Video: Clinton takes on Russert, says letter was no cover-up  —  "Breathtakingly" misleading.  That's what former president Bill Clinton called a question Tim Russert asked his wife at this week's Democratic presidential candidates' debate.  And boy was he mad.

Pakistan's Musharraf declares emergency  —  ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - President Gen. Pervez Musharraf declared a state of emergency in Pakistan on Saturday ahead of a crucial Supreme Court decision on whether to overturn his recent election win and amid rising Islamic militant violence.

Bush Administration Blocked Waterboarding Critic  —  Former DOJ Official Tested the Method Himself, in Effort to Form Torture Policy  —  A senior Justice Department official, charged with reworking the administration's legal position on torture in 2004 became so concerned …

Dean on Mukasey  —  Friend of TPM and former Nixon White House Counsel John Dean knows a few things about lawless presidents.  He just sent us his thoughts on the now certain confirmation of Judge Mukasey ...

The Long Run: Loyal to Kerik, Giuliani Missed Warning Signs  —  LOYAL TO KERIK, GIULIANI MISSED WARNING SIGNS  —  New evidence suggests Rudolph W. Giuliani overlooked disturbing information as he supported Bernard B. Kerik.

The Petraeus Curve  —  Serious success in Iraq is not being recognised as it should be  —  Is no news good news or bad news?  In Iraq, it seems good news is deemed no news.  There has been striking success in the past few months in the attempt to improve security, defeat al-Qaeda sympathisers …

Kucinich Will Introduce Privileged Resolution To Force Up Or Down Vote On Cheney Impeachment  —  Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) announced today that he will be offering a privileged resolution on the House floor next week that will bring articles of impeachment against the Vice President, Richard B. Cheney.

The Toughest, Most Effective Web Ad I've Seen This Campaign So Far  —  It's very rare that I find myself in total agreement with Markos Moulitsas, creator of Daily Kos.  But he calls John Edwards' response to Hillary Clinton's "pile-on" video "devastating," and I have to agree.

It's official: Putin has just stopped pretending  —  It's safe to say that no one really expects this December's Russian elections to be a fair contest.  All the same, the Kremlin's decision to cut the number of international observers invited by two thirds is a particularly brazen demonstration …

My Favorite Menace  —  The Law of the Sea Treaty has become a hot-button item in the Republican presidential race.  —  Say what?  —  "One of the defining issues of our time," declared Mike Huckabee, who is leading an anti-treaty charge.  —  People, what do you think of when you hear "defining issues of our time?"

Hot Air audio: University of Delaware professor speaks out; Update: Transcript added  —  Earlier today I interviewed Dr. Linda Gottfredson of the University of Delaware.  She and a colleague, Dr. Jan Blits, led the way in exposing and ultimately stopping the university's insidious indoctrination of students via on-campus housing.

Sugar Industry Expands Influence  —  When U.S. sugar farmers needed help this summer defending a $1 billion, 10-year subsidy plan in a new House farm bill, they found it in some surprising places.  —  Among the 282 lawmakers siding with Midwest and Gulf Coast growers on a key vote …

The Issue the Democrats Dread  —  More significant than Hillary Clinton's supposed gaffe at the end of Tuesday's Democratic presidential debate is the subject around which she tiptoed so delicately: immigration.  Democrats fear the issue because it could leave them with a set of no-win political choices.