Obtained: In Letter To Pelosi, 41 House Dems Pledge To Vote Against Bill With Anti-Abortion Amendment  —  In a move that will intensify the coming war over how to treat abortion in the health care bill, more than three dozen House Dems have signed a letter to Nancy Pelosi firmly pledging …

Officials: U.S. Army Told of Hasan's Contacts with al Qaeda  —  Army Major in Fort Hood Massacre Used ‘Electronic Means’ to Connect with Terrorists  —  U.S. intelligence agencies were aware months ago that Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan was attempting to make contact with people associated with al Qaeda …

Pfizer abandons site of infamous Kelo eminent domain taking  —  The private homes that New London, Conn., took away from Suzette Kelo and her neighbors have been torn down.  Their former site is a wasteland of fields of weeds, a monument to the power of eminent domain.

Obama's Afghan Plan: About 40K More Troops  —  CBS Exclusive: Sources Say Force Will Grow to 100,000 - Nearly Filling Gen. McChrystal's Request; Long-Term Stay Planned  —  (CBS) Tonight, after months of conferences with top advisors, President Obama has settled on a new strategy for Afghanistan.

Collapse Feared for Palestinian Authority if Abbas Resigns  —  RAMALLAH, West Bank — The prospect that the Palestinian Authority, the government in the West Bank, might fall apart loomed on Monday, as those close to its president, Mahmoud Abbas, said that he intended to resign and forecast that others would follow.

Despite ban, Holder to speak to CAIR-linked group  —  Attorney General Eric Holder has agreed to give a keynote speech next week to a Michigan group which includes the local branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations even though the FBI has formally severed contacts with the controversial Muslim civil rights organization.

Rell Will Not Seek Re-Election  —  Gov. M. Jodi Rell announced Monday at 5 p.m. that she will not seek re-election as governor in 2010.  —  “After much soul-searching, and discussion with my family, I have decided not to seek re-election next year,” Rell said in her Capitol office during …

Steele: White Republicans are scared of me  —  Republican National Committee (RNC) chairman Michael Steele, who is known for making controversial statements, on Sunday said that white Republicans are afraid of him.  —  Steele also took aim at some in his own party last week as well …

Westboro Baptist Church Organizes Homophobic Anti-Obama Protest Outside Sasha And Malia's School  —  Fred Phelps' Westboro Baptist Church is a hate group that goes around the country staging anti-gay rallies at some of the most inappropriate places (e.g. the funerals of former White House …

CO-Gov: Penry to exit race  —  Colorado state Sen. Josh Penry (R) plans to end his gubernatorial campaign and endorse former Rep. Scott McInnis (R), according to two sources familiar with his thinking.  —  Penry's decision to opt out of the race is a stunner as many national Republicans …

Berlin Wall blunder  —  World leaders past and present will be in Berlin today for the 20th an niversary of the fall of communist repression's most visible symbol: the 112-mile concrete wall that split the city for more than a quarter-century.  —  Conspicuously absent: the president of the United States, Barack Obama.

No Clear Mandate From Americans on Healthcare Reform  —  Evenly split on long-term impact on healthcare system; one in four expect personal benefit  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Americans are evenly split on the potential impact of new healthcare legislation, should it ultimately be passed into law.

Paranoia Strikes Deep  —  Last Thursday there was a rally outside the U.S. Capitol to protest pending health care legislation, featuring the kinds of things we've grown accustomed to, including large signs showing piles of bodies at Dachau with the caption “National Socialist Healthcare.”

Constant Comment  —  How Kathleen Parker became America's most-read woman columnist.  —  Save the Males , Kathleen Parker's 2008 polemic on sexual permissiveness and libertinism, contains the following euphemisms for vagina: “inner sanctum,” “familiars,” “you know what,” “very private parlor …

AP: Man admits killing abortion doctor  —  Says slaying was justified to protect the lives of unborn children  —  WICHITA, Kan. - A man accused of shooting a Kansas abortion provider confessed to the slaying Monday, telling The Associated Press that he killed the doctor to protect unborn children.

Blaming the President for Unemployment  —  I often enjoy Charles Blow's By the Numbers blog at the New York Times, but I think this op-ed from last Friday was a little over the top: … What exactly is he supposed to do to create all these jobs?  Use the book proceeds to buy a Dairy Queen franchise?