AL-DURA AND THE "PUBLIC SECRET" OF MIDDLE EAST JOURNALISM  —  The evidence emerging from the ongoing Al Dura trial in France indicates that Western journalists are fully aware that some of the footage they use in their reports on the Mideast conflict is staged, charges Richard Landes.

Norman Mailer, Outspoken Novelist, Dies at 84  —  Norman Mailer, the combative, controversial and often outspoken novelist who loomed over American letters longer and larger than any writer of his generation, died today at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York.  He was 84.

Republicans blame the wrong president for overstretched military  —  Of all of Bush's misstatements from the 2000 presidential election, one of the most obviously-false attacks was on military readiness.  Indeed, then-Gov. Bush blamed Clinton and Gore directly for "hollowing out" the military.

Recession?  What Recession?  —  If it looks like a recession and feels like a recession ...  "Quite frankly," said Senator Charles Schumer, peering over his glasses at the Fed chairman, Ben Bernanke, "I think we are at a moment of economic crisis, stemming from four key areas …

Rice's Management at Issue  —  Critics Cite Blackwater, Baghdad Embassy and Passports  —  Shortly after Condoleezza Rice took charge of the 57,000-person State Department in 2005, she said she relished the challenge of "line responsibility" in leading a large organization.

Play of the Day: McCain's Mom on Mormons  —  MEREDITH, N.H. (AP) - John McCain's 95-year-old mother, in a swipe at her son's rival Mitt Romney, said Friday that Mormons were to blame for the scandal that rocked the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.  —  During an appearance on MSNBC …

Ballistic  —  NUCLEAR....John McCain offered up some criticism of Bernie Kerik yesterday for bailing out on his job training the Iraqi police, and the Giuliani campaign naturally went ballistic in response.  Rich Lowry is perturbed: … But this is just the package you get with Rudy.

Edwards @ John Mellencamp concert  —  It was 7 p.m. on a Friday night in Des Moines and I was driving to meet friends L, M and S at Wells Fargo Arena where I would see one of my favorite bands, Los Lobos, open for John Mellencamp.  The sound of my phone ringing pierced the interior of my car.

Bush urges Congress to OK veterans bill  —  CRAWFORD, Texas - President Bush said Saturday that Congress' Democratic leaders should celebrate Veterans Day by finally passing a spending bill covering programs for veterans.  —  "Congressional leaders let the fiscal year end without passing …

A STORY YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED, AS THE REGULAR PRESS DOESN'T COVER GOOD NEWS MUCH.  —  This post will be up top all day.  New stuff will come in below.  —  The BlogWorld Expo has been fun and useful.  And today's big post was going to be about that.  —  But not now.

Bush and Relatives of Fallen Lean on Each Other  —  Late one night last year, while her husband was an Army scout in Iraq, Melissa Storey sat in the quiet of her bedroom to write President Bush a letter.  She wanted him to know "we believed in him."  And after Staff Sgt. Clint Storey, 30 …