Doctors' Group Opposes Public Insurance Plan  —  WASHINGTON — As the health care debate heats up, the American Medical Association is letting Congress know that it will oppose creation of a government-sponsored insurance plan, which President Obama and many other Democrats see as an essential element …

Grief, Shock After a ‘Gentle Giant’ Loses His Life in the Line of Duty  —  Colleagues called Stephen T. Johns “Big John,” for he was well over 6 feet tall.  But mostly friends recalled the security guard's constant courtesy and friendliness.  —  “A soft-spoken, gentle giant,” said Milton Talley …

David Letterman responds to flap over Sarah Palin jokes  —  Taping tonight's episode of The Late Show, David Letterman took a few minutes to respond to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who called him “pathetic” in a radio interview after he made her and her family the butt of a recent Top 10 list.

Breaking News: Premier's statement on Guantanamo Bay  —  This is the Premier's statement on the four Chinese Muslims allowed to settle in Bermuda from Guantanamo Bay.  —  This year of 2009 marks four hundred years of friendship between the United States and Bermuda.

What If Israel Strikes Iran?  —  The mullahs would retaliate.  But things would be much worse if they had the bomb.  —  Printer  —  Friendly  —  Whatever the outcome of Iran's presidential election tomorrow, negotiations will not soon — if ever — put an end to its nuclear threat.

Dem mutiny on climate bill grows, says Peterson  —  More and more Democrats are ready to vote against Speaker Nancy Pelosi's climate change bill, according to a congressional committee chairman who opposes his leader.  —  The House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) …

Netanyahu's speech: Yes to road map, no to settlement freeze  —  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will announce in his foreign policy speech scheduled for Sunday the adoption of the road map and the “two-state solution” for settling the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, according to sources close to the prime minister.

Fed Emails Bash BofA Chief in Tussle Over Merrill Deal  —  WASHINGTON — Federal Reserve officials harshly criticized Bank of America Corp. and its chief executive in emails after the bank tried to pull out of its deal to buy Merrill Lynch, according to documents unearthed by congressional investigators.

Election 2009: Virginia Governor Election  —  Virginia Governor: Deeds (D) 47%, McDonnell (R) 41%  —  Newly chosen Democratic gubernatorial nominee R. Creigh Deeds leads his Republican opponent, former Attorney General Robert F. McDonnell, by six points in the first poll of Virginia voters released since Tuesday's Democratic primary.

W.H.O. Raises Alert Level as Flu Spreads to 74 Countries  —  GENEVA — The World Health Organization has told its member nations it is declaring a swine flu pandemic — the first global flu epidemic in 41 years, news services reported.  —  The move came after an emergency meeting with flu experts …

Libtalker Roseanne Barr Denounces Obama On Leftist Radio Program  —  NO HOLDS BARR-ED  —  Roseanne: 'Everybody's On The (Obama) Kool-Aid'  —  Now that he's in office, should dedicated Obamists support the president even as key campaign promises are broken and empty rhetoric becomes the order of the day?

RITE IS WRONG FOR SON OF CON  —  BIGS LET RICH CROOK HOLD BAR MITZVAH IN JAIL  —  Who needs the Waldorf?  —  A wealthy inmate was allowed to host a lavish bar mitzvah behind bars for his son at the downtown lockup known as the Tombs, The Post has learned.

Republicans Open Senate Session, but Key Democrat Walks Out  —  ALBANY — Thirty Republicans and two Democrats who have sided with them began an unusual 11 a.m. session in the State Senate Thursday morning after other Senate Democrats failed in a court bid to stop the gathering.

Is The Right Still “Proud To Be a Right-Wing Extremist”?  —  Back in April and May I wrote a whole series of posts about how the Right was systematically trumping-up a controversy over the Department of Homeland Security Report, “Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence …