Rumsfeld on eve of Iraq war: 'If you think we're going to spend' $1 billion in Iraq, 'you're sadly mistaken.'  —  Rumsfeld on eve of Iraq war: 'If you think we're going to spend' $1 billion in Iraq, 'you're sadly mistaken.'»  —  A scathing new report by the Special Inspector General …

SO DIFFERENT?  —  Since the story broke a few days ago, I've been extremely interested in the arrest of Bernard Madoff, former Nasdaq chief, whose investment business has been revealed as a massive scam with loses of as much as $50 billion.  Since I'm in the news business a lurid story …

Obama logo ideas that weren't chosen  —  Sol Sender, who led a design team for the Obama 08 logo, was recently interviewed about the project.  —  Here's a walk through the various logo options, with some of Sol's thoughts.  The full interview videos can be watched on the website of VSA Partners (where Sol is now a strategist).

HILL ALLY: CAROLINE IS NOT READY FOR SENATE  —  ALBANY - A powerful labor leader with strong ties to Sen. Hillary Clinton yesterday joined the growing ranks of Democrats bashing Caroline Kennedy as a possible successor to the former first lady in the US Senate.

Lawyer Seen as Bold Enough to Cheat the Best of Investors  —  Marc S. Dreier knew the 45th-floor conference room of Solow Realty well.  He had been in it many times as a trusted lawyer for the company's founder.  —  So nothing seemed amiss when he showed up one afternoon in October and told …

They Can't Be That Desperate  —  Dear God: … I honestly don't know quite how to deal with this.  Over the past year I have strained and even broken treasured friendships over the idea that allowing a Republican to win over a Democrat, no matter how bad he or she is …

The Saturday Cartoons  —  Before we get to the 'toons, I'm pleased to share the news that our friend Jeff Danziger of the New York Times and the Rutland Herald (Vermont) has received the 2008 Thomas Nast Award, for editorial cartoons.  Jeff calls Nast “the grandfather of all American cartoonists” …

Arson suspected in fire at Palin's church  —  WASILLA - An overnight fire at Gov. Sarah Palin's Alaska church caused an estimated $1 million in damage, and investigators say it could be the work of an arsonist.Firefighters were called to Wasilla Bible Church about 9:40 p.m. Friday and found flames …

Obama's Friends Form Strategy to Stay Close  —  Last Sunday night, President-elect Barack Obama's three closest friends — Valerie Jarrett, Martin Nesbitt and Dr. Eric Whitaker — sat down in the study of Mr. Nesbitt's house in Chicago for one of their increasingly frequent heart-to-hearts.

HUD pick foresaw subprime crisis in '04  —  Barack Obama's pick for HUD — former New York City Housing Commissioner Shaun Donovan — was one of the earliest public officials to foresee the magnitude and destructive capacity of the subprime crisis.  —  In the middle of 2004, I sat down with Donovan …

Meet the GOP's wrecking crew  —  Why did a small group of Southern Republicans turn the auto bailout into a demolition derby?  Introducing the senators who hate unions and love foreign cars.  —  WASHINGTON — On July 15, Bob Corker was a happy man.  —  “I cannot think of a more exciting day …