Unfit for Majority Leader  —  The videotape is grainy, dark and devastating.  The congressman and the FBI undercover agents — the congressman thinks they represent an Arab sheik willing to pay $50,000 to get immigration papers — are talking business in the living room of a secretly wired Washington townhouse.

Pelosi pulls out the stops for Murtha  —  Speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is imploring her colleagues to support Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) for majority leader, multiple House Democrats said yesterday, dealing an unexpected but not necessarily fatal blow to Murtha's opponent, Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.).

Get Out Now?  Not So Fast, Experts Say  —  One of the most resonant arguments in the debate over Iraq holds that the United States can move forward by pulling its troops back, as part of a phased withdrawal.  If American troops begin to leave and the remaining forces assume a more limited role …

FOX NEWS INTERNAL MEMO: "BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR ANY STATEMENTS FROM THE IRAQI INSURGENTS...THRILLED AT THE PROSPECT OF A DEM CONTROLLED CONGRESS"...  Huffington Post has obtained an internal Fox News memo written by the network's Vice President of news.  The memo details Fox's game plan …

Pawlenty: Give health coverage to all kids  —  The GOP governor embraces an issue that was central for DFLers in the recent campaign.  —  In a sweeping policy departure that aligns with a top agenda item of the newly elected DFL legislative majorities, Gov. Tim Pawlenty called Tuesday …

C.I.A. Tells of Bush's Directive on the Handling of Detainees  —  The Central Intelligence Agency has acknowledged for the first time the existence of two classified documents, including a directive signed by President Bush, that have guided the agency's interrogation and detention of terror suspects.

Recount gives Courtney win in 2nd District  —  HARTFORD, Conn. —A roller-coaster recount that uncovered vote-counting flaws in several Connecticut towns gave Democrat Joe Courtney a narrow victory over three-term Republican Rep. Rob Simmons on Tuesday.  —  Courtney won by 91 votes instead …

Al Jazeera's U.S. Face  —  Former ABC Newsman Dave Marash Is Getting Used to Explaining His Job  —  The moment Dave Marash told friends and colleagues about his new job, the questions began flying.  —  Who? listeners asked skeptically.  And why?  —  Nearly nine months later …

Mid-flight sexual play lands US couple afoul of anti-terrorism law  —  A couple's ill-concealed sexual play aboard a Southwest Airlines flight from Los Angeles got them charged with violating the Patriot Act, intended for terrorist acts, and could land them in jail for 20 years.

freed for $2 million  —  Terrorists used cash for arms to 'hit Zionists,' payment said to encourage more abductions  —  JERUSALEM - Palestinian terror groups and security organizations in the Gaza Strip received $2 million from a United States source in exchange for the release …

U.N. Says Somalis Helped Hezbollah Fighters  —  Southern Beirut after an Israeli attack in August on Hezbollah guerrillas.  Somali Islamists reportedly sent 700 fighters to help Hezbollah.  —  More than 700 Islamic militants from Somalia traveled to Lebanon in July to fight alongside Hezbollah …

Harman Versus Hastings  —  Okay.  All day I've been pondering what to say about the Jane Harman versus Alcee Hastings controversy.  The first thing of it is that I'd really prefer Harman not get the job.  There's lots of good content in The New Republic.  Nevertheless, when the magazine publishes …

Hate videos of Muslim group they failed to ban  —  A Muslim organisation which the Government chose not to ban is preaching hatred and has infiltrated the Home Office, an investigation has revealed.  —  Hizb ut-Tahrir is showing inflammatory videos to small groups of followers then encouraging them to attack non-believers.