Official: Al Qaeda will use Iraq to attack U.S.  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — The new National Intelligence Estimate will warn that al Qaeda will try to use its capabilities and contacts in Iraq to attack the United States, according to a senior government official.

AP Poll: GOP pick is 'none of the above'  —  WASHINGTON - And the leading Republican presidential candidate is ... none of the above.  —  The latest Associated Press-Ipsos poll found that nearly a quarter of Republicans are unwilling to back top-tier hopefuls Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson …

Pervez Musharraf: How Good Of An Ally Is He Really?  —  Pervez Musharraf is often touted as an important ally in the war on terrorism.  With his strong control over the military, he has cracked down on Islamic militants operating in Waziristan and other parts of Pakistan.  —  Or so we've heard.

Dow Jones, News Corp. Set Deal  —  Tentative $5 Billion Pact  —  Gets Board Vote Tonight;  —  Family to Meet Thursday  —  News Corp. reached a tentative agreement for the purchase of Dow Jones & Co. at its original $5 billion offer price.  The deal will be put to the full Dow Jones board …

The Politico sewer  —  The Politico today is prominently touting on its front page another vapid, petty, and inane "news story" — the type of story which has, in just a few short months, become its hallmark: … Impressively, they followed up their Romney scoop with a hard-hitting …

David Brooks' field trip to the White House  —  As George Bush has become more and more isolated, and as his presidency has collapsed around him, he has increasingly arranged White House events where like-minded admirers come and gather around him and genuflect to his greatness.

Islamic Creationist and a Book Sent Round the World  —  In the United States, opposition to the teaching of evolution in public schools has largely been fueled by the religious right, particularly Protestant fundamentalism.  —  Now another voice is entering the debate, in dramatic fashion.

Gen. Pace Declares Iraq 'Sea Change'  —  (RAMADI, Iraq) — In his most optimistic remarks since the U.S. troop buildup began, Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Tuesday that Iraq has undergone a "sea change" in security in recent months, and that this will influence …

Belabor the Point  —  Democrats find one government office they want to cut back.  It's the one that exposes union corruption.  —  The new Democratic Congress has finally found a government agency whose budget It wants to cut: an obscure Labor Department office that monitors the compliance of unions with federal law.

The Salon Interview: Elizabeth Edwards  —  So in January 2009, what's the first thing John Edwards does to make life different for poor people in America?  —  Well, a lot of it is a legislative agenda that needs to pass, but some of it he can do right away.

Women arrested after police standoff  —  Arlington: 2 were investigated after earlier airport incidents  —  stevethompson@dallasnews.com  —  It started with a routine domestic disturbance, except that the pair involved has recently been under investigation by federal terrorism officials.

Novak: Women's 'venom' toward Bush is 'so vicious.'  —  Appearing on Hugh Hewitt's radio show yesterday, conservative pundit Robert Novak claimed that "women, particularly," are making our current political discourse more "vicious":