Sen. Johnson in Critical Condition After Surgery  —  Control of Chamber Could Be in Question if He Cannot Serve  —  Sen. Tim Johnson (D-S.D.) underwent emergency brain surgery overnight after falling ill at the Capitol and was in critical condition early this morning, introducing a note …

Looking for Jamil Hussein: Accepting Eason Jordan's invitation  —  My new travel partner?  —  Eason Jordan reports on his new website, Iraqslogger, that his team is in Baghdad looking for Jamil Hussein.  They have not found him yet—which is newsworthy in itself—and get this …

Latina High School Student: "What Rights Do I Have?"  —  Some of you may be aware of the recent immigration sweep by the federal government at meatpacking plants around the country over the last week.  The ICE surrounded places of work, corralled the adults and took people into custody …

Judge Rejects Detention Challenge of Bin Laden's Driver  —  A federal judge dismissed yesterday a challenge from Osama bin Laden's driver over his more than four years of detention at the Guantanamo Bay military prison, saying a new anti-terrorism law approved by Congress this fall removes the lower court's jurisdiction in the matter.

Laura Bush Slams Media For Ignoring Good News In Iraq  —  On MSNBC this morning, Norah O'Donnell asked Laura Bush about a new poll that found "only 2 in 10 Americans approve of the job that the president is doing on Iraq."  —  Mrs. Bush placed the blame squarely on the media.

'04 Pentagon Report Cited Detention Concerns  —  A previously undisclosed Pentagon report concluded that the three terrorism suspects held at a brig in South Carolina were subjected to months of isolation, and it warned that their "unique" solitary confinement could be viewed as violating U.S. detention standards.

Police: Gunmen kidnap dozens in Baghdad  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq - Gunmen in military uniforms kidnapped dozens of people Thursday from a major commercial area in central Baghdad, the second mass abduction in the capital in a month.  —  The attackers drove up to the busy al-Sanak area …

Edwards leads in poll of likely caucusgoers  —  Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack is in fourth place; Sen. Hillary Clinton is second.  —  Washington, D.C. - John Edwards came out far ahead of the rest of the pack of possible Democratic presidential candidates in a poll of Iowa Democrats conducted …

Joint Chiefs Advise Change In War Strategy  —  Leaders Seek No Major Troop Increase, Urge Shift in Focus to Support of Iraqi Army  —  The nation's top uniformed leaders are recommending that the United States change its main military mission in Iraq from combating insurgents to supporting Iraqi troops …

Iraq needs a Pinochet  —  The general was no saint, but he's a better model to follow than Castro.  —  I THINK ALL intelligent, patriotic and informed people can agree: It would be great if the U.S. could find an Iraqi Augusto Pinochet.  In fact, an Iraqi Pinochet would be even better than an Iraqi Castro.

Terror Fears as Blind Sheikh Faces 'Medical Emergency'  —  Richard Esposito Reports:  —  The imprisoned al Qaeda spiritual leader known as the "Blind Sheikh" suffered a "medical emergency" at the Springfield federal prison last week, and the FBI is warning his death could lead al Qaeda …

Blogging 'set to peak next year'  —  The blogging phenomenon is set to peak in 2007, according to technology predictions by analysts Gartner.  —  The analysts said that during the middle of next year the number of blogs will level out at about 100 million.

Voters favor McCain over Clinton in '08  —  But the Republican faces hurdles within his own party.  Overall, those surveyed in a Times/Bloomberg poll say they want a Democrat in the White House.  —  WASHINGTON — Democrats have an overwhelmingly favorable view of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton …

Romney Recants  —  Everything he said in the 1990s is now to be dismissed.  He was once for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act; now he's against it.  He was once for domestic partnerships for gays; now he's against them.  He was once for ending the ban on gays in the military; now he's for keeping it.

U.S. Gets Subpoena to Force ACLU to Return Leaked Memo  —  Federal prosecutors are demanding that the American Civil Liberties Union turn over all copies of a secret document it has obtained, in what is apparently the first time a criminal grand jury subpoena has been used in an attempt …