NPR's Firing of Juan Williams Was Poorly Handled  —  Juan Williams once again got himself into trouble with NPR for comments he made at his other job, at Fox News.  And NPR's reaction has unleashed an unprecedented firestorm of criticism directed not at Williams - but at NPR.

Lillian McEwen breaks her 19-year silence about Justice Clarence Thomas  —  For nearly two decades, Lillian McEwen has been silent — a part of history, yet absent from it.  —  When Anita Hill accused Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment during his explosive 1991 Supreme Court confirmation hearing …

GOP congressional candidate Stephen Broden says violent overthrow of government is ‘on the table’  —  mmason@dallasnews.com  —  WASHINGTON - Republican congressional candidate Stephen Broden stunned his party Thursday, saying he would not rule out violent overthrow of the government if elections did not produce a change in leadership.

Campaign's Big Spender  —  Public-Employees Union Now Leads All Groups in Independent Election Outlays  —  The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees is now the biggest outside spender of the 2010 elections, thanks to an 11th-hour effort to boost Democrats that has vaulted …

GOP says compromise not on the agenda if they retake the House  —  Republicans aren't interested in compromising with President Obama on major issues if they retake the House or Senate, a senior GOP lawmaker said.  —  “Look, the time to go along and get along is over,” said Rep. Mike Pence …

Hickenlooper: Backwards thinking in Western rural areas  —  In Colorado, a bizarre three-way race for governor has given liberal Denver mayor John Hickenlooper an unlikely lead over Republican Dan Maes and third-party candidate Tom Tancredo, even in an unfriendly political environment.

Former president Clinton on mission to rescue Democratic Party in fall elections  —  Bill Clinton is baffled.  The former president's friends say he is in disbelief that in the closing weeks of the midterm campaigns Democrats have failed to articulate a coherent message on the economy and …

President Obama: It Gets Better  —  Recently, several young people have taken their own lives after being bullied for being gay - or perceived as being gay - by their peers.  Their deaths are shocking and heartbreaking tragedies.  No one should have to endure relentless harassment or tormenting.

Barney Frank rakes in $40G from bailed out banks  —  ... despite vow to shun bailed-out lenders  —  U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, in an intensifying clash with GOP upstart Sean Bielat, has pledged not to take campaign cash from lenders that got federal bailouts — yet has raked in more than $40,000 …

Meg Whitman spending hits $163M  —  California GOP gubernatorial nominee Meg Whitman spent almost $23 million in the first 16 days of October, bringing her total to $163 million, according to a campaign finance disclosure filed Thursday.  —  Whitman still trails Democrat Jerry Brown by 8 percentage points …

British Fashion Victims  —  In the spring of 2010, fiscal austerity became fashionable.  I use the term advisedly: the sudden consensus among Very Serious People that everyone must balance budgets now now now wasn't based on any kind of careful analysis.  It was more like a fad …

Judges told to step down in Wilders trial  —  Geert Wilders says freedom of speech in the Netherlands is on trial  —  Judges in the hate speech trial of Dutch anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders have been ordered to step down by an independent appeals panel.  —  The move follows a request …

‘Call Me Madam’: Let This Video Be My Apology for Once Supporting Sen. Boxer  —  I'd like to thank Right Change (who sponsored and are planning an ad campaign to support the spot) and all the wonderful actors and crew who volunteered for the “Call Me Madam” video.

Obama Underappreciation Syndrome  —  In an increasingly desperate attempt to develop a narrative for the coming Democratic collapse, the Democrats have indulged themselves in what for half a century they've habitually attributed to the American right — the paranoid style in American politics.

Tea Party to the Rescue  —  How the GOP was saved from Bush and the establishment.  —  Two central facts give shape to the historic 2010 election.  The first is not understood by Republicans, and the second not admitted by Democrats.  —  The first: the tea party is not a “threat” …

It Gets Better  —  Dan Savage should be beaming with pride about what he started.  Here is the president of the United States reaching out to gay kids being bullied in their teenage years.  —  It's beautifully crafted and gently put.  I think it's the first time in history that a US president …