Hillary in Frantic Bid to Outdo Bush in Baghdad

Upstaged by President Bush's amazing Thanksgiving Day visit with U.S. troops in Baghdad, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton seemed frantic on Friday to meet with more soldiers than Bush had seen during his appearance at the city's airport-turned-military base - and to be seen doing so in less-protected circumstances.

--NewsMax.com--

It's kind of fun to watch the Democrats blasting the Commander in Chief's visit to his troops as political, while no such words are directed at Hillary Clinton who is in the war zone making political pronouncements. I think the public is smart enough to see through it all. - Ed.

Michael Schiavo Tries to Block Gov. Bush

Michael Schiavo is trying to block Gov. Jeb Bush from questioning potential witnesses in court in a battle over the fate of the Florida man's brain-damaged wife, Terri.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

You have to wonder why this guy is going to all this trouble to ensure the death of his wife. If, as he claims, she is actually in a vegetative state, she's not suffering, so there is absolutely no good reason why she can't be kept alive, especially since her family is willing to shoulder the burden. The only reason that would make any sense would be his honoring of his marriage vow “to death do us part,” but by all accounts, he's violated all the others. Something is very fishy in this story. - Ed.

Spending Escalates Under GOP Watch

Nondefense spending has skyrocketed under Republican control of Congress and the White House, and critics say the outlays will hit the stratosphere with the passage this week of a drug entitlement for seniors.

--Washington Times--

Bush Appointee Critical of President

Professor Khaled Abou Al-Fadl, a Bush appointee to the Commission on International Religious Freedom, recently gave an interview to the Egyptian government weekly in which he warned of the dangers of a second Bush term in the White House.

--NewsMax.com--

Memo to Bush: This is one turkey that should not be pardoned. - Ed.

Additive Use Could Shift Theory in Anthrax Case

Adding fuel to a debate that has simmered among scientists since the 2001 anthrax attacks, an article published today in Science magazine says that the deadly spores mailed to two U.S. senators contained sophisticated additives to make the powder float more freely in the air.

--SunSpot.net--

Hillary in Campaign-Style TV Message to Troops

This holiday weekend, Americans will be treated to an unprecedented Thanksgiving address from New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, whose televised message thanking the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan debuted on MSNBC Wednesday night.

--NewsMax.com--

Clinton defends Chretien

OTTAWA -- Former U.S. president Bill Clinton has strongly defended Prime Minister Jean Chretien's refusal to join the U.S.-led war in Iraq, calling the Bush administration's criticism of Canada's stand uncalled for and offensive.

--National Post (Canada)--

What's “uncalled for and offensive” is a former U.S. president undercutting the policies of a current president. - Ed.

Woolsey: Hatred of Jews threatening Rule of Law

Former CIA director James Woolsey is taking on Europe's media and cultural elite, saying they've drawn “the first breath of totalitarianism” due to their growing resentment of Jews.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Vermont Democrats: Dean Too Conservative

Presidential candidate Howard Dean is now finding support from liberals with whom he once butted heads while governor of Vermont, says a report in the Washington Post.

--NewsMax.com--

Mistrial is declared in tax case

FORT WORTH - Bedford businessman Richard Simkanin remained in federal custody Tuesday night after jurors said they could not reach a verdict on a 27-count indictment accusing him of failing to withhold taxes from his employees' wages and of filing fraudulent claims for tax refunds.

--Fort Worth Star-Telegram--

Federal Marriage Amendment Introduced in Senate

Three Republicans introduced a Federal Marriage Amendment in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday. The proposed constitutional amendment defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

--CNSNews.com--

Senate Democrats Continue to Exploit War on Terror by Attacking Gun Rights

WASHINGTON - Legislation on Capitol Hill seeks to use the threat of terrorism to do an end run around the Second Amendment and could be abused to ban sales of firearms.

--NewsMax.com--

Net Immigration Rises by Millions

Net immigration to the United States rose dramatically by 1.4 million in each of the past two years, about half a million of whom were listed as illegal aliens, a report said yesterday.

--Washington Times--

We know why Democrats don't want this controlled - they want the votes. But why are Republicans sitting on their hands? - Ed.

GOP Staffer May Have Leaked Democrats' Memos

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah) said yesterday that a preliminary inquiry into how Democratic memos were leaked to the news media has turned up at least one GOP committee staffer who “improperly accessed at least some of the documents.”

--Washington Post--

Florida Poll: Bush Tops Dems by 20-Point Margin

Don't look for a rerun of Florida's 2000 presidential election fiasco come November 2004, at least not if the latest survey conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research is any indication.

--NewsMax.com--

Je$$e Ja¢k$on Rally Turns Against Him

A rally in downtown Chicago led by Rev. Je$$e Ja¢k$on turned into a protest against the black leader himself.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Court Ruling Sends Pro-Life Demonstrators Back to the Sidewalk

A federal judge in California has ruled in favor of four pro-life activists, issuing a preliminary injunction that will allow them to continue demonstrating on a sidewalk outside a high school.

--CNSNews.com--

Congressmen Back Lt. Col. West

The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee is appealing to the acting secretary of the Army to intervene on behalf of an officer in Iraq facing a possible court martial because of shock interrogation tactics used to thwart an impending attack on American soldiers.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Bill Orders FBI Gun Buyer Checks Destroyed

WASHINGTON - Background checks on gun buyers would be retained for just 24 hours, instead of the current 90 days, under a deal Republicans struck during final negotiations over an immense spending bill funding dozens of federal agencies.

--Sun-Herald, South Mississippi (AP)--

Yemen Arrests Leading al-Qaida Member

SAN`A, Yemen - Security forces on Tuesday arrested one of the top al-Qaida members in Yemen, a suspected mastermind of the deadly suicide bombings of the USS Cole and a French oil tanker off the country's coast, the Interior Ministry said.

--Las Vegas Sun (AP)--

Morris: Clintons Leaving Democrat Party

Don't look now, Howard Dean, but Bill and Hillary Clinton are leaving the Democrat Party - and they're taking the party's campaign cash with them.

--NewsMax.com--

Michael Jackson Says He Was Attacked Because He is Black

“They call me a freak, and it is all just because I am Black.” That is the latest accusation from Michael Jackson about the music industry, which he says conspired against him once he gained superstardom and surpassed White mega-artists.

--BET.com--

Hold the presses! This is big news - Michael Jackson is black! But didn't he have a race-change operation? Doesn't the fact that he looks like a freaky white person make him a caucasian? They tell us that a person who has an operation make him look like her (or vice versa) actually changes the sex of the person, so why doesn't the same apply to race? This “political correctness” is so confusing. - Ed.

Hong Kong Voters Send Message to Beijing: We Want Democracy

A local government election in Hong Kong is seen as a significant milestone in the growing campaign to seek a more democratic future for the territory than its political masters in Beijing ever envisaged.

--CNSNews.com--

New Clark Whopper: Bush Won't Meet with War Dead Kin

Democratic presidential candidate Gen. Wesley Clark is rapidly developing a reputation for dissembling that rivals the image shared by his political patrons, Bill and Hillary Clinton.

--NewsMax.com--

Court Says Carjackings Must Roll

SAN FRANCISCO - The California Supreme Court ruled Monday that, to be guilty of carjacking, a thief or accomplice must actually drive the vehicle.

--Los Angeles Daily News--

European Officials Refuse to Release Anti-Semitism Report

LONDON - A European agency responsible for monitoring racism has suppressed a report on anti-Semitism because it found that Muslims and pro-Palestinian groups were behind many of the incidents, an author of the study alleged Monday.

--CNSNews.com--

Hillary Gets Wish with Graphic Mosul Photos

Just three weeks ago New York Sen. Hillary Clinton was bashing the Bush administration for what she said was a blatant attempt to cover up American casualties in Iraq by not allowing photos of U.S. war dead.

--NewsMax.com--

Bush Offers Serious Message Along With Light-Hearted Custom

Following longstanding White House tradition, President Bush on Monday “pardoned” a turkey - two, actually - to mark the unofficial start of the Thanksgiving season.

--CNSNews.com--

Newsweek: FBI Using Patriot Act to Snoop Your Financial Records

NEW YORK - A little-known provision in the Patriot Act is being used by the FBI in cases that aren't tied to terrorism, which the Act was designed to stop, Newsweek reports in editions out this week.

--NewsMax.com--

This will, of course draw a strong negative reaction from the left. But I have yet to hear a peep of protest about the law that Rush Limbaugh is being accused of skirting. - Ed.

FBI Monitoring of Anti-war Protests Questioned

WASHINGTON - A key civil liberties group and a politician raised the prospect yesterday that FBI monitoring of antiwar protesters could stifle legitimate dissent and jeopardize people's First Amendment right to speak their mind.

--Boston Globe--

Recently, I received an unsolicited e-mail from Neal Horsley, the “Nuremberg Files” guy. He was pitching a story about the FBI's investigation of the “Army of God.” Unfortunately, the story is no longer available, as his ISP shut down his website. One thing I got from the story, though, was that the FBI has been monitoring the activities of anti-abortion protesters. Now we all might wonder where the ACLU stands on this. Their website doesn't seem to provide any way to contact them, though. - Ed.

Dems Insist Republicans Pull Bush Ad

WASHINGTON - Senate Democrat leader Tom Daschle is demanding that Republicans stop showing their first television ad of the 2004 presidential race, which he called “repulsive and outrageous.”

--Fox News--

It's interesting what Democrats find “repulsive and outrageous,” and what they don't. Suggesting that black churches will burn if Republicans are elected wasn't “repulsive or outrageous,” just as blaming George Bush for James Byrd's dragging death wasn't. But an ad that tells the truth about Democrats is. - Ed.

Conservative Anglicans May Seek Alternative Leadership to Canterbury

The head of Australia's largest Anglican Church diocese has suggested that Anglicans, including himself, who object to the Archbishop of Canterbury's handling of the homosexuality issue could seek alternative spiritual leadership.

--CNSNews.com--

GOP Dishes Out Pork In Growing Portions

Way back before Republicans took over the House in 1995, GOP lawmakers pilloried Democrats for stuffing legislation with local projects that get little or no oversight but boost the popularity of the lawmakers who take credit for them.

--Washington Post--

Town Passes Ordinance Requiring Households to Have Guns

GEUDA SPRINGS, Kan. - Residents of this tiny south-central Kansas community have passed an ordinance requiring most households to have guns and ammunition.

--NewsMax.com--

Dean Used Back Pain to Escape Draft

In the winter of 1970, a 21-year-old student from Yale walked into his armed services physical in New York carrying X-rays and a letter from his orthopedist, eager to know whether a back condition might keep him out of the military draft.

--New York Times--

If this guy gets elected, it will be largely by the votes of people who throw the term “chickenhawk” at anyone who did not serve in the military, but supports the use of military force in defense of national security. If, then, they succeed in electing him, it could be argued that he would have a mandate to disband the military, since it could never be used. - Ed.

UK Muslims ‘Outraged’ When Asked to Condemn Terror

A British official has raised the ire of his country's Muslims after urging them to follow the “British way” of political dialogue and reject Islamist terrorism.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

AARP Accused of Conflict of Interest

WASHINGTON - AARP, the nation's leading lobbying force for retirees, has a major conflict of interest in its backing for a new Medicare prescription drug plan, opponents charge.

--USA Today--

Possible Saddam/Bin Laden Alliance Keeps Nation Gripped

America's greatest ally in the war on terrorism - Great Britain - is the site Wednesday for President Bush's latest defense of the rationale for invading Iraq. Against this backdrop is the renewed speculation about whether former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and fugitive terror mastermind Osama bin Laden had a long-standing working relationship before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States.

--CNSNews.com--

Gen. Franks Doubts Constitution Will Survive WMD Attack

Gen. Tommy Franks says that if the United States is hit with a weapon of mass destruction that inflicts large casualties, the Constitution will likely be discarded in favor of a military form of government.

--NewsMax.com--

GOP to Run an Ad for Bush on Terror Issue

WASHINGTON - After months of sustained attacks against President Bush in Democrat primary debates and commercials, the Republican Party is responding this week with its first advertisement of the presidential race, portraying Mr. Bush as fighting terrorism while his potential challengers try to undermine him with their sniping.

--New York Times--

Appeals Court Revives Wrongful Death Suit Against Gun Industry

A federal appeals court in California reversed an earlier decision and ruled on Thursday that a wrongful death suit filed against the gun industry by families of victims in a 1999 shooting can proceed.

--CNSNews.com--

This is more garbage from the 9th Circus Court of Appeals, the same court that found the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional. But these are the only kind of judges Chuckie Schumer wants on the courts. - Ed.

Hillary's Deadlocked-convention ‘Healing’ Plan

WASHINGTON - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., may not enter the primaries, but she has not given up hope of being the Democratic presidential nominee in 2004, reports Newsweek.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Clark Lashes Out as Character Questions Mount

Democratic presidential candidate Gen. Wesley Clark lashed out on Thursday against military colleagues who have attacked his character in an attempt to warn the public that he should not serve as president of the United States.

--NewsMax.com--

As Syphilis Cases Rise, So Do AIDS Fears

The number of Americans infected with syphilis increased for the second year in a row last year, continuing a reversal of a decade-long decline in the sexually transmitted infection, federal health officials reported yesterday.

The rising number of syphilis cases is raising alarms that it may be a harbinger of an increase in the spread of the AIDS virus because syphilis is transmitted the same way and appears to be occurring primarily among ‘gay’ and bisexual men, officials said.

--Washington Post--

Witch Sues Christians Under Controversial Hate Laws

Controversial new hate legislation already being applied against two Australian pastors accused of vilifying Islam, is now being used by a witch who objected to warnings made by elected officials about occult activity.

--CNSNews.com--

This is the kind of legislation the left would love to have here. - Ed.

Federal Trials on Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Set for March

Three separate legal challenges to the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 will be heard in Lincoln, Neb., New York City and San Francisco on March 29, a little later than the U.S. Justice Department would have liked but much sooner than other federal cases, which often take more than a year to get before a judge.

--CNSNews.com--

Lawsuit Seeks to Restore Moore as Alabama Chief Justice

A federal lawsuit is being filed Thursday on behalf of Alabama voters in an attempt to reverse the removal of Roy Moore as that state's chief justice.

--CNSNews.com--

Jesus Slogan Okay With Federal Judge

A Christian church in Fort Lauderdale may proceed with a holiday display claiming that “Jesus is the Reason for the Season,” but it took a court battle for the church to get its message out.

--CNSNews.com--

AARP Decision Followed a Long GOP Courtship

AARP's decision this week to endorse Medicare prescription drug legislation, a step that caught Democrats by surprise, was the product of years of cultivation by the Bush administration and top Republicans on Capitol Hill.

--Washington Post--

‘No Record’ of Arafat's Millions

The Palestinian president's office received a total of roughly $14 million in September and October - roughly 10 percent of all expenses of the Palestinian Authority

--New York Post--

Campaigners Concerned About Jailed Chinese Bishop

An elderly Chinese Roman Catholic bishop, who had not been heard from since his arrest six years ago, was reported to have undergone medical treatment in recent days, according to a U.S.-based human rights group.

--CNSNews.com--

Berlin to Get Trash Cans That Can Talk

BERLIN - Fed up with garbage-strewn streets? Berlin thinks it has found a solution - trash cans that say thank you.

--My Way News (AP)--

This sounds strangely like an episode of Candid Camera - Ed.

Bush Outlines ‘Three Pillars’ Of Security In London Speech

London - President Bush used the keynote speech of his trip to Britain on Wednesday to call for democracy in the Middle East, reaffirm his support for a strong transatlantic alliance and defend the use of force in Iraq and elsewhere.

--CNSNews.com--

Click here for the full text of the speech. - Ed.

Giuliani Could Beat Schumer, Poll Finds

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., has amassed a mammoth war chest for his re-election next year even though he has no major opponent yet. But he should be scared: Rudy Giuliani could topple him, a new poll by Zogby International reveals.

--NewsMax.com--

Same-Sex Ruling Causes Democratic ‘Heartburn,’ Says Political Analyst

The Massachusetts Supreme Court decision okaying same-sex marriages may propel the contentious issue to the forefront of the 2004 elections and cause the Democratic Party “heartburn” next year, a political analyst said Tuesday.

--CNSNews.com--

Petition Drive Urges Congress To Curb Federal Judiciary

Defenders of the U.S. Constitution want Congress to limit the jurisdiction of federal courts on religious matters. Grassroots activists announced on Wednesday that they are launching a national petition drive with that goal in mind.

--CNSNews.com--

Democrats Accused of Racism on Bush Nominees

While establishment civil-rights leaders in the U.S. have been silent on Sen. Edward Kennedy calling President Bush's minority judicial nominees “Neanderthals,” one prominent black author is portraying the senator's comment as “racism in its highest form.”

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Bush Job-approval Typical of Third Year

President Bush's latest job-approval ratings are mixed, but still place him close to the positions shared by the last four presidents at this point in their first term.

--Washington Times--

Rush: ABC Money-Laundering Report ‘Purposefully False’

America's No. 1 talk radio host, Rush Limbaugh, categorically denied on Wednesday an ABC News report that accused him of “laundering money” to bankroll his addiction to painkillers.

--NewsMax.com--

Ford Foundation Stops Funding Anti-Semitism, Keeps Funding Anti-Catholicism

Noting that Anti-Defamation League has announced it has persuaded Ford Foundation to stop funding anti-Semitic organizations, Catholic League president William Donahue wants the foundation to end its financing of blatant anti-Catholicism.

--NewsMax.com--

Records on Gun Owners Assailed in Florida Legislature

TALLAHASSEE - Invoking Adolf Hitler's and Fidel Castro's atrocities, a handful of conservative lawmakers have filed a bill to prohibit police from compiling gun-owner and gun-sale lists, saying it infringes on citizens' rights to privacy and to own firearms.

--Miami Herald--

Medicare Bill Is A Thanksgiving Turkey, Conservative Group Says

A ‘conservative’ think-tank is urging Congress to take more time to see what's in the Medicare reform bill before rushing it to President Bush's desk.

--CNSNews.com--

Woolsey: Iraq-al Qaeda Link a ‘Slam Dunk’

Former CIA director James Woolsey said over the weekend that there's no question Iraq and al Qaeda worked together to plan attacks against U.S. interests during the decade leading up to 9/11, describing the evidence of an operational relationship as “a slam dunk.”

--NewsMax.com--

U.S. Jets Pound Iraq Guerrilla Positions

TIKRIT, Iraq (AP) - U.S. fighter jets pounded suspected insurgent positions Tuesday in the largest bombardment of guerrillas in central Iraq since President Bush declared the end of major combat in May, the U.S. military said.

--My Way News (AP)--

Scalia Says Court Ignored Rules on Race Preferences

Justice Antonin Scalia yesterday accused fellow Supreme Court justices of not enforcing limits on affirmative action, saying the court is abandoning its own strict rules for when government may treat one race differently from another.

--Washington Post--

Concealed Carry Permits Fire up Debate Over Workplace Shootings

In the crime blotter from Dec. 26, 2000, Louis “Sandy” Javelle's name appeared alongside those of six other victims who had been shot to death by a disgruntled co-worker at Edgewater Technologies, Inc., in Wakefield, Mass.

--CNSNews.com--

Walter Reed Confirms Hillary's Visit - Sort Of

We were skeptical Saturday night when New York Sen. Hillary Clinton told Iowa Democrats gathered at the Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner that she'd spent Veteran's Day night at Washington, D.C.'s Walter Reed Army hospital comforting wounded soldiers just back from Iraq

--NewsMax.com--

GOP Senator Threatens Lawsuit Over Judicial Filibusters

After a 40-hour debate in the Senate failed to result in an up-or-down vote on President Bush's stalled judicial nominees, a Republican senator said he planned to file a lawsuit with the U.S. Supreme Court to end what he called the Democrats' “unconstitutional filibuster.”

--CNSNews.com--

Dean Rivals Seek to Accentuate Positive

DES MOINES - Even though Senator Hillary Clinton was supposed to sound neutral in her remarks about Democratic candidates here Saturday night, some guests in the audience thought they heard a pointed jab at Howard B. Dean.

--Boston Globe--

Don't they actually have to have something “positive” before they can “accentuate” it? - Ed.

Dems Tout Second Amendment, but Voting Records Show Hostility

A year before the 2004 presidential election, major Democratic candidates have moderated their rhetoric on firearms, trying not to alienate voters who own guns, while also carefully reassuring liberal voters of their continued support for gun control.

--CNSNews.com--

Harlemites Complain: Clinton Snubbing Us

Two years ago, Bill Clinton's decision to locate his post-presidential office in Harlem was hailed in the neighborhood as the first installment of the Second Coming

--NewsMax.com--

Streisand Blames Reagan for Her Son's AIDS

We don't usually report what's in the National Enquirer, but we have to point out the hypocrisy of the left-wing media establishment, which gladly cited the tabloid's reports on Rush Limbaugh but has been silent on its drug allegations about NBC's Matt Lauer and now new revelations about Democrat diva Barbra Streisand.

--NewsMax.com--

Secret Intelligence Memo Links Saddam, bin Laden

Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein had an operational relationship from the early 1990s to 2003 that involved training in explosives and weapons of mass destruction, as well as financial and logistical support, and may have included the bombing of the USS Cole and the Sept. 11 attacks.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Democrats Targeting Circuit Courts, Republican Says

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Thursday that Democrats have targeted the U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal -- the rung under the U.S. Supreme Court -- and therefore, he said, President Bush has had the “lowest percentage of Circuit Court appointments in recent history.”

--CNSNews.com--

Tonken Plea Bad News for Bill and Hillary

A controversial Hollywood fund-raiser and self-described witness against Bill and Hillary Clinton will plead guilty tomorrow to charges he defrauded several charities in California, in exchange for his further cooperation.

--NewsMax.com--

Hillary to Iowans: I Comforted Troops at Walter Reed

New York Sen. Hillary Clinton told Iowa Democrats Saturday night that she recently visited Washington, D.C.'s Walter Reed Army Hospital to comfort wounded soldiers coming back from Iraq, saying their plight was the result of President Bush's arrogant foreign policy.

--NewsMax.com--

Report: Cheney Ignored War-chaos Alert

British warnings that America was failing before the war to prepare properly for a crumbling security situation in Iraq after Saddam Hussein was ousted were ignored by Vice President Dick Cheney and the Pentagon.

--London Observer--

I don't know about you, but I'm not so sure that our “incompetence” at taking over other countries is such a bad thing. I'd hate to see us getting good at it. - Ed.

Republican Senators Vow Revenge: No More Leftist Judges ‘Ever!’

No more Ruth Bader Ginsburgs or Steven Breyers: Sen. Rick Santorum vows that a Democrat president will never again get his radical nominees approved.

--NewsMax.com--

This is a bad strategy for Republicans to embrace. Where it leads is to is mediocrity. It will mean that anyone with an opinion on anything will be disqualified by one side or the other. People without opinions aren't open-minded, they're un-thinking. - Ed.

Alabama AG Answers Conservative Criticism for Prosecuting Moore

Once an ally of ousted Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore, Alabama Attorney General Bill Pryor Thursday insisted he did not prosecute Moore because of the judge's stance on a Ten Commandments public display.

--CNSNews.com--

Europeans: Israel ‘Greatest Threat to World Peace’

In a recent unpublished European Commission poll of 7,515 Europeans conducted by Taylor Nelson Sofres/EOS Gallup Europe, a majority of Europeans (74 percent in the tolerant Netherlands) named Israel as the biggest threat to world peace.

--NewsMax.com--

U.S. Gunship Kills 7, Foils Iraq Attack

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Gunmen killed a U.S. civilian contractor and injured another north of Baghdad, while an Apache helicopter killed seven people suspected of preparing a rocket attack on a U.S. base near Tikrit, the military said Friday.

--MyWay.com (AP)--

Double Taxation of Savings in the Crosshairs

A tax reform group says its top priority for 2004 is to end the double taxation of savings.

--CNSNews.com--

‘Justice for Judges’ Senate Marathon Draws Strong Support, Criticism

Is the 30-hour debate taking place in the Senate “a colossal waste of time” or a “bold step” toward ending an unconstitutional outrage? The answer to this question depends on whether you're for or against the “Justice for Judges” marathon.

--CNSNews.com--

I have some misgivings with this ‘marathon.’ I believe that the Democrats should have to hold a real filibuster where they have to stay on the floor and keep talking to prevent cloture. I heard this option being presented to Sen. Frist, and he said the Republicans didn't want ot do this because it would hold up essential legislation. But here we see this “marathon” where Democrats are standing up saying that the marathon is holding up essential legislation. In reality, this is holding up legislation, but this way, Republicans are getting blamed for it. If Frist simply made Schumer and his band of skunks hold a real filibuster, it would be difficult for Democrats to blame Republicans. If they adopted that stance instead of starting this marathon, today (Thursday) at 6:00 pm today, they'd be 24 hours closer to the Democrats caving in, which is what they would eventually do if their feet were held to the fire. - Ed.

Hillary Eyes $2 Million Modeling Deal - for Bill

The Chinese clothing company Fapai has renewed for a third time its offer to pay Bill Clinton $2 million to be the company's “image ambassador” - a deal, company executives say, that Sen. Hillary Clinton is interested in taking.

--NewsMax.com--

Julian Bond Agrees Condi Rice Is ‘a Murderer’

NAACP Chairman Julian Bond said over the weekend that he agreed with political cartoonist Aaron McGruder's characterization of National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice as “a murderer.”

--NewsMax.com--

Arnold to Repeal Auto Fee Monday

The checks might not come in time for Christmas, but refunds could be arriving in the mail in a few months for millions of Californians who have already paid tripled car-tax bills.

--Los Angeles Daily News--

Frist: Memogate Dems Can't Be Trusted With Intel Secrets

Sen. Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., said Wednesday that he was forced to limit the activities of the Senate Intelligence Committee because he no longer believes Democrat members who sanctioned the partisan misuse of committee resources can be trusted with foreign intelligence secrets.

--NewsMax.com--

Pellicano Tapes Could Spell Trouble for Bill and Hillary

Hollywood is buzzing over “investigator to the stars” private eye Anthony Pellicano, who copped a plea earlier this year after the FBI caught him with a drawer full of hand grenades and, in the words of one agent, enough plastique explosive to “take out a 747.”

--NewsMax.com--

Only 6 Show for Hillary-for-president Rally

WASHINGTON - A small band of wishful thinkers is hoping the junior senator from New York and former first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton will not wait until 2008 to run for president, as many of her supporters have hinted, but will make a run in 2004.

--Fox News--

Kerry: I Fibbed About Hillary Poll

Democrat presidential hopeful Sen. John Kerry has finally come clean on the fib he told at last week's “Rock the Vote” presidential debate, where he claimed that he led U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton by a whopping 15 points in a recent presidential survey.

--NewsMax.com--

Actually, he didn't “fib.” What he didn't say was that the poll he was talking about, the one that favored him over Hillary, was taken in France. - Ed.

Gen. Shelton Aiding Edwards, Clark Furious

WASHINGTON - Wesley Clark's campaign aides criticized rival presidential candidate John Edwards on Tuesday for using retired Gen. Henry “Hugh” Shelton as an adviser, saying it proves Shelton's recent criticism of Clark is not credible.

--NewsMax.com (AP)--

Senate Republicans Slate 30-Hour ‘Justice for Judges’ Marathon

After months of failing to overcome filibusters by Democrats, GOP leaders in the Senate will attempt to secure up-or-down votes on several stalled judicial nominees during a continuous 30-hour debate from 6 p.m. EDT Wednesday through midnight Thursday.

--CNSNews.com--

It will be interesting to see which media outlets cover this. - Ed.

GOP Will Trumpet Preemption Doctrine

WASHINGTON - Faced with growing public uneasiness over Iraq, Republican Party officials intend to change the terms of the political debate heading into next year's election by focusing on the “doctrine of preemption,” portraying President Bush as a visionary acting to prevent future terrorist attacks on US soil despite the costs and casualties involved overseas.

--Boston Globe--

If preemption was good enough for Bill Clinton and NATO vis a vis Kosovo and Bosnia, it should be good enough for the Democrats who supported it then. - Ed.

Medicare Stung by Wheelchair Scam

WASHINGTON - U.S. authorities have launched 50 separate investigations to stop unscrupulous power wheelchair suppliers from defrauding Medicare and causing anxiety to beneficiaries like 85-year-old Euralda Clodomar.

--Yahoo! News (AP)--

When the government buys a wheelchair or other expensive piece of hardware for a Medicare patient, who gets it when the patient dies? If it doesn't go back to the government for issue to another patient, there's something wrong with the system. - Ed.

Feds Silent on Why They're Pampering Anti-military Would-Be Bomber

Despite NewsMax.com's dogged efforts to get the federal government to explain why a self-described “anarchist” who allegedly planned terrorist bombings of U.S. military bases is getting off with a slap on the wrist, the feds don't want to discuss the case.

--NewsMax.com--

Democrats Decry ‘Abuse’ of Civil Rights

More Democrats are charging that President Bush and the Republicans are using the war on terrorism as an excuse to deprive Americans of civil rights and civil liberties, the latest development in a series of attacks aimed at the president's pursuit of war in Iraq.

--Washington Times--

Bush, Clinton and Military Funerals

The press is trying to gin up a particularly insidious scandal against President Bush, claiming that he doesn't appreciate the sacrifices of U.S. troops in Iraq because he hasn't attended any military funerals.

--NewsMax.com--

Yellow Ribbons Now Under Fire

Yellow ribbons symbolizing troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan have divided a Maine town holding a Veterans Day parade for the first time in 60 years.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Alabama Chief Justice May Be Ousted

MONTGOMERY, Ala - The state attorney general asked a judicial panel on Monday to remove suspended Chief Justice Roy Moore from office for defying a federal judge's order to take a Ten Commandments monument off public display in the state judicial building.

--Washington Post--

I'm sure ‘liberals’ will love seeing Judge Moore removed from office, but they'll be exposing hypocrisy if they applaud too loudly (or at all). Judge Moore was elected to the office of Chief Justice by the people of Alabama. If he is removed, he won't be removed by the people, or even their representatives, but by a Court of the Judiciary. After the fuss they made over the democratic recall process in California, they really should be saying a few words against Judge Moore's removal. I won't be holding my breath, though. - Ed.

‘Church-state Separation’ Argument Loses

In a decision regarded as a major victory in a 40-year battle over religious speech in public life, a federal court ruled yesterday the city of Tucson, Ariz., must let its employees use city facilities to observe the National Day of Prayer.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Buying Drugs From Canada May Help Trial Lawyers, Group Says

A taxpayer watchdog is urging Iowa not to copy Illinois' plan to import prescription drugs from Canada.

--CNSNews.com--

Plan for UN to Run Internet ‘Will be Shelved’

An attempt by developing countries to put management of the internet under United Nations auspices is likely to be shelved at next month's world information summit in Geneva - but the issue is now firmly on the international agenda, summit sources say.

--Financial Times--

Frist Disbands Senate Intel Committee Over Memogate

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has temporarily disbanded the Senate Intelligence Committee until committee Democrats reveal the identity of the author of a memo outlining a plan to politicize intelligence data in a bid undermine President Bush's re-election.

--NewsMax.com--

NYC Raid Showcases Terror-money Probe

NEW YORK - At dawn, armed FBI agents assigned to an anti-terrorism unit converged on an unlikely front in the war on terrorism: a tiny ice cream shop in Brooklyn.

--Newsday (AP)--

Clark ‘Jokes’ Southerners Are ‘Stupid’

Yet another Democratic presidential candidate has put his foot in his mouth while trying to appeal to Southern voters, and this time it's a Southerner himself, Gen. Wesley Clark.

--NewsMax.com--

This is how the double-standard works: If a Republican tells an offensive “joke,” it's a sign of what he's really thinking. But when a Democrat tells and offensive “joke,” it's “just a joke.” - Ed.

GOP Has Edge in Morale, Poll Says

The Bush administration has boosted the morale of the Republican Party in no uncertain terms.

--Washington Times--

Pryor's Judicial Nomination Draws Ire of Christians

Liberal interest groups have made no secret of their disdain for Alabama Attorney General Bill Pryor, but now a handful of Christian organizations are opposing his nomination to a federal appeals court as well.

--CNSNews.com--

This is pure silliness on the part of Pryor's “Christian” detractors. If there were more people like Pryor on the bench, there wouldn't be as many stupid court decisions needing to be fought. If Pryor had defied the court, his opponents would have had good reason to deny his confirmation. There was no reason to give it to them. - Ed.

After Schwarzenegger's win, GOP shifts focus to ousting Boxer

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - With Arnold Schwarzenegger poised to be sworn in as governor next week, California Republicans are turning their sights to the next big prize: the 2004 U.S. Senate race, where Democratic incumbent Barbara Boxer is seeking a third term.

--Sacramento Bee (AP)--

How this woman won her first term is a mystery to me. When she was first running, I had heard people refer to her as an “airhead,” but I had no idea what she looked like or sounded like. Then one day, I turned on the TV and there was this woman babbling the most inane nonsense I'd ever heard. I said to myself, this woman is an airhead! Then I remembered what I had heard about Barbara Boxer, and I wondered if, indeed, this was her. Sure enough, it was. - Ed.

Prince Charles's Sexuality Questioned

Prince Charles has returned to Britain to face a media storm over a mysterious royal scandal.

--Melbourne Herald Sun--

During the Monica Lewinski scandal, weren't we told that the Europeans and Brits were laughing at us for making such a fuss about it? Weren't we told how much more “sophisticated” they were about sexual matters. And aren't we being daily bombarded with the message that homosexual ‘sex’ is just as ‘normal’ and acceptable as heterosexual sex? So I have to ask, what the heck is this fuss all about? - Ed.

Three Judges Attempt to Halt Ban on Partial-Birth Abortion

Federal judges in California and New York Thursday issued temporary restraining orders against the ban on partial-birth abortions signed into law one day earlier by President Bush.

--CNSNews.com--

This should leave no doubt about how important it is to break the senate filibuster led by our own senator Chuckie Schumer. He, of course, voted "Nay" to this bill, and wants only like-minded judges on the bench so that they can overturn the will of the people and impose the will of Chuckie Schumer. To add insult to injury, Republicans are not planning to run a strong candidate against this enemy of democracy because they think he can't be beaten. He could be beaten at the polls and in the senate if Republicans would stop trying to be nice guys and fight for what's right like men. - Ed.

Memo Sparks GOP to Issue Ultimatum

Senior Senate Republicans said yesterday that unless Democrats disavow a plot to use the traditionally nonpartisan intelligence committee to wage political attacks on the Bush administration, they would consider taking away Democrats' power-sharing privileges.

--Washington Times--

They need to go further than disavowing the plot. They need to fully cooperate in an investigation to determine the source of the memo, and to take appropriate action against all responsible individuals, no matter whom they may be. - Ed.

Dean ‘Appalled’ That Florida Lawmakers Saved Schiavo

CAPITOL HILL - Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean, who begins his campaign website greeting with the phrase, “As a medical doctor...,” claims Florida Republicans should be “embarrassed” for intervening to save the life of Terri Schindler Schiavo last month. Earlier in the year, Dean publicly expressed his support for physician-assisted suicide.

--CNSNews.com--

You have to wonder why this turkey isn't practicing medicine anymore. - Ed.

Barbara Bush: 'We Took a Vow' Not to Criticize Clintons

For the first time since she and her husband left the White House on Jan. 20, 1993, former first lady Barbara Bush explained on Wednesday why they never spoke ill of their successors, Bill and Hillary Clinton.

--NewsMax.com--

This exemplifies the difference between statesmen and politicians. Statesmen have a lot more bite marks on their tongues. - Ed.

Intel Chair Roberts: Dem Memo May Have Compromised Terror War

Calling plans by Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee to politicize Iraq war intelligence “personally insulting” and “a slap in the face,” Committee Chairman Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., said late Tuesday that Democrat members of his panel may have compromised the global war on terrorism.

--NewsMax.com--

Federal Judge Blocks New Abortion Bill

LINCOLN, Neb. - A federal judge in Lincoln issued an injunction Wednesday, blocking implementation of a ban on certain late-term abortions, but his ruling likely will not apply nationwide.

--WNBC.com--

Washington State Man Admits to 48 Murders

Gary Leon Ridgway, who some law enforcement officials believe may have killed more than 100 women, pleaded guilty in return for prosecutors' agreement to spare his life.

--Yahoo! News (Reuters)--

Despite the fact that this murderer will not face the death penalty, this case is an excellent example of why the death penalty is an essential law-enforcement tool. Without the death penalty hanging over his head, this guy likely would not have confessed, nor pled guilty. This would have necessitated an expensive trial, with the possibility of acquittal on one technicality or another.

We have to assume that the prosecutor didn't have an iron-clad case, otherwise, this plea bargain would amount to dereliction of duty on the part of the prosecutor. So without the death-penalty, Ridgway probably wouldn't have confessed, wouldn't have pled guilty, and the families of the victims would never be 100% sure that they got the right man. But since Washington state does have a death penalty, the guilty man will be punished, and the families know that justice was done. Do death-penalty opponents have a problem with this outcome that wouldn't have come about if they had their way? - Ed.

Immigration Reform Groups Differ Over Wal-Mart Raid

The federal investigation of Wal-Mart's hiring practices, following the arrest of hundreds of illegal aliens who worked at the retail giant's headquarters and stores around the country, continues to fire up the debate over U.S. immigration policy.

--CNSNews.com--

Hypocrite Dean Undermines Campaign Finance ‘Reform’

Howard Dean is either too cowardly or too indecisive to dump the campaign finance "reform" that Democrats cried for but now hate. So he's asking his supporters to tell him what to do - that way he can blame them for breaking his word.

--NewsMax.com--

Republicans Win Kentucky, Mississippi Governorships

Since President Bush campaigned for the Republican gubernatorial candidates in Kentucky and Mississippi, some analysts see the Republicans' victories on Tuesday as a major public relations boost for Bush.

--CNSNews.com--

‘Knives Fly,’ Heads Roll at U.N.

U.N. chief Kofi Annan has named a third panel to investigate reforms of its security operations as a result of the Aug. 19 bombing of its Baghdad headquarters, which left 22 dead and almost 100 seriously wounded.

--NewsMax.com--

Democrats Plot Using War Intel Against Bush

A memo prepared by a Senate Intelligence Committee Democratic staff member and obtained by radio talk-show host Sean Hannity reveals a plot to use congressional investigations into Iraq war planning for political gain in next year's presidential race.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Black Conservatives Join Fight Over Stalled Judicial Nominees

CAPITOL HILL - With a battle brewing over the judicial nomination of Janice Rogers Brown, Senate Republicans joined a handful of black conservatives Tuesday to denounce the Democrat-led filibusters of President Bush's nominees.

--CNSNews.com--

Death After Abortion Pill Reignites Safety Debate

A young California woman went to a Planned Parenthood office in September looking to end her unwanted pregnancy. Because she was still early in her pregnancy, the clinic offered her the choice of taking the "abortion pill" or having a surgical abortion.

--Washington Post--

Bush Says God Chose Him to Lead His Nation

Book reveals how President's religious and political beliefs are entwined - and claims he did pray with Blair.

--The Guardian (UK)--

Zell Miller: Draft May be Necessary To Win War on Terror

The U.S. may need to reinstate a military draft in order to win the war on terrorism, retiring Sen. Zell Miller said on Monday.

--NewsMax.com--

Coroner: Drug-induced Abortion Led to Teen's Death

LIVERMORE, Calif. - The Alameda County Coroner's Office has confirmed that a therapeutic drug-induced abortion led to the death of an 18-year-old Livermore woman who died Sept. 17.

--Sacramento Bee (AP)--

Attack Puts Mosques Under Suspicion

Yesterday's helicopter attack will bolster a theory among commanders that their most dangerous days in Iraq are nearly always Sundays or Mondays.

--The Scotsman--

GOP Hopes for Filibuster Backlash in Mississippi

The governor's election in Mississippi tomorrow will be the Republicans' first major opportunity to test how much voters care that Democrats are filibustering some of President Bush's judicial nominations.

--Washington Times--

Congress Poised to Expand Health Savings Accounts

Congress is still negotiating a major Medicare prescription drug bill, but it looks like the Health Savings Account may be one item that's a keeper. Free market critics of the Medicare Prescription Drug and Modernization Act warn, however, that it won't be enough to win their support for the new $400 billion drug benefit.

--CNSNews.com--

Bush Sr. to Rap Kennedy at Awards Ceremony

When ex-President George Herbert Walker Bush presents Sen. Ted Kennedy with a public service award this week during a ceremony at Bush's presidential library, he is expected to deliver a rhetorical rap across the knuckles to the senior Democrat.

--NewsMax.com--

EU Poll: Israel “Biggest Threat” to World Peace

Over half of Europeans think Israel poses the “biggest threat to world peace,” according to a controversial poll commissioned by the European Commission.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Lawsuits Challenge Partial Birth Abortion Ban

Three abortion-rights groups filed lawsuits in federal court Friday to block a partial birth abortion ban even though President Bush has yet to sign it into law.

--CNSNews.com--

France: Our Mistake ... Pre-emptive War OK

France, America's erstwhile ally and recent antagonist, could be doing an about-face on its national nuclear policy.

--NewsMax.com--