The Race Card, Football and Me  —  My critics would have you believe no conservative meets NFL ‘standards.’  —  David Checketts, an investor and owner of sports teams, approached me in late May about investing in the St. Louis Rams football franchise.  As a football fan, I was intrigued.

How Turkey Was Lost to the West  —  Once the apotheosis of a pro-Western, dependable Muslim democracy, this week Turkey officially left the Western alliance and became a full member of the Iranian axis.  —  It isn't that Ankara's behavior changed fundamentally in recent days.

Record-High Deficit May Dash Big Plans  —  $1.4 Trillion in Red Ink Means Less to Spend On Obama's Ambitious Jobs, Stimulus Policies  —  The federal budget deficit soared to a record $1.4 trillion in the fiscal year that ended in September, a chasm of red ink unequaled in the postwar era …

Bailout Helps Fuel a New Era of Wall Street Wealth  —  Even as the economy continues to struggle, much of Wall Street is minting money — and looking forward again to hefty bonuses.  —  Many Americans wonder how this can possibly be.  How can some banks be prospering so soon after a financial collapse …

Obama rips health insurance lobby as ‘deceptive,’ ‘dishonest,’ ‘bogus.’  —  Earlier this week, the health insurance lobby AHIP (America's Health Insurance Plans) issued a false and dishonest report claiming that the Baucus health care bill would increase health care costs.

Labor chief takes on White House  —  The president of one of America's largest labor unions, Gerry McEntee, has emerged as a major obstacle to the White House's efforts to maintain a unified front in the health care debate.  —  The veteran president of the American Federation of State …

A message from NY-23 conservative candidate Doug Hoffman  —  (Note from Michelle: This is a special guest post from NY-23 conservative congressional candidate Doug Hoffman.  Please spread the word about the Nov. 3 special election and show your support.  All hands on deck!)

Pakistan Moves Troops Into Taliban Stronghold  —  ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistan moved large contingents of troops into the Taliban stronghold of South Waziristan on Saturday, beginning a long-anticipated ground offensive against Al Qaeda and Taliban militants in treacherous terrain …

Shepard Fairey admits to wrongdoing in Associated Press lawsuit  —  In a strange twist to an already complicated legal situation, artist Shepard Fairey admitted today to legal wrongdoing in his ongoing battle with the Associated Press.  —  Fairey said in a statement issued late Friday …

Obama Threatens Insurers' Anti-Trust Exemption  —  WASHINGTON — President Obama mounted a frontal assault on the insurance industry on Saturday, accusing it of airing “deceptive and dishonest ads” to derail his health care legislation and threatening to strip the industry of its longstanding exemption from federal anti-trust laws.

British High Court rejects U.S./British cover-up of torture evidence  —  (updated below)  —  There is a vital development — a new ruling from the British High Court — in a story about which I've written many times before: the extraordinary joint British/U.S. effort to cover up the brutal torture …

Elder Bush Decries Lack of Civility in Politics  —  Posted by Peter Maer Former President George H.W. Bush told CBS News that President Obama “is entitled to civil treatment and intellectual honesty when it comes to critics.”  —  Referring to the tone of national discourse he said, “I don't like it.

Obama Drops Plan to Isolate Sudan Leaders  —  WASHINGTON — The Obama administration has formulated a new policy for Sudan that proposes working with that country's government, rather than isolating it as President Obama had pledged to do during his campaign.

Lefty anger splits Dems — and may sink them  —  “Harry Reid abdicates his leadership role,” reads the headline at the lefty Daily Kos Web site.  “Why Joe Biden should resign,” reads the headline at the Huffington Post.  “Whiner in Chief,” reads the headline at The Nation, referring to President Obama.