually think that Mitt Romney's Michigan pander ought to discredit his standing among conservatives …

Study: John Edwards Doesn't Exist  —  A new study finds that John Edwards doesn't exist.  —  Allow me to explain.  —  After John Edwards placed second in the Iowa caucus on January 3, Elizabeth Edwards took to the airwaves to argue that his finish should occasion the media to stop covering …

America needs realists, not William Kristol  —  In its response to letters protesting the recent hiring of hard-line neoconservative William Kristol as a weekly Op-Ed columnist, the New York Times described the decision as the result of a “long and thoughtful process” by a paper committed to “vibrant political discourse.”

CLINTON HATRED.  —  of last night's debate.  Edwards never even makes an appearance.  Obama, who Andrew is deeply committed to, hardly even qualifies as a walk-on character.  Instead, it's Clinton.  It's Clinton and Clinton and Clinton and Clinton.  At 9:30 we learn that “Just like Bush, she cannot talk about her own weakness.”