Hate Crimes and Double Standards  —  There are, I think, two coherent positions on hate crime laws.  The first is opposition to the entire concept, its chilling effect on free speech, its undermining of the notion of equality under the law, and so on.  That's my position.

Who Doesn't Believe in Evolution?  —  A show of hands please... Let me remind you this is the only top vote-getting question asked.  —  Download (1488) |  Play (1892) Download (627) |  Play (1458)  —  (That's Brownback, Tancredo and Huckabee with their hands up.)

Who Won & Who Lost — First Take  —  THE GUY WHO WASN'T THERE AND ADVANTAGE MCCAIN  —  John McCain won.  Let's not dance around this.  Mitt Romney shined, he stood out, he did well.  Rudy Giuliani imploded.  Rudy totally and utterly self-destructed tonight.

SOME QUICK IMPRESSIONS OF TONIGHT'S DEBATE. . .  before Dallas and Golden State tip off.  —  1. The format was poor.  You can't have a good debate with this many people, but at least you can have serious questions and an opportunity to discuss them.  The questions from Politico's readers …

Check this out — the offices of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid are denying a Washington Post story today saying that Congressional Democrats have backed down to the White House by offering to remove Iraq withdrawal language from the now-vetoed Iraq bill.  —  Pelosi just went before the Democratic caucus …

Obama placed under Secret Service protection … (CNN) — Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, a U.S. senator from Illinois, has been placed under the protection of the Secret Service, the agency said Thursday.  —  The government is not aware of any specific, credible threat against Obama …

The Times Names Public Editor  —  The New York Times today named its next public editor, Clark Hoyt, a former Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and editor who oversaw the Knight Ridder newspaper chain's coverage that questioned the Bush administration's case for the Iraq war.

From the Senate: Hillary Statement on Deauthorizing the War  —  Washington, DC — In remarks on the Senate floor, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton announced that she and Senator Robert Byrd will introduce legislation to end authority for the war in Iraq.  The legislation will propose October 11 …

Comey Details U.S. Attorney Firings  —  If there was one major revelation during the hearing today, it was that James Comey had been involved in the firing of two U.S. attorneys when he was deputy attorney general.  —  But these firings were worlds away from the firing of the eight U.S. attorneys last December.

Virgin Atlantic Loose Change update: Axed Update: Audio added Update: Virgin Atlantic statement added  —  Folks, we made a difference.  After our post about Virgin Atlantic airing the 9-11 conspiracy film Loose Change 2 as in-flight entertainment last night, the producer …

D.C. Law Firm Suspends Woman Who Worked as Escort  —  Brian Ross, Rhonda Schwartz & Justin Rood Report:  —  A legal secretary at one of Washington's most prominent and well-connected law firms, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, has been suspended after telling her bosses she secretly worked …

Justice Official Says He Was Directed To Call Fired Prosecutors  —  The chief of staff to Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty has told congressional investigators that phone calls he placed to four fired U.S. attorneys — calls that three of the prosecutors say involved threats about testifying …

Lawmakers wants VA to explain bonuses  —  WASHINGTON - Congressional leaders on Thursday demanded that the Veterans Affairs secretary explain hefty bonuses for senior department officials involved in crafting a budget that came up $1 billion short and jeopardized veterans' health care.

Reid defends his 'presidentials,' takes jab at Edwards  —  As former Sen. John Edwards's (D-N.C.) TV ad on the Iraq supplemental continues to cause friction in the Democratic presidential field, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) heaped praise Thursday upon "the presidentials" …