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Bush: 'I Am Relevant' — A defensive President Bush insisted that he was still relevant this morning in a news conference dominated by his bitter complaints about the Democratic Congress. — Asked how he found himself vetoing a children's health insurance bill that had passed Congress …
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Press Conference by the President — THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. We're now more than halfway through October, and the new leaders in Congress have had more than nine months to get things done for the American people. Unfortunately, they haven't managed to pass many important bills.
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The Mahablog, The Atlantic Online, The Carpetbagger Report, Washington Monthly, The Reaction, The Swamp, Crooks and Liars, The Huffington Post, Gateway Pundit, First Draft, Liberty Street, The Duck of Minerva, Wake up America, Media Blog, Los Angeles Times, Interesting Times, The Heretik, Shakespeare's Sister and Guardian

A Line in the Sand. Putting Everyone on the Record. — The House is voting today on FISA legislation, the Democrats have played petty politics with this bill. As currently written, many of America's national security experts are concerned that it will limit their ability to protect this country.
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Democrats' Corrupt Process Leads to Failure on FISA
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Associated Press

Posted by: Lallye of she changes movement's why! 8:19am today — As soon as the page opened, I immediately and definitely saw clockwise, even before I saw the question. I tried for several minutes to see anit-clockwise. Could almost catch a glimpse by looking to the right or left …

Mukasey Calls Torture 'Antithetical' to American Way — That was, um, unexpected. Not only did Michael Mukasey repudiate the so-called 2002 "torture memo" signed by Office of Legal Counsel chief Jay Bybee — which appears to have survived in spirit, if not in letter — but he compared U.S. torture to the Holocaust.
Discussion:
The Carpetbagger Report, Think Progress, The Atlantic Online, Donklephant and Middle Earth Journal
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Senate and Bush Agree On Terms of Spying Bill — Some Telecom Companies Would Receive Immunity — Senate Democrats and Republicans reached agreement with the Bush administration yesterday on the terms of new legislation to control the federal government's domestic surveillance program …
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The Iran hawks — Rudy Giuliani and Hillary Clinton think a tough line on Tehran will sell politically. They could be right. — Rudy Giuliani speaks during the Republican presidential debate in Dearborn, Mich., on Oct. 9, left; Sen. Hillary Clinton campaigns in Atlanta on Oct. 12.
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Stephen Colbert: I am running for president — NEW YORK (AP) — Stephen Colbert has announced his candidacy for president on "The Colbert Report," tossing his satirical hat into the ring of an already crowded race. — "I shall seek the office of the president of the United States," …
Discussion:
skippy the bush kangaroo, Riehl World View, Outside The Beltway, The Newshoggers and The Impolitic
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Patrick will endorse Obama, officials say — Obama lent Patrick a helping hand in last year's governor's race. — Governor Deval Patrick is throwing his support to Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, an endorsement that will give the Illinois senator a much needed boost …
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Republican to Democrats: Watch Out — WASHINGTON (CNN) — What does a special election in Massachusetts have to do with next year's battle for Congress? — A lot, Republicans hope. The Democrat beat the Republican in Tuesday's contest, but the GOP sees victory in defeat.

Both Parties Have Strengths in "SCHIP" Debate — Democrats generally preferred, but Bush's counterarguments have support — PRINCETON, NJ — The Beltway debate over a bill reauthorizing federal funding for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) is moving beyond the attempt …
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Law Firm's Gifts Bring Questions After Guilty Pleas — Over the years, as it became Exhibit A for critics of shareholders' class-action lawsuits, the law firm of Milberg Weiss often enjoyed the support of Democrats who called the suits an invaluable weapon in the universal conflict between big business and the little guy.
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PrairiePundit

Morgan Stanley Sells Entire New York Times Stake — Oct. 17 (Bloomberg) — Morgan Stanley, the second-biggest shareholder in New York Times Co., sold its entire stake today, according to a person briefed on the transaction, sending the stock to its lowest in more than 10 years.

Syrian Official Says Israeli Airstrike Hit Nuke Facility — DAMASCUS, Syria — A high-ranking Syrian official confirmed that Israel's airstrike last month in northern Syria hit a nuclear facility, according to a document obtained Wednesday by FOX News. — "Israel was the fourth-largest exporter …
Discussion:
United Nations, Hot Air, Associated Press, Gateway Pundit, Jerusalem Post, Riehl World View, small dead animals and contentions

'Fragging' Is Rare in Iraq, Afghanistan — RALEIGH, N.C. — American troops killed their own commanders so often during the Vietnam War that the crime earned its own name - "fragging." — But since the start of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the military has charged only one soldier …

Republican Iowa Caucus — Iowa: Romney 25% Thompson 19% Huckabee 18% — The first Rasmussen Reports poll of the Iowa Republican Caucus for 2008 finds former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney enjoying a six-point lead while former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee …
Discussion:
MyDD, Los Angeles Times, Open Left, The Right's Field, The Newshoggers, Pollster.com and Real Clear Politics