Secret files reveal how US turned blind eye to Iraq torture  —  • Massive leak reveals serial detainee abuse  —  • 15,000 unknown civilian deaths in war  —  • Full coverage of the Iraq war logs  —  A grim picture of the US and Britain's legacy in Iraq has been revealed …

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 …

The real danger from NPR's firing of Juan Williams  —  I'm still not quite over the most disgusting part of the Juan Williams spectacle yesterday: watching the very same people (on the Right and in the media) who remained silent about or vocally cheered on the viewpoint-based firings of Octavia Nasr …

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 …

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.

‘Call Me Senator’: Let This Video Be My Apology for Once Supporting Sen. Boxer  —  ***UPDATE: This post has been updated for clarity purposes.  —  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.

Hickenlooper Bombshell: ‘Backwards Thinking in Rural, Western Areas’  —  Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper was interviewed by Eden Lane on the establishment of the Matthew Shepard Foundation offices in Denver, Colorado late in 2009: … Here is a transcript of the exchange:

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 …

TRENDING: Jeb Bush says ‘you betcha’ about Palin  —  (CNN) - Former Florida Republican Governor, Jeb Bush said Friday he isn't running for president, but would support Sarah Palin if she were to run.  —  In an interview with CNN Chief National Correspondent John King Friday, Bush …

Repeal the 17th Amendment?  —  One popular idea making the rounds among some conservatives and Tea Partiers is a call for the repeal of the 17th Amendment.  From the LA Times: … There's a lot of truth to the argument that the enactment of the 17th Amendment undermined federalism.

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 …

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 …

Dispute over New Black Panthers case causes deep divisions  —  On Election Day 2008, Maruse Heath, the leader of Philadelphia's New Black Panther Party, stood in front of a neighborhood polling place, dressed in a paramilitary uniform.  —  Within hours, an amateur video showing Heath …

Helicopter Drop  —  Ezra Klein suggests that the United States could use a dose of fiscal/monetary coordination: … Politics aside, the best way to do money-financed fiscal policy is on the spending side.  Identify some useful infrastructure projects—like the now-abandoned NJ/NY ARC Tunnel …

Illegal Aliens Canvass for Votes in Wash. State  —  SEATTLE — When Maria Gianni is knocking on voters' doors, she's not bashful about telling people she is in the country illegally.  She knows it's a risk to advertise to strangers that she's here illegally — but one worth taking in what she sees as a crucial election.

Does a “Dutch Sandwich” Make Google Evil?  —  It depends on what state you're in and the age of the farm animal.  —  Seriously, though, after reading this article about Google's evasion of $3.1 billion in tax obligations through legal loopholes, I got into a Twitter argument …

Joe Miller's Extreme Anti-Gay Adviser  —  One of the consultants on the the tea party-backed candidate's payroll heads a group that's so anti-gay it blasted Rush Limbaugh for hobnobbing with Elton John.  —  Post Comment  —  Joe Miller, the Sarah Palin-endorsed, tea party-backed GOP Senate candidate …

The Rape Accusation Against Meg Whitman's Son That Got Hushed Up  —  As a student at Princeton University, the son of California gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman—one of the school's most celebrated donors—was accused of sexually assaulting a classmate.  This is the story of the explosive accusation and its quiet aftermath.