Idaho Sen. Larry Craig Denies Allegations of Same-Sex Affairs  —  Mike Rogers, who calls himself "the nation's leading gay activist blogger" has just finished a nationally-broadcast interview on the Ed Schultz Radio Show in which he alleges that Idaho Republican Senator Larry Craig has engaged in same-sex sexual activity.

ACLU Express Outrage As Bush Signs Terror Interrogation Into Law  —  So Bush signs the bill into law that will allow terrorists to be interrogated harshly, as they should be, and allow many top Al Qaeda agents to be brought to justice through military tribunals.

Rove foresees GOP victory  —  White House political strategist Karl Rove yesterday confidently predicted that the Republican Party would hold the House and the Senate in next month's elections, dismissing fallout from the sex scandal involving former Rep. Mark Foley.

655,000 War Dead?  —  A bogus study on Iraq casualties.  —  After doing survey research in Iraq for nearly two years, I was surprised to read that a study by a group from Johns Hopkins University claims that 655,000 Iraqis have died as a result of the war.

Funding Constrains Democrats  —  Party Chiefs See Chance to Take 40-Plus Seats With TV Push  —  Top Democrats said yesterday that they are planning to significantly expand the number of GOP House seats they will target during the final 20 days of the campaign but that financial disputes …

Iraq Removes Leaders of Special Police  —  The Iraqi government removed the country's two most senior police commanders from their posts on Tuesday, in the first broad move against the top leadership of Iraq's unruly special police forces.  —  The two generals had led Iraq's special police commandos …

Alaska Governor: Palin (R) 47%; Knowles (D) 40%  —  Tony Knowles (D) is gaining ground in his bid to become Alaska's next governor.  However, the latest Rasmussen Reports election poll shows Republican Sarah Palin with a seven-point lead over Knowles, 47% to 40% (see crosstabs).

Which Way to Win?  —  As we head toward Election Day 2006, political analysts are focusing on a few dozen tossup races that will determine whether the Democrats take the House and Senate.  But there's a larger, overarching battle this year between two visions of America …

DNC Takes Out Loan For DSCC  —  The DSCC's optimism about winning the Senate is apparently contagious as the DNC is going to pony up an extra $5-10M for the Senate committee, according to sources familiar with the previously reported arrangement between the two campaign orgs.

Bush Sets Defense As Space Priority  —  U.S. Says Shift Is Not A Step Toward Arms; Experts Say It Could Be  —  President Bush has signed a new National Space Policy that rejects future arms-control agreements that might limit U.S. flexibility in space and asserts a right to deny access to space to anyone "hostile to U.S. interests."

Pro-Israeli editor beaten in Bangladesh  —  A Muslim journalist facing charges of sedition for advocating ties with Israel was recently attacked and beaten by a crowd in Bangladesh that allegedly included leading officials of the country's ruling party, The Jerusalem Post has learned.

Lieberman Unleashed, Slaps Dodd  —  Ahh, back in New Haven.  Though the leaves are changing color, their hues are obscured by dark and drizzly weather.  Remind me never to write fiction, btw.  I'm sitting in Starbucks and making calls to piece together the Bolton decision.

Violence in Iraq Kills 10 U.S. Soldiers  —  BAGHDAD, Oct. 18-Ten U.S. soldiers were killed in Iraq on Tuesday, one of the bloodiest days of the war for American forces outside of major combat operations.  —  The toll included four soldiers killed by a single bomb in Baghdad …

The end of cod  —  A COMPLETE ban on cod fishing is the only way to prevent the species from dying out in the North Sea, scientists said last night.  —  The much-trumpeted European rescue plan for cod is failing, the official committee of European fisheries experts will tell governments on Friday.

Hoyer Remark 'Racist,' GOP's Steele Charges  —  Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele accused a leading Democratic congressman yesterday of racial insensitivity for saying the Republican candidate has "slavishly" followed the GOP.  —  Steele, an African American running for the U.S. Senate …

Congress Approval, U.S. Satisfaction Levels Still Low  —  Congressional approval ratings declined in October; little change in satisfaction  —  PRINCETON, NJ — As the midterm elections approach, members of Congress understandably can be nervous about being able to keep their jobs.