Idea of Rapid Withdrawal From Iraq Seems to Fade  —  In the cacophony of competing plans about how to deal with Iraq, one reality now appears clear: despite the Democrats' victory this month in an election viewed as a referendum on the war, the idea of a rapid American troop withdrawal is fast receding as a viable option.

A national party no more?  —  The Republicans are in danger of being confined to the South  —  THREE years ago Zell Miller, then a Democratic senator for Georgia, published an anguished book entitled "A National Party No More: The Conscience of a Conservative Democrat".

Aides: Pelosi taps Reyes to head intelligence committee … WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi has chosen a Border-Patrol-agent-turned-congressman to lead the House intelligence committee, according to congressional aides.  —  Democratic leaders are contacting congressional …

Arabs may one day miss George W. Bush  —  The Middle East cheered the Republican defeat in the recent American congressional elections.  The official Syrian daily Al-Baath labeled the elections a "painful blow," while the Saudi daily Al-Watan called for a "wise" policy from Washington …

Report: Italian tests positive for deadly toxin  —  Academic had lunch with ex-spy on day he fell ill; autopsy under way … LONDON - An Italian security expert who met with a former KGB agent the day the ex-spy fell fatally ill with radiation poisoning has also tested positive for the substance, British media reported Friday.

Has Obama become the front-runner for '08?  —  Ian blogged this yesterday but I got a solid e-mail from a friend about this this morning so I'm going to post on it again.  My politically savvy pal advises us to prepare for full-blown Obamamania: … He's hip, he's hot, he's not Hillary.  (Or is he?)

MSM Finishing School  —  [Scroll for updates]  —  A long-time feeder to the mainstream media, Columbia's journalism school is currently training a new crop of grad students that are already cutting corners and flouting the rules just like the pros do it.

The Tom Friedman disease consumes Establishment Washington  —  (updated below)  —  Someone e-mailed me several days ago to say that while it is fruitful and necessary to chronicle the dishonest historical record of pundits and political figures when it comes to Iraq, I deserve to be chastised …

Report on Corporate Rules Is Assailed  —  Investor groups sounded alarms yesterday after it emerged that a foundation with ties to a pair of well-heeled business donors and an executive battling civil charges had funded a controversial new report seeking to slash corporate regulation.

Faith groups urge cuts to AIDS fund  —  Allege opposition to Christian efforts  —  LAKE FOREST, Calif. — Some leading Christian conservatives, angry over the Global Fund to Fight AIDS's promotion of condoms and its perceived lack of support for faith-based programs, are pushing Congress …

But deliver us from evil  —  Westhawk goes directly to one of the key drivers of instability in Iraq.  America's military success against the former rulers of Iraq has disrupted the very basis of its former stability.  Sunni dominance.  Westhawk quotes a Washington Post article which describes …

McCain Courts Crucial Support of Governors  —  Last anyone checked, Senator John McCain of Arizona is not — and has never been — a governor.  —  But no matter.  Mr. McCain turned up on Thursday morning at the Doral Golf Resort and Spa here for a guerrillalike visit to the annual meeting of the Republican Governors Association.

Sex Will Make You Go Blind  —  Single?  Under 30?  You are in grave danger.  Your government says so.  Please, stop laughing  —  I think I get it now.  —  The latest pitiable GOP plan, from what I can tell, goes something like this: To make it all so absurd, to make the remaining Bush …

Democrats to offer permanent tax cut  —  Democrats have long attacked President Bush for the historic tax cuts he ushered through Congress during his first term and have promised to reverse at least some of them.  —  But among their top priorities when they take over Congress next month is passing a permanent tax cut of their own.