Bush: 'I Am Relevant'  —  A defensive President Bush insisted that he was still relevant this morning in a news conference dominated by his bitter complaints about the Democratic Congress.  —  Asked how he found himself vetoing a children's health insurance bill that had passed Congress …

Both Parties Have Strengths in "SCHIP" Debate  —  Democrats generally preferred, but Bush's counterarguments have support  —  PRINCETON, NJ — The Beltway debate over a bill reauthorizing federal funding for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) is moving beyond the attempt …

Posted by: Lallye of she changes movement's why!  8:19am today  —  As soon as the page opened, I immediately and definitely saw clockwise, even before I saw the question.  I tried for several minutes to see anit-clockwise.  Could almost catch a glimpse by looking to the right or left …

Mukasey Calls Torture 'Antithetical' to American Way  —  That was, um, unexpected.  Not only did Michael Mukasey repudiate the so-called 2002 "torture memo" signed by Office of Legal Counsel chief Jay Bybee — which appears to have survived in spirit, if not in letter — but he compared U.S. torture to the Holocaust.

Stephen Colbert: I am running for president  —  NEW YORK (AP) — Stephen Colbert has announced his candidacy for president on "The Colbert Report," tossing his satirical hat into the ring of an already crowded race.  —  "I shall seek the office of the president of the United States," …

Morgan Stanley Sells Entire New York Times Stake  —  Oct. 17 (Bloomberg) — Morgan Stanley, the second-biggest shareholder in New York Times Co., sold its entire stake today, according to a person briefed on the transaction, sending the stock to its lowest in more than 10 years.

House Democrats Shut Down Debate to Preserve Terrorist Loophole  —  Not many people are familiar with the House Rules Committee, or why it has so much power to determine what legislation passes the House.  Simply put, the Committee sets the terms for debate of all significant legislation …

Imagine If A Democrat Had Done This, Part 9,487  —  Here's a question: When are the cable nets and the Capitol Hill press and the pundits going to dig into the role that GOP Senate leader Mitch McConnell played in pushing the smear of the Frost family?  —  It needs to be said that reporters …

Rudy's Doin' It!  —  Battle Stations!  Shocked Cacophony Among New York Democrats That Rudy They Know May Actually Become Republican Candidate; 'Romney Is Entitled to Three Wives,' Says Charlie Rangel  —  EDITION OF THE NEW YORK OBSERVER.  —  Philip Burke  —  Rudy-lot!

Birth-Control Foe To Run Office on Family Planning  —  The Bush administration again has appointed a chief of family planning programs at the Department of Health and Human Services who has been critical of contraception.  —  Susan Orr, most recently an associate commissioner in the Administration …

Law Firm's Gifts Bring Questions After Guilty Pleas  —  Over the years, as it became Exhibit A for critics of shareholders' class-action lawsuits, the law firm of Milberg Weiss often enjoyed the support of Democrats who called the suits an invaluable weapon in the universal conflict between big business and the little guy.

Packaging 9/11, Terror and the War in Iraq  —  The language used to talk about the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the language used to take the nation to war in Iraq have been so interlaced that polls show they are inextricably linked in the minds of a substantial number of voters.

Syrian Official Says Israeli Airstrike Hit Nuke Facility  —  DAMASCUS, Syria — A high-ranking Syrian official confirmed that Israel's airstrike last month in northern Syria hit a nuclear facility, according to a document obtained Wednesday by FOX News.  —  "Israel was the fourth-largest exporter …

Republican to Democrats: Watch Out  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — What does a special election in Massachusetts have to do with next year's battle for Congress?  —  A lot, Republicans hope.  The Democrat beat the Republican in Tuesday's contest, but the GOP sees victory in defeat.

Republican Iowa Caucus  —  Iowa: Romney 25% Thompson 19% Huckabee 18%  —  The first Rasmussen Reports poll of the Iowa Republican Caucus for 2008 finds former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney enjoying a six-point lead while former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee …

Patrick will endorse Obama, officials say  —  Obama lent Patrick a helping hand in last year's governor's race.  —  Governor Deval Patrick is throwing his support to Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, an endorsement that will give the Illinois senator a much needed boost …