Bill Clinton, on 'Charlie Rose' Show, Suggests Obama Not Ready — And Would Be a 'Miracle' If Hillary Won Iowa  —  NEW YORK In a surprisingly frank interview with Charlie Rose on his PBS show late Friday night, former President Bill Clinton declared that his wife was not only far better prepared …

Huckabee Sees WH 'Bunker Mentality'  —  CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - Mike Huckabee, who has joked about his lack of foreign policy experience, is criticizing the Bush administration's efforts, denouncing a go-it-alone "arrogant bunker mentality" and questioning decisions on Iraq.

The Perils of Huckaplomacy  —  Don't know much about foreign policy.  —  Just moments into the third Republican presidential debate, last June 5, CNN's Wolf Blitzer asked former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee about Iraq.  "Governor Huckabee, do you have confidence in the government of Iraq …

Videotape shows Sharpton cutting a deal  —  With a hidden FBI camera rolling inside a New York hotel suite in 2003, an unsuspecting Rev. Al Sharpton, Democratic candidate for president, spoke candidly.  —  Sharpton offered to help Philadelphia fund-raiser Ronald A. White win …

Congresswoman Julia Carson dies  —  U.S. Rep. Julia Carson died at home this morning following a battle with lung cancer.  She was 69.  —  Carson's death comes just weeks after she announced the cancer, which she had beaten before, was back with "terminal vengeance."

Catching Up With the Complaints  —  Does the ombudsman sometimes procrastinate on complaints?  Sure.  Here are a couple of examples:  —  Several Rush Limbaugh fans complained about an Oct. 20 Style story by Neely Tucker about a dust-up between conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh …

Wider Spying Fuels Aid Plan for Telecom Industry  —  WASHINGTON — For months, the Bush administration has waged a high-profile campaign, including personal lobbying by President Bush and closed-door briefings by top officials, to persuade Congress to pass legislation protecting companies …

IS ROMNEY BECOMING THE CHOICE OF MAINSTREAM CONSERVATIVES?  —  Judge Robert Bork has endorsed Mitt Romney for president.  He explains: … As much as conservatives respect Judge Bork, his endorsement is less significant as guidance for undecided conservatives than as evidence of how undecided …

Obama in the 'Loo responds to Clinton camp  —  During a news conference this morning in Waterloo, Iowa (hence the 'Loo reference in the headline), Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama responded to the recent comments a key Clinton supporter in New Hampshire made about Obama's admitted drug use as a youth.

FDL Book Salon Welcomes Bob Drogin, Author of Curveball  —  Join me in welcoming Bob Drogin to FDL's Book Salon.  As a reminder, please take other off-topic conversations to another thread.  —  My favorite passage from Bob Drogin's Curveball: Spies, Lies, and the Con Man Who Caused …