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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

‘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.

Stunner.  SEIU Offshoot ‘Mi Familia Vota’ Caught With 6,000 Bogus Colorado Voter Registrations  —  Do you remember when Barack Obama said:  —  “The SEIU Agenda Is My Agenda”?  —  Now we know why.  —  The same SEIU offshoot group that is accused of turning in thousands of bogus voter registrations …

Open Mic Catches Alan Colmes Privately Critiquing Sen. Reid Spokesman, Minutes After Defending Him  —  Ever get the feeling that television pundits are more adept at “playing the part” than sharing their honest thoughts and ideas?  Well the following video clip of Alan Colmes vigorous defense …

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 …

Man Fired for Wearing Bush Sweatshirt at Obama Rally ***UPDATED  —  (USC) — Don't try wearing a Bush hat or sweatshirt at an Obama rally.  —  Duane Hammond says it's what got him fired.  Hammond is a union stagehand who was part of the crew that built the platform for the Obama event on campus.

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.

The Phenomenal ‘Chinese Professor’ Ad  —  Via Ben Smith of Politico, this amazing ad from “Citizens Against Government Waste,” which is the first spot from this campaign season you can imagine people actually remembering a decade from now.  “I'm not a witch” might be remembered as a novelty …

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 …

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 …

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 …

NEWSWEEK Poll: Obama Approval Rating Jumps, Democrats Close ‘Enthusiasm Gap’  —  As the president's numbers climb sharply, results suggest that Democrats may be succeeding in firing up their base.  —  Obama feels the love at a Seattle rally for Sen. Patty Murray.

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 …

Nancy Pelosi punishes with cash  —  Here's how House Democrats have punished colleagues Bobby Bright, Bill Owens and Joe Donnelly for running ads against Speaker Nancy Pelosi: With more than $2 million combined spending to keep them in their seats.  —  As control of the House hangs in the balance …

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.