Bush Delcares Iraq Election a Success

WASHINGTON - President Bush called Sunday's elections in Iraq a success and promised the United States would continue trying to prepare Iraqis to secure their own country.

--Chicago Sun-Times (AP)--

72 Percent Iraqi Turnout Stuns U.S. Press

Preliminary reports that turnout in Sunday's Iraq election has topped 70 percent have surprised American reporters, many of whom had predicted that terrorists would succeed in sabotaging the U.S-backed referendum.

--NewsMax.com--

Author: Anonymous

Date: Tuesday February 8, 2005 12:22

"The official figure, when it comes, is likely to be revised downwards (according to Debka, a pro-US Israeli website, turnout was closer to 40%)."

Link #1

‘Day of Joy and Celebration’ as Iraqis Begin to Vote

Iraq's historic election began in Australia on Friday morning local time, as expatriate Iraqis cast their ballots for their homeland's first free poll in half a century.

--CNSNews.com (Pacific Rim Bureau)--

Specter Rebuffs Democrats on Judiciary Hearings

Senate Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter (R.-Pa.) told Human Events he would resist pressure from Democrats to hold new hearings on the judicial nominees that President Bush plans to soon renominate.

--Human Events--

Poll Shows Bush Support on Social Security

A majority of Americans, including nearly one-third of Democrats, support President Bush's proposal to let workers voluntarily invest part of their Social Security payroll taxes in stocks and bonds, a nationwide poll shows.

--Washington Times--

Democrats Told How to Rebound from Loss

Democratic strategists say their party has an opportunity to rebound because the electorate is still divided and support for the president is weak, but that Democrats must frame their debate better and send a clear message of how they would implement change.

--Washington Times--

The good news is that some of them are actually admitting that they lost! - Ed.

Kennedy Calls for Troop Withdrawal in Iraq

WASHINGTON (AP) - Talk of withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq is simmering on Capitol Hill.

--Bremerton Sun--

September 27, 2004, Sen. Ted “the Swimmer” Kennedy had this to say, “Even those who opposed the war in Iraq understand that we cannot cut and run ...” But that was before the American election. Now, three days before the Iraqi election, he's saying we must cut and run. The man is a disgrace. - Ed.

Nixon Son-in-Law May Challenge Clinton

Edward Cox, a son-in-law of President Nixon, is considering a Senate run next year against Hillary Rodham Clinton, a longtime friend and adviser said Friday.

--NewsMax.com--

Dark horse candidate: Westchester County District Attorney Jeannine Pirro. - Ed.

Governor's Near-Fisticuffs Dominating NJ Political Talk

The soap opera of New Jersey politics continues with the latest episode featuring the state''s acting governor nearly coming to blows with one of New Jersey''s most popular radio talk show hosts over comments the acting governor considered disparaging to his wife.

--CNSNews.com--

I think he's been under a lot of pressure. Word is, Sen. Corzine has made him an offer he can't refuse. - Ed.

Poll: Wash. Voters Want a Revote

A Strategic Vision, LLC poll asked respondents in Washington who they would vote for in a revote, and Republican Dino Rossi was selected by 51 percent; Democrat Christine Gregoire was the choice of 43 percent; and 6 percent were undecided, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percent.

--NewsMax.com--

Lawmakers Look to Tax Facelifts; the Fabulous Cry Foul

Lawmakers trying to plump up the bottom line are considering a “vanity tax” on cosmetic surgery and Botox injections in Washington, Illinois and other states.

--San Francisco Chronicle--

No comment from John Kerry - yet. - Ed.

Iranians Emboldened by Bush Speech

Millions of Iranians, glued to their TV sets to watch President Bush's inaugural address, warmly embraced his declaration to help spread liberty to nations ruled by tyranny, according to a leading pro-democracy movement.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

GOP Formally Asks Giuliani to Beat Hillary

The New York State Republican Party chair, Stephen Minarik, said he planned to ask former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani to challenge Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton for her seat during the 2006 congressional elections.

--NewsMax.com--

Politicians Flouting ‘No Work, No Pay’ Rule, Taxpayer Group Says

The presidential election is long over, but for taxpayers, there is still some unfinished business: Some U.S. lawmakers -- including Sens. John F. Kerry and John Edwards -- received thousands of dollars in salary overpayments for being away from their jobs in 2003 and 2004, a taxpayer watchdog group says.

--CNSNews.com--

‘History Is Calling Us,’ Rice Tells State Department

Just as democracy took hold in Japan and Germany after World War II, so it can happen in the West Bank, Iraq and Afghanistan as well, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Thursday - her first day in the new job.

--CNSNews.com--

I suspect her words weren't well received by the striped-pants set at Foggy Bottom. - Ed.

Sensenbrenner Wants to Disrupt Terrorist Travel

WASHINGTON - House Judiciary Committee Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner Jr., R-Wis., has introduced legislation, the Real ID Act, containing terrorist travel provisions that were dropped from legislation enacted last month that addresses the work of the 9/11 Commission.

--NewsMax.com--

‘Memogate’ Uproar Starkly Contrasts With Clinton-Era Episode

When Senate Democrats learned that a Republican staffer had been reading their correspondence during contentious battles over judicial nominees in 2004, they demanded a public investigation and the GOP acquiesced. But a newly disclosed document shows a markedly different and low-key response by both parties when Democrats were caught reading the opposing party's documents during the Clinton administration.

--CNSNews.com--

And we're all supposed to ignore what the memos revealed. - Ed.

GOP: Felons, Dead People Voted in Wash.

OLYMPIA, Wash. - Republicans asking a judge to throw out the results of Washington's ultra-close gubernatorial election said Wednesday they have found that 300 ballots were cast illegally by felons and others.

--Las Vegas Sun (AP)--

Don't Blame Tax Cuts for Deficits, Watchdog Says

President Bush and Congressional Republicans have “completely abandoned fiscal responsibility,” a leading Democrat charged on Tuesday, after the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projected that this year's deficit would hit $368 billion, excluding war costs.

--CNSNews.com--

GOP to Rudy: Challenge Hillary

Republican Party leaders in New York State want Rudy Giuliani to challenge Hillary Clinton in the 2006 race for her Senate seat, the state's top Republican official said Tuesday.

--NewsMax.com--

Senate Confirms Rice for State Dept.

WASHINGTON — Despite Democratic criticism of the Bush administration's policies in Iraq and elsewhere, Condoleezza Rice on Wednesday won the confirmation of the Senate as the next secretary of state.

--Fox News--

How they voted. - Ed.

Ex-Klansman ‘Dismayed’ by Personal Criticism

During Tuesday's Senate hearings on the confirmation of Secretary of State nominee Dr. Condoleezza Rice, former Ku Klux Klansman Robert Byrd said he was “dismayed” that his motives in opposing her have been questioned.

--NewsMax.com--

Black Democrats Don't Like Senate's Treatment of Rice

Why are Senate Democrats debating the qualifications of a woman whose accomplishments speak for themselves, some prominent black Democrats wondered on Tuesday.

--CNSNews.com--

Memo to black Democrats: They do it because they're sure they can get away with it, and they will as long as you let them. - Ed.

Dems Accused of Turning ‘Obstructionism’ Into Fund-Raising Appeal

Sen. Barbara “Airhead” Boxer, the California Democrat who suggested that Dr. Condoleezza Rice lied to the nation in her effort to “sell” the Iraq war, is now trumpeting her “tough” questioning of Rice in a fund-raising appeal to Democrats.

--CNSNews.com--

Bush backpedal on marriage irks right

Some social conservatives are angry with President Bush for saying a proposed constitutional ban on same-sex "marriage" lacks the requisite votes for approval in the Senate.

--Washington Times--

‘Jihadists’ Living in Oregon, FBI Says

PORTLAND - The FBI knows of “jihadists” who have trained in terrorist camps in Afghanistan and are now living in Oregon, the agency's Oregon chief said in an interview with The Associated Press yesterday.

--Seattle Times--

Group Presses Carter on Oil-for-food Scam

The group that first revealed links between former President Jimmy Carter and Samir Vincent, a key figure in the U.N.'s oil-for-food scandal, is calling on two Carter organizations to release to the public a list of all financial contributors from 1999 to 2003.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

No Comment from Bin Laden on Tsunami Disaster

One month after tsunamis killed more than 220,000 Muslims in Indonesia's Aceh province alone - and tens of thousands of other people in India and elsewhere - the devastated countries of South Asia have yet to hear messages of condolence from Osama bin Laden or any other al-Qaeda-linked terrorist leaders.

--CNSNews.com--

Scalia Rips Activist Judges

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia said Tuesday that judges should look to historical practices when ruling on religious issues.

--NewsMax.com--

Chirac: Global Tax Needed for AIDS

French President Jacques Chirac has resurrected his proposal for a global tax to help fight AIDS.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Capture of Zarqawi Aide Announced Just Days Before Iraqi Election

In a blow to terrorists who have vowed to disrupt Sunday's historic election in Iraq, the country's interim government announced the capture of a top aide to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

--CNSNews.com--

BOND Blasts ‘Bull Connor’ Byrd

A second civil rights group is blasting Senate ex-Ku Klux Klansman Robert Byrd for obstructing the confirmation of Secretary of State nominee Dr. Condoleezza Rice - the first African-American woman ever named to the post.

--NewsMax.com--

Sovereignty-sapping U.N. Accord Gets New Life

The Law of the Sea Treaty, or LOST, a U.N. agreement decried by U.S. sovereignty advocates who were able to prevent consideration by the United States Senate last year, appears to have new life after comments made by Secretary of State-designate Condoleezza Rice at her confirmation hearings.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

This “stealth” treaty has been below the media's radar and needs to be given a full public debate. The possible repercussions are too great for it to be ratified before anyone knows what it's all about. - Ed.

Prosecutor: No Proof Religious Hatred to Blame for Family's Murder

NEWARK, N.J. - Authorities investigating the stabbing deaths of an Egyptian immigrant family said Monday they have not found any evidence so far indicating the four Jersey City residents were slain over a religious dispute.

--Newsday (AP)--

Over 1,200 Voters' Addresses Found Invalid in ‘Blue’ Milwaukee

A review of Milwaukee voting records from the Nov. 2 presidential election has found more than 1,200 ballots cast from invalid addresses in the city, including many cases in which the voter could not be located at all.

--Milwaukee Journal Sentinel--

Remember all those Democrat congressmen complaining about voting problems in Ohio? Do you think they'll put any focus on this? Yeah, right! - Ed.

‘Unfit’ Author Corsi to Run vs. Kerry

The Swift Boat Veterans for Truth are credited with bringing John Kerry's real Vietnam War record to light, and now one of the authors of Unfit for Command, Jerome Corsi, says he's going to move to the Back Bay so he can challenge Sen. Kerry for his seat in Congress.

--NewsMax.com--

Abortion Foes Stage Protest of Roe V. Wade

WASHINGTON - President Bush told abortion foes on Monday he shared their support for "a culture of life" and claimed progress in passing legislation to protect the vulnerable.

--NewsMax.com (AP)--

Sen. Boxer Takes Victim Role after Hearing for Rice

Sen. Barbara “Airhead” Boxer says she is the real victim of last week's confirmation hearing for Secretary of State-designate Condoleezza Rice, yet continued yesterday to question the national security adviser's honesty.

--Washington Times--

Santorum in Trouble

On Friday Republican staffers in a number of Senate offices were holding meetings to discuss how to proceed with Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Arlen Specter and his recent hire, Hannibal G. Williams II Kemerer, who until recently was the NAACP's assistant general counsel.

--American Spectator--

Volunteers Set to Monitor Arizona Border Crossings

A retired California businessman has 240 volunteers ready for a 30-day aerial and ground surveillance campaign on the Arizona-Mexico border to highlight what he calls the government's failure to control illegal immigration.

--Washington Times--

Nixon Foresaw Terrorist Attacks

Nearly three decades before the September 11 attacks, a high-level government panel developed plans to protect the nation against terrorist acts ranging from radiological “dirty bombs” to airline missile attacks, according to declassified documents.

--Washington Times (AP)--

New Video Shows Kennedy Kin Abusing Black Woman

A new documentary set to be released this week shows Ted Kennedy's son abusing an African-American female security guard at Los Angeles International Airport five years ago.

--NewsMax.com--

Wash. GOP Files Governor's Race Challenge

The state's Republicans, still pressing their court challenge to the disputed governor's election, have filed a separate challenge with the state Legislature.

--NewsMax.com--

Officials Mum on Rumored Zarqawi Capture

Iraq's interior minister on Saturday refused to comment on rumors that the top terror leader in the country had been taken into custody.

--NewsMax.com--

White House Blasts Dems for Condi Delay

A day after ex-Ku Klux Klansman Robert Byrd forced the full Senate to delay a confirmation vote for the first African-American woman ever nominated as secretary of state, White House chief of staff Andrew Card blasted Senate Democrats for playing “petty politics.”

--NewsMax.com--

Elian Assault Trial Set for Monday

MIAMI - A federal judge has set a Monday trial date for the claims of a dozen people who said they were wrongly assaulted by federal officers during the raid that removed Elian Gonzalez from his family's home.

--NewsMax.com (AP)--

Iowa Bill Would Fine Political Liars

DES MOINES - In an attempt to do away with false campaign attack ads, a group of Iowa House members are proposing a new law that would result in fines to campaigns caught lying about an opponent or their opponent’s record.

--Quad City Times--

This is a brilliant idea. If adopted nationally, it could pay off the national debt in short order. - Ed.

Democrats Vow to Continue Fighting Republican Agenda

The Democratic Party vowed Thursday not to stop fighting President Bush "and his Republican cronies" as they try to advance their political agenda.

--CNSNews.com--

In other words, they plan to continue the non-policies of negativism and obstructionism that served them so well in the last election. They didn't learn anything. - Ed.

Protesters Accuse Bush of ‘Co-opting Jesus’

WASHINGTON - Counter-inaugural protesters Thursday accused President Bush of “co-opting Jesus” for political purposes. “He's always talking about symbols of evil, using Jesus as a political pawn,” said Rod Murphy from a group called, “10,000 Jesuses.”

--CNSNews.com--

Doesn't it seem just a little bit hypocritical for a group calling itself “10,000 Jesuses” to be accusing anyone of “Co-opting Jesus”? - Ed.

Rogue States Bristle at ‘Outposts of Tyranny’ Label

Iran and Zimbabwe, two of six countries described by Secretary of State-designate Condoleezza Rice as “outposts of tyranny,” have shrugged off the tag, warning that any U.S. plans to launch military action against them would fail.

--CNSNews.com--

Allies Welcome Bush Inauguration Amid Hopes for More Dialogue

Official reaction in foreign capitals to the start of President Bush's second term has been cautiously optimistic, characterized by hopes for more dialogue during the next four years.

--CNSNews.com--

Vietnam Veterans Celebrate Kerry's Election Defeat

WASHINGTON - Vietnam Veterans who opposed Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry held an "un-augural" reception on Thursday afternoon in Washington to celebrate the fact that Kerry lost the election and to honor the veterans who helped defeat him.

--CNSNews.com--

How much media attention did these brave people get compared to what they gave to the Bush-haters? - Ed.

Specter in New Trouble

Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Arlen Specter went back on his word to Republican caucus members and conservative groups alike when he recently hired Hannibal G. Williams II Kemerer, who until recently was the NAACP's assistant general counsel.

--American Spectator--

CORE: Byrd's Condi Delay Is ‘Racist’

The Congress of Racial Equality blasted Sen. Robert Byrd on Thursday for holding up full Senate confirmation for Secretary of State nominee Condoleezza Rice, denouncing the former Ku Klux Klansman as an unreconstructed “racist.”

--NewsMax.com--

Holy Hillary: I Always Prayed

Borrowing a page from President Bush, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton told a Boston audience this week that prayer has always played a meaningful role in her life - though accounts from her days as a student radical suggest that's probably not true.

--NewsMax.com--

‘Best Hope For Peace’ Is Worldwide Democracy, Bush Says

After taking the oath of office Thursday, President George W. Bush pledged to spread democracy across the globe, saying it is the “best hope for peace in our world.”

--CNSNews.com--

For the record, Pres. Bush used the word “freedom” 26 times in his inaugural address. - Ed.

Protesters Accuse Bush of ‘Exterminating the Muslim Race’

Washington - In cold, snowy Washington, about a hundred protesters gathered outside the “Black Tie and Boots” inaugural ball on Wednesday night, comparing President George W. Bush to Adolf Hitler because Bush is “exterminating the Muslim race.”

--CNSNews.com--

Hey protesters! See next story. - Ed.

Wanted: Human Shields

Back in January '03, you may remember a group of Western liberals who volunteered to go to Iraq as human shields in case the US enforced UN resolutions that Saddam violated.

--Iraq.BillHobbs.com--

Ex-Klansman Blocks Condi's Confirmation

A former Ku Klux Klansman who once vowed to keep the military segregated is single-handedly holding up the confirmation of Secretary of State-nominee Condoleezza Rice, the first African-American woman to be appointed to the office.

--NewsMax.com--

Cheney: Israel Might Act Against Iran

WASHINGTON - Vice President Dick Cheney said on Thursday that Iran was at the top of the administration's list of world trouble spots and expressed concern that Israel “might well decide to act first” to eliminate any nuclear threat from Tehran.

--Reuters--

How can we argue against Israel's right to pre-emptive action? - Ed.

Jimmy Carter Linked to Oil-for-food Scam

Former President Jimmy Carter has been linked with a key figure in the U.N.'s oil-for-food scandal by the group leading the nationwide effort to evict the United Nations from American soil and halt U.S. funding of the U.N.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

New UNICEF Head Signals Shift From Predecessor's Agenda

After a decade of controversial leadership by an executive director whom critics said focused more on reproductive issues and children's “rights” than on their survival, the U.N. children's agency UNICEF is getting a new leader.

--CNSNews.com--

Group Wants Doctors to Stop Lobbying Patients

Word that some doctors are asking patients to sign tort-reform petitions before treating them has prompted a warning from a group that sides with “injured consumers.”

--CNSNews.com--

Boston Terror Threat Probed

Federal and state authorities are investigating a nuclear terrorist threat against Boston after a man calling from Mexico told California police that he smuggled two Iraqis and four Chinese over the border, the Boston Herald has learned.

--Boston Herald--

Anti-War Crowd Backs Notorious Dictators, Communists

Insisting that they are "not criminals, they are patriots," an array of Bush-bashing protesters is making last-minute plans for their Inauguration Day demonstrations in Washington. However, the protesters have more in common than an aversion to war. They have a history of sympathizing with America's enemies including North Korea and Cuba, and they look to a former U.S. attorney general for guidance.

--CNSNews.com--

Why wouldn't they back communists? Most of them are communists. - Ed.

Historian: FDR's Inauguration Was ‘Extravagant’

Franklin Delano Roosevelt's first inauguration, held during the worst days of the Great Depression, was "the most lavish undoubtedly" of all the presidential inaugural celebrations, according to Donald Kennon, chief historian of the U.S. Capitol Historical Society.

--NewsMax.com--

Log Cabin Republicans Endorse ‘Reform Agenda’

The Log Cabin Republicans note that personal savings accounts would create private property, allowing all Americans - including same-sex couples - to pass on assets to a surviving partner.

--CNSNews.com--

Is this an I told you so moment or what? - Ed.

Hillary Blasts Bush ‘Fear Factor’

On the eve of President Bush's second inauguration, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton is blasting him as the “fear factor” president who tries to sell his irresponsible agenda by scaring the voters.

--NewsMax.com--

Has she forgotten the fear tactics of her own party, including, but not limited to, “wither on the vine”, “starving old people”, “armies of homeless”, “poisoning the air and water”, etc.? I suppose that on the subject of “fear” politics, we should listen to her, since her party perfected the tactic. - Ed.

Soros Accused of Violating Federal Election Law

A conservative legal group has accused billionaire investor George Soros of violating federal election law.

--CNSNews.com--

Beijing Gets ‘Loud’ U.S. Message

President Bush said yesterday that the Chinese government heard the United States "loud and clear" after sanctions were imposed against eight Chinese companies for helping Iran with its missile programs.

--Washington Times (AP)--

Thune Kicks Daschle Out of Office, ‘Literally’

South Dakota Republican Senator-elect John Thune will be easy to find in his home district.

--NewsMax.com--

“Literally” may be the most misused word in the English language. If this NewsMax headline, was literally correct, Thune would have actually put his shoe into Daschle's rear. I seriously doubt that happened, and nothing in the story indicates that it did. - Ed.

Boxer Questions Rice's ‘Respect for the Truth’ on Iraq

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) accused National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice in a confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee of lying to the American people over the urgency of the nuclear threat Saddam Hussein posed before the Iraq war.

--CNSNews.com--

If Sen. Boxer had respect for the truth, she'd put Rice's words in the context of what people in her own party were saying at the time and before. - Ed.

p.s. Newly elected Sen. Martinez appeared on the Sean Hannity program on Tuesday. His view was that Boxer's attack on Rice was “not good for the country.” I agree.

Saddam Henchman: Iran Funding Resistance

The man who led Saddam Hussein's “Army of Muhammad” during 2004 has confessed that Iran is the primary source of funding for his jihadists battling U.S. forces in Iraq.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Terror Cop: Qaeda ‘Heavily Damaged’

WASHINGTON - Al Qaeda is “heavily damaged,” constantly on the run and so financially strapped that it is having trouble making payments to the families of its dead fighters, the Daily News has learned.

--New York Daily News--

Terror Attack Fears as Tsunami Toll Hits 175,000

Asia's tsunami death toll soared past 175,000 yesterday as Sri Lanka confirmed thousands more dead, while fears emerged over the safety of aid workers in Indonesia’s shattered Aceh province.

--The Scotsman--

Women's magazine offers tips to terrorists

ROME - Al Qaeda has introduced an online women's magazine with articles including dietary advice for suicide bombers and tips on how to “dominate the passions” before blowing yourself up, according to Italy's SISDE secret service.

--Washington Times--

Robert Kennedy Jr. Eyes State Attorney General's Race

Environmental lawyer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is considering a possible run for state attorney general in New York.

--NewsMax.com--

Iraqi-American Pleads Guilty in Oil-for-Food

WASHINGTON - An Iraqi-born American citizen pleaded guilty Tuesday to several charges as part of the federal investigation into the U.N. Oil-for-Food program, becoming the first person to be convicted in the growing scandal.

--Fox News--

What “scandal”? Hasn't Kofi Anan and UN defenders told us that there is no scandal? - Ed.

US-Indonesian Tsunami Relief Cooperation Could Help Restore Frozen Ties

Cooperation between the U.S. and Indonesian militaries in the wake of Asia's tsunami tragedy may speed up the move towards restoring links between the two institutions -- a step the Pentagon regards as an important factor in the regional counter-terror campaign.

--CNSNews.com (Pacific Rim Bureau)--

Report: Pro-Democracy Movement in N. Korea

SEOUL, South Korea - A human rights group claimed Tuesday that it has obtained video footage showing dissident activities in North Korea, with demands for freedom and democracy written over a poster of North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Il.

--Fox News--

Kerry Charges Disenfranchisement in '04 Election

BOSTON - Sen. John Kerry, in some of his most pointed public comments yet about the presidential election, invoked Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy on Monday as he criticized President Bush and decried reports of voter disenfranchisement.

--Fox News--

I'm convinved - that he's willing to undermine faith in the democratic process to advance the ambitions of himself and his party. Boy, did we ever dodge a bullet. Thank you, “red” states! - Ed.

Laura Bush to Skip Tea Time With Judge Roy Moore

WASHINGTON - It might have seemed a way to thaw a sometimes chilly relationship between the Bush administration and former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore. The ousted judge would sit down with the first lady for a spot of tea.

--Las Vegas Sun (AP)--

Kennedy Copycat Charged With Manslaughter

A Connecticut man has been charged with manslaughter after abandoning his girlfriend to drown in an case with eerie similarities to one of the most notorious episodes in modern American political history.

--NewsMax.com--

Lack of Character Greatest Obstacle for Blacks, Black Conservative Says

A black conservative leader said Monday legal barriers have been removed, so now the greatest obstacle for blacks is no longer racism but lack of character.

--CNSNews.com--

Kerry Uses MLK Day to Cry Over Election

Sen. John Kerry, in some of his most pointed public comments yet about the presidential election, invoked Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy on Monday as he criticized President Bush and decried reports of voter disenfranchisement.

--NewsMax.com--

Poll: Americans Hopeful on 2nd Bush Term

WASHINGTON - A majority of Americans say they feel hopeful about President Bush's second term and have a generally positive view of him personally, but they also express continued doubts about Iraq.

--ABC News (AP)--

Purple Heart Recipients to March in Inaugural Parade

WASHINGTON - Carl Winterwerp will take his “scarred-up” legs down Pennsylvania Avenue for the Inaugural Parade on Thursday, but his reason for doing so goes beyond politics.

--Fox News--

Iraq is George Bush's Vietnam: Ted “the Swimmer” Kennedy

WASHINGTON - America's ongoing military entanglement in Iraq has become President George Bush's Vietnam, US Senator Edward Kennedy, a leading member of the opposition Democratic party, said.

--Yahoo! News (AFP)--

Perhaps if we'd had a president with W's backbone, “Vietnam” wouldn't be a dirty word today. - Ed.

CIA Gives Grim Warning on EU Prospects

THE CIA has predicted that the European Union will break-up within 15 years unless it radically reforms its ailing welfare systems.

--The Scotsman--

Hidden in this story are clues to why many in the EU hate the United States. See if you can find them. - Ed.

NBCer: Dems Not Answering Kerry's Call

While Sen. John Kerry has made it clear he's interested in running for president again in 2008, party insiders aren't very enthusiastic about the prospect.

--NewsMax.com--

Anti-U.N. group pushes Forbes

SACRAMENTO - The organization leading the effort to evict the United Nations headquarters from American soil, Move America Forward, was to announce today an effort to replace outgoing U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Danforth with magazine publisher and conservative icon Steve Forbes.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

NYC Smokes Out Smokers Who Buy Cigarettes Online

The tax man in New York City has quietly decided to “butt” in on the sale of cigarettes over the Internet. The city is demanding that residents who purchased cigarettes online pay the taxes slapped on tobacco sales now, or face huge fines and the garnishment of their wages later.

--CNSNews.com--

Inaugural Protesters Threaten Violence

While most groups traveling to Washington, D.C., to protest President Bush's inauguration next Thursday say they'll be nonviolent, an angry cadre of anti-American radicals has made it known that it intends to do everything possible to disrupt the event.

--NewsMax.com--

Depression Didn't Stop FDR's Inaugural Bash

The Washington press corps is beside itself because President Bush will celebrate his second inauguration with $40 million worth of festivities - at a time when the nation is at war and the tragedy of the tsunami disaster is still fresh.

--NewsMax.com--

Photo shows al-Zarqawi, Iran military chiefs

A photo showing Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the Jordanian born mastermind behind the latest spate of bombings in Iraq, standing with senior commanders of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) was seen by Jordan's King Abdullah II last month, according to an Algerian journalist.

--Iran Focus--

Report: U.S. Conducting Secret Missions Inside Iran

WASHINGTON - The United States has been conducting secret reconnaissance missions inside Iran to help identify potential nuclear, chemical and missile targets, The New Yorker magazine reported Sunday.

--My Way News (Reuters)--

The problem with this report is its author - Seymour Hersh. I can't prove it, but I think this guy just makes stuff up sometimes. - Ed.

Massachusetts Church's ‘Pro-terrorism’ Speakers Protested

A group of Christians and Jews plans to hold a demonstration tomorrow at a Presbyterian church hosting a program presented by the International Solidarity Movement, which supports “armed struggle” and has advocated the destruction of Israel.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Benefit Concert planned for ‘Philadelphia 5’

A film production company is both making a movie about the Philadelphia Christians facing charges for evangelizing at an outdoor homosexual event and sponsoring a concert to raise money for the protesters' defense.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

North Korea Ready for Nuclear Talks

North Korea is willing to restart stalled talks on its nuclear programme, the official KCNA news agency has said.

--BBC News--

This indicates to me that the breakdown of the previous talks was due, in large part, to Kerry's rhetoric. - Ed.

Half of Iraq Population Estimated to Vote

BAGHDAD, Iraq - A senior election official estimates that half of Iraq's 15 million eligible voters will take part in this month's national election and says that to encourage a high turnout, those living in insurgency-racked areas will be allowed to vote in safer communities.

--Washington Times (AP)--

Group Decries ‘Ethnic Intimidation’ Charge Against Philly Christians

A pro-family group in Pennsylvania is taking to task legislators who promised that adding “sexual orientation” to the state's hate-crimes law would not infringe upon the First Amendment rights of Christians.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Ted “the Swimmer” Kennedy Calls Barak Obama “Osama bin ... Osama ... Obama”

But you won't find it until you get to the last paragraph.

--San Diego Union-Tribune--

ET Visitors: Scientists See High Likelihood

Decades ago, it was physicist Enrico Fermi who pondered the issue of extraterrestrial civilizations with fellow theorists over lunch, generating the famous quip: "Where are they?" That question later became central to debates about the cosmological census count of other star folk and possible extraterrestrial (ET) visitors from afar.

--Space.com--

Motion Filed for Philadelphia Protesters

One of the attorneys for the Christian protesters who are criminally charged for evangelizing at an outdoor homosexual event in Philadelphia has renewed an appeal in federal court, citing the Supreme Court statement “Speech cannot be ... punished or banned simply because it might offend a hostile mob.”

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Kerry Trashes U.S. on Foreign Soil

Egypt's Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif received on Wednesday John Kerry, the US Senator and former presidential hopeful.

--Arabic News--

Je$$e Ja¢k$on Praises ‘Sister Hillary’ Despite Slurs

The Rev. Je$$e Ja¢k$on praised New York Sen. Hillary Clinton yesterday as “Sister Hillary,” after Clinton cited his efforts to overturn the presidential election by challenging the Electoral College vote in Ohio.

--NewsMax.com--

Trousergate Probe Moves Closer to Clinton

A grand jury probing the Sandy Berger Trousergate scandal grilled longtime White House consigliere Bruce Lindsey yesterday - a move that could put Lindsey's former boss, Bill Clinton, in the investigative crosshairs.

--NewsMax.com--

‘Philadelphia 5’ Arrests Like ‘Christian Rodney King’

A documentary filmmaker who happened to be interviewing the leader of 11 Christian protesters on the day they were arrested at an outdoor homosexual event in Philadelphia says the extent of the charges against five of the people - which could lead to 47 years in prison - amounted to a “Christian Rodney King” scenario.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Group Demands Apology for Lawmaker's ‘Anti-Youth’ Statement

Some young voters are demanding an apology from a Republican lawmaker who criticized President Bush's intentions to reform Social Security.

--CNSNews.com--

This story highlights a looming “generation gap” on the subject of Social Security. - Ed.

Lawmakers Call for ‘Propaganda’ Probe

Eight Democratic members of Congress on Tuesday asked for a governmentwide investigation into the Bush administration's use of “covert propaganda” to promote its policies with the American public.

--USA Today--

I wonder why I had to go looking for an important fact about this case. If the government used taxpayer money to promote legislation being proposed, I could understand the outcry. But none of the stories make it clear that Armstrong Williams was paid to promote a program that was already in place. Pres. Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act on January 8, 2002. Williams received payment in 2003.

Knowing that (finally after doing a search), I'm having a hard time seeing how it's so much different from taxpayer-funded ads we see and hear promoting welfare and other “health and human services programs”. - Ed.

UN Effort to Help Palestinian ‘Fence Victims’ Seen As Unhelpful

JERUSALEM - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Tuesday began the process of setting up a registry for Palestinians who want to claim damages stemming from the construction of Israel's security barrier in the West Bank. But the move has prompted criticism in both Israel and the United States.

--CNSNews.com--

Washington Governor Sworn in after ‘Orange’ Rally

As Democrats prepared to celebrate the certification of Christine Gregoire's 129-vote “victory” after a third recount in Washington state's court-contested gubernatorial election, an estimated 1,700 orange-clad supporters of Republican candidate Dino Rossi gathered yesterday in a Ukraine-inspired demonstration at the state Capitol in Olympia to demand a revote.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Ohio Court Dismisses Election Challenges

The Ohio Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed a challenge from voters to the presidential election in light of last week's certification of the electoral vote and the upcoming inauguration.

--NewsMax.com--

Source: Berger ‘Socks’ Probe Before Grand Jury

The criminal investigation of former National Security Adviser Sandy Berger - accused of pocketing highly classified terrorism documents prior to the Sept. 11 Commission hearings - is now before a federal grand jury, according to an anonymous source with knowledge of the probe.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Christians Face Hearing in Felonies at ‘Gay’ Rights Event

Four Christian activists face arraignment tomorrow in Philadelphia on felony charges in what they describe as their “peaceful protest” of a homosexual rights event last fall.

--Washington Times--

Democrat Urging Anti-Bush Boycott

David Livingstone says the idea behind the economic boycott he's organizing is simple: If people don't show up at work or buy things, companies lose money. As he sees it, that's money the Bush administration can't tax, and can't use to run the war in Iraq, protect polluters or chip away at the Constitution.

--Las Vegas Sun (AP)--

Dems Pour Money Into Va. Gov. Race

Republicans say the Democratic National Committee is trying to remake a liberal into a viable "Red State" leader with its $5 million pledge to Virginia gubernatorial candidate Timothy M. Kaine's campaign.

--NewsMax.com--

UN Audits Skim Surface of Oil for Food Scandal, Critic Alleges

Despite the release of 58 internal audits tied to the United Nations Oil for Food Program scandal, one critic of the world body insisted Monday that the audits did not even come close to providing enough information about the mismanagement and price fixing that plagued the humanitarian aid effort in Iraq.

--CNSNews.com--

U.N.: Trust Us with Tsunami Cash

Stung by findings of costly mismanagement in Iraq, the United Nations assured the world yesterday that its billion-dollar tsunami assistance programme would be open to the most rigorous checks.

--London Telegraph--

Girl Caught in Red Tape Over Tsunami Aid

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - A 10-year-old girl who wanted to open a lemonade stand to raise money for tsunami victims saw her plan hit a brick wall, thanks to government regulations.

--My Way News (AP)--

Rain Hampers Calif. Mudslide Rescue

LOS ANGELES Jan 11, 2005 — Scattered rain showers lashed waterlogged Southern California again Tuesday, hampering efforts to find survivors buried by a mudslide in a coastal community and prompting hundreds to flee a mountain town below a rain-swollen reservoir and along rising streams.

--ABC News (AP)--

There's no word from the U.N. about how “stingy” the rest of the world is in contributing to the rescue operation. - Ed.

Peter Paul: Hillary Knew About Campaign Cash

New York Sen. Hillary Clinton personally negotiated some of the fees for a star-studded Aug. 12, 2000 Hollywood fundraiser, the event's producer, Peter Paul, said in an interview aired on Sunday - as the event comes under increasing scrutiny by a Los Angeles grand jury and the Justice Department.

--NewsMax.com--

Homosexuals Planned Christian Harassment

Homosexual “OutFest” organizers in Philadelphia announced plans in advance of their October 2004 street festival to block Christians from access to the publicly sponsored event where 11 members of Repent America were arrested, five being charged with a series of misdemeanors and felonies that could put them in jail for 47 years.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Christians ‘Exploiting’ Tsunami Disaster, Group Says

Christian missionaries hope to spread the Word of God along with relief supplies in South Asian nations devastated by the tsunami. But the religious outreach isn't going over well with some Muslims.

--CNSNews.com--

Saddam Teamed Up with OBL's Wahhabists

Starting in the mid-1990s, Saddam Hussein forged alliances with Muslim radicals from Saudi Arabia who practiced the same brand of militant Islam as Osama bin Laden, Saudi dissidents in London revealed last week.

--NewsMax.com--

U.S. Considers ‘Death Squads’ for Iraq

The Pentagon is considering forming hit squads of Kurdish and Shia fighters to target leaders of the Iraqi insurgency in a strategic shift borrowed from the American struggle against left-wing guerrillas in Central America 20 years ago.

--London Times--

Newt Gingrich Open to Presidential Run

Newt Gingrich is taking steps toward a potential presidential bid in 2008 with a book criticizing President Bush's policies on Iraq and a tour of early campaign states.

--NewsMax.com--

Democrat Enlisted to ‘Take Back the House’

“House Democrats are focused and determined to win a majority in the House in 2006, and Rahm Emanuel will be an outstanding leader in this effort,” House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said on Sunday, as she named Emanuel to lead the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

--CNSNews.com--

Well, they guy is from Chicago, and they really know how to “win” elections in Chicago. But will the rest of the country be able to register enough dead Democrats to give them a “majority”? - Ed.

Democrats Are United in Plans To Block Top Bush Initiatives

As President Bush prepares for his second term, Democrats in Washington and around the country are organizing for a year of confrontation and resistance, saying they are determined to block Bush's major initiatives and thereby deny him the mandate he has claimed from his reelection victory last November.

--Washington Times--

The preceding story outlined the goal, now we know the strategy - ostruct, obstruct, obstruct. - Ed.

U.N. Audits Show Repeated Oil-for-Food Woes

NEW YORK - Audits done of the U.N.-administered Oil-for-Food program during its existence show a systemic failure by the United Nations to adequately oversee the program, resulting in contractors overcharging the U.N. by millions of dollars.

--Fox News--

UN Faces New Row: Gulf War Victims Overpaid

The United Nations overpaid by as much as $5 billion compensation to victims of Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait, according to auditors' documents made public yesterday.

--London Telegraph--

Feds threatened suit over military ballots

OLYMPIA - Less than a month before the November election, the U.S. Department of Justice threatened to sue Washington state because it was moving too slowly in mailing military ballots overseas.

--Seattle Times--

Conservative Group Bashes Bush Policies

A blunt critique being released today by the Heritage Foundation says President Bush and the Republicans have too often pushed big spending programs, contrary to their campaign promises, made again in 2004, to move the government in a more conservative direction.

--Washington Times--

Hillary Clinton's Former Campaign Finance Director Indicted

WASHINGTON - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's former finance director has been indicted on charges of filing fictitious reports that misstated contributions for a Hollywood fund-raising gala for the senator, the Justice Department said Friday.

--WNBC (AP)--

Internal CIA Report Critical of Tenet, Others

WASHINGTON - An internal CIA investigation concluded former CIA Director George Tenet and other top officials failed to allocate adequate resources to combat terrorism before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and should be held accountable, intelligence officials told The New York Times.

--Reuters--

Insurgent admits Iran, Syria links on tape

BAGHDAD, Iraq - An Iraqi militant suspected of involvement in beheadings and other bloody attacks told Iraqi authorities that his group has links with Iran and Syria, according to a tape aired Friday by an Arabic TV station funded by the U.S. government.

--Raleigh News & Observer (AP)--

UN Peacekeepers ‘Still Abusing Women and Girls’

UN peacekeepers in Congo are continuing to sexually abuse and exploit women and girls, some as young as 13, according to a UN watchdog agency.

--The Scotsman--

They're still abusing the American taxpayer, too. - Ed.

157,000 New Jobs in December

The nation added 157,000 new jobs in December, below what economists expected, the Labor Department reported Friday.

--CNSNews.com--

During the campaign, the lying Democrats, and their media allies, were claiming that George W. Bush was going to be the first president since Herbert Hoover to end his term with a net job loss. You haven't heard much about this claim lately because from everything I can find on the subject, it simply isn't, and wasn't true. You will notice that in the above story, it is reported that “more than 2.5 million jobs have been created in the last 16 months”. In this article from June 2003, the job loss from the start of the recession to that time (coincidentally just a bit more than 16 months ago) was 2.5 million. Pres. Bush's term doesn't end until Jan. 21, and the December job creation numbers will most likely be revised upward. While the net job gain over Bush's first term will undoubtedly be modest, I'm pretty sure that there will be one, and not a loss as Democrats claimed. - Ed.

Has U.S. Threatened to Vaporize Mecca?

Why hasn't Osama bin Laden's terror network executed an attack on U.S. soil since 9-11?

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Michael Moore's Letter Wins Boxer

Not happy that he netted millions from his disastrous efforts to help the Democrats last year, Michael Moore is still whining about President Bush's victory.

--NewsMax.com--

Je$$e: Hillary Nixed Promise on Elex Vote

When the Rev. Je$$e Ja¢k$on heard Hillary Clinton Thursday morning railing against the legitimacy of the presidential vote in Ohio, he assumed she was about to follow through on her promise to vote against certifying the Electoral College results.

--NewsMax.com--

Democrats Try to Alter Social Security Debate

WASHINGTON - President Bush's strategy of saying that Social Security's "crisis is now" as a rationale for creating personal investment accounts has been offset by unanticipated attacks from Democratic leaders that the White House is manufacturing an excuse to boost support for private accounts.

--Boston Globe--

17-year-old girl part of ‘Philadelphia 5’

While most of the media have focused on the four adult Christians arrested last year for protesting a homosexual event in Philadelphia, there also is a teenage girl who faces criminal charges for her participation.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

America, Israel, India Caused Tsunami, Conspiracy Theory Says

JERUSALEM - The earthquake that caused tidal waves to slam into the coast of Southeast Asia, killing at least 145,000 people, could have been the result of joint American, Israeli and Indian underwater weapons testing, an Egyptian weekly and other Arab media charged.

If you're a Democrat, here's all you need to know about placing blame for the tsunami. - Ed.

--CNSNews.com--

Congressional Pensions a Bonanza

Thanks to a generous pension system, life after Congress can be a lot more lucrative: that's the conclusion of a study released today by the National Taxpayers Union Foundation (NTUF), a research group known for its detailed estimates on Congressional retirement benefits.

--NewsMax.com--

Gonzales Says He Won't Tolerate Torture and Abuse

Calling it the highest honor of his professional career to be nominated for the job of attorney general of the United States, Alberto Gonzales on Thursday said that justice cannot be divorced from the individual -- it always has a human dimension, he said -- and he pledged to remember that.

--CNSNews.com--

Kerry Trashes Bush in Baghdad

Visiting with U.S. troops in Baghdad on Thursday, failed presidential candidate John Kerry trashed Commander-in-chief George Bush for making “horrendous judgments” and “unbelievable blunders” that have undermined the war effort.

--NewsMax.com--

Andrea Yates' Conviction Overturned

HOUSTON - Andrea Yates walked into the warden's office Thursday at the psychiatric prison where she's serving a life sentence for drowning her children in the family bathtub and learned the murder convictions had been overturned.

--Fox News--

Big Spender Now Heads House Appropriations Committee, Watchdogs Warn

House Republicans on Wednesday tapped Rep. Jerry Lewis of California to head the Appropriations Committee, something that should concern taxpayers who want to hold the line on federal spending, a taxpayer watchdog group said.

--CNSNews.com--

Wash. GOP Demands New Governor Election

OLYMPIA, Wash. - State Republicans Wednesday charged that hundreds of provisional ballots may have been counted on Election Day without being verified.

--ABC News (AP)--

Democrats have taken to the floors of Congress claiming they are concerned about the integrity of our voting system, but strangely (or at least it would be strangely if that's what they really are concerned about), they are making no mention of what happened in Washington. - Ed.

Staples Boycotts Sinclair; Will It Boycott CBS? Group Wonders

Staples, the office supply retailer, said it will stop advertising on Sinclair news broadcasts, after liberal activists complained that Sinclair was “placing partisan interest ahead of the public interest” by broadcasting conservative and pro-President Bush commentaries.

--CNSNews.com--

Lawmakers Up in Arms Over Mexico's ‘How-to’ for Illegals

A 32-page “Guide For the Mexican Migrant” that tells illegal immigrants how to cross the U.S. border, and how to stay in the U.S. unobtrusively, was supposedly intended to keep Mexican citizens from risking breaking into the United States because it's dangerous, kills hundreds of Mexican migrants annually, and violates U.S. law.

--NewsMax.com--

U.S. Attorneys Complicit in Arrest of Christians?

Homosexual attorneys from the U.S. Justice Department Civil Rights Division not only attended a large homosexual event in Philadelphia last year, but they advised police on the scene who arrested 11 Christian protesters, says a source within the agency.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Specter Elected Chairman of Senate Judiciary Committee

WASHINGTON - Following a drawn-out political melodrama triggered by his own intemperate remarks, Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., was elected chairman Tuesday of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee.

--Bradenton Herald (Philadelphia Inquirer)--

Author: Helen W.

Date: Wednesday January 5, 2005 23:12

Of course, this is thanks to our "pro-life" president, the "pro-life" GOP and that snark, Santorum.

Report: Mess-hall Suicide Bomber was Saudi

CAIRO, Egypt - The suicide bomber who killed 22 people when he blew himself up in a U.S. mess hall in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul was a Saudi medical student, an Arab newspaper reported Monday.

--MSNBC News--

More evidence to dispel the myth that terrorism is the result of “poverty”. - Ed.

Judge Asked to Toss Ohio Vote Challenge

COLUMBUS, Ohio - One voter didn't see any signs of fraud on Election Day but was suspicious of the results. Another was surprised by long lines in her suburban city, where voting was always quick in the past.

--Las Vegas Sun (AP)--

It's a “bit” hypocritical for people who spent the past four years saying Bush was “selected” by the Supreme Court, now trying to get a much lower court to “select” John Kerry. - Ed.

Kerry's Foreign Trip Seen As Effort to Maintain ‘High Profile’

Senator John F. Kerry is reemerging on the public stage this week with a 13-day fact-finding trip through the Middle East, which supporters say shows that the Massachusetts Democrat is determined to maintain a high profile after his losing presidential campaign.

--Boston Globe--

Will anyone in the media make a connection between the budget deficit and the money being spend (i.e., wasted) on this trip? Will any of those complaining about the Republican Party money being spend on the inauguration complain about the taxpayers' money being spent on this trip? Yeah, right! - Ed.

Social Security Formula Weighed

The Bush administration has signaled that it will propose changing the formula that sets initial Social Security benefit levels, cutting promised benefits by nearly a third in the coming decades, according to several Republicans close to the White House.

--Washington Post--

Illegals Estimated to Number 18-20 Million

Could there be 20 million illegal aliens in the U.S. today? That's the estimate of a business analyst who has studied the impact of the nation's underground economy.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

U.S. Fails to Make List of World's Freest Economies

The United States is missing for the first time from an annual ranking of the world's 10 freest economies.

--NewsMax.com--

Philadelphia Accused of ‘Abuse of Power’

The attorney for the Christians known as “the Philadelphia 4” who were arrested for protesting at a homosexual event last year defended his clients on Fox News' “The O'Reilly Factor” last night, saying city officials are guilty of “abuse of power.”

--WorldNetDaily.com--

An exclusive account of the event appeared here. - Ed.

Israeli Group Biggest Civilian Aid Contributor to Sri Lanka

JERUSALEM - The Sri Lankan government reportedly refused to accept a large Israeli rescue and medical mission to aid tsunami victims. But even so, an Israeli group says it has contributed more civilian aid to Sri Lanka than any other country.

--CNSNews.com--

Former Presidents Will Lead Tsunami Fund-Raising Drive

President George W. Bush on Monday announced that former Presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush will work together to solicit U.S. charitable donations for Asian tsunami victims.

--CNSNews.com--

Two Views of Tsunami Relief: Government Doing Too Much, Not Enough

MoveOn.org, the liberal, anti-Bush advocacy group, is urging its members to help tsunami victims in South Asia because doing so is a test of global leadership -- and “the world is depending on us.”

--CNSNews.com--

Opportunity Knocking for GOP

Political conservatives have their best opportunity in years to push successfully for changes to taxes, entitlements and the courts - but they face a special set of obstacles.

--Washington Times (AP)--

‘Liberal’ Group Seeks Support for Challenge of Bush Electors

The Committee to ReDefeat the President, a federal political action committee also known as ReDefeatBush.com, is organizing several protest rallies this week, before Members of Congress gather in a joint session on Thursday to count the electoral votes from the November 2004 election.

--CNSNews.com--

North Carolina Papers Pound ‘Shameful’ Democrat Election Thieves

North Carolina's newspapers, even the two big liberal ones, are outraged about the sleazy attempt by three Democrats to steal an election for their party.

--NewsMax.com--

Soros Loserman Hides His Billions From Bush

George Soros is so paranoid after his boy John Kerry failed to defeat President Bush that he's hiding his loot.

--NewsMax.com--

Dems Considering ‘Torture’ Videos at Gonzales Hearings

During upcoming confirmation hearings for Attorney General-nominee Alberto Gonzales, senior Democrats want to screen infamous videotapes showing Iraqis being abused at Abu Ghraib prison, top sources tell the DRUDGE REPORT.

--DRUDGE REPORT--

Mass. Judges Pushing for Pay Raise

With a new Legislature convening this week, Massachusetts judges are mounting a campaign for a $34,000-a-year pay raise, but their effort faces a tough battle to overcome both a state budget deficit and political tensions between the judicial branch and Beacon Hill.

--Boston Globe--

It seems to me that they deserve a big raise, since now they're doing two jobs - adjudicating and legislating. - Ed.

Gambling Addiction Soaring in NYC

The number of crisis calls to a state hotline for problem gamblers soared by a startling 45% in New York City in 2004, the Daily News has learned.

--New York Daily News--

The Lottery Commission says “Bet with your head, not over it” - as it rakes in the money. - Ed.

Jeb's Tsunami Trip Beginning of Bush Dynasty?

Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has repeatedly denied any interest in following his brother into the White House.

--NewsMax.com--

Krauthammer: U.S. Gives 60 Percent of Global Food Aid

Columnist Charles Krauthammer blasted U.N. officials and other America-bashers Sunday morning for trying to paint the U.S.'s foreign aid contribution as “stingy” in the wake of the Asia tsunami disaster - especially since the facts prove exactly the opposite.

--NewsMax.com--

Dr. Dobson Declares War on Democrat Obstructionists

Dr. James C. Dobson, described by the New York Times as “the nation's most influential evangelical leader,” has declared war on six top Democrats in the U.S. Senate.

--NewsMax.com--

U.S. Top Judge Concerned About Criticism of Judges

WASHINGTON - U.S. Chief Justice William Rehnquist expressed concern on Saturday that criticism of federal judges had increased in recent years, particularly for “judicial activism.”

--Reuters--

I've read this story several times, and I'm not sure I see all that much “concern” expressed in Rehnquist's report. I suspect that Reuters was engaging in a bit of wishful thinking. - Ed.

Saudi Forces Kill Suspected Al-Qaeda Leader

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - Saudi security forces have killed 10 suspected Al-Qaeda militants in two days of clashes in the capital, including a Yemeni thought to be the terror group's leader in the country, officials said Thursday.

--INQ7.net (AFP)--

Washington Poll: Gov. Gregoire Illegitimate

A poll of Washington residents released the day Democrat Christine Gregoire was certified as the winner in the state's hotly contested governor's race shows that a majority of voters believes she was not legitimately elected.

--NewsMax.com--

Fraudulent Charities Use Tsunami Pleas To Prey on Donors

On eBay, sellers are hawking Pez dispensers, a gold necklace, a stuffed mouse, and a "hand-carved" Buddha statue with the promise that proceeds from the auctions will go directly to charities assisting the victims of the tsunami in Asia.

--New York Sun--

To make a legitimate donation, click here. - Ed.

First Person Survivor Story

American woman in Thailand eyewitness to devastation.

--WorldNetDaily.com--

Black Caucus Warns Harry Reid

The Congressional Black Caucus has told Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., that he crossed the line earlier this month when he called Justice Clarence Thomas “an embarrassment to the Supreme Court.”

--NewsMax.com--

Please don't read this standing up. - Ed.

Property Tax Hikes Part of National Trend

MILWAUKEE, Wis. - Nearly three decades after California became the first state to cap property taxes, many states are still struggling with the hot-button political issue.

--Fox News--

Have your property taxes risen much more than the rate of inflation? Have you gotten any more or better services from your local government? Are you ready to do something about the situation? - Ed.

Some Progress Made in Halting Spread of Nuclear Materials in Russia, say Analyst

The security of nuclear material has long been an issue of concern in Russia and other former Soviet republics.

--Turkish Weekly--

Millions of Millionaires Vanish in Turkey

Millionaires and billionaires are a dime a dozen in Turkey, but they'll disappear on New Year's Eve when the clock strikes midnight.

--NewsMax.com--