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On the October 13 CNN "Newsroom" program, European political editor Robin Oakley pontificated to Sens. McCain and Obama on how the U.S. can be more liked by people in Europe: "While we're on the symbolism, let me remind you how many Europeans see U.S. voters -- as a trigger-happy bunch with a Bible in one hand and a rifle in the other.... Does either of you senators have any serious plans to reduce the number of guns available in the U.S. or even dare to suggest it? That really would impress the Europeans, that you stand for change."

Rush Rides In A Smart Car

Back at the height of her surreal U.S. Senate campaign, we were thrilled at Katherine Harris' talk about writing a juicy tell-all book. Just think of all the wonderfully unpleasant things she might have to say about the Bushes, the Democrats, the reporters and the campaign professionals she was sure to cast as her persecutors. Alas, the former Republican congresswoman's book never appeared (kinda like the $10-million of her own money she promised to spend on her campaign against Bill Nelson). But fans of political gossip may get a consolation prize: a juicy tell-all book by her former campaign manager,...

The racial dimension of Barack Obama's electability problem is now apparent, but no prominent Democrat dares discuss it openly. Similarly expect no discussion of the subject in the major media. The white working class vote I am not referring to the ongoing and intense discussion of The Reverend Jeremiah Wright. Wright is a separate problem for Obama. Whether Obama has been, or will be, permanently weakened by his long and close association with Wright, or has soared above it with his Philadelphia speech, is not the subject of these thoughts. Something much simpler than the answer to that question has...

When State Department Legal Adviser John B. Bellinger III gave a controversial June 6 speech on the subject of "The United States and International Law," he mentioned that the Bush Administration had "put forward a priority list of over 35 treaty packages that we have urged the Senate to approve soon, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea." The latter is now up for Senate ratification, with a vote scheduled on Wednesday, and one of its many controversial provisions is the regulation of land-based sources of pollution. This treaty covers the water and the land. But now...

On Sunday, Bob Mette and his son, Mike, 30, will go to the game at Soldier Field to watch the Bears play the Lions. On Monday, Bob will drive Mike to Iowa, to prison. Mike Mette, until recently a Chicago police officer, is scheduled to begin serving a 5-year prison sentence. His crime? According to the judge's ruling, Mike threw one punch at an angry drunk who chased Mike down the street and attacked him verbally, physically, repeatedly. The drunk is fine now, golfing, having attended college in Dubuque. The last time I checked he was adding to his resume...

"20/20” co-anchor John Stossel is going on the attack against “experts” who warn about manmade global warming – along the way berating Al Gore for saying the debate over climate change is over. In a release from ABC previewing Stossel’s report on Friday’s “20/20,” the veteran newsman and Newsmax pundit – who won 19 Emmys exposing scammers and con artists – says: “This week on ‘20/20’ (in our new 8 p.m. Eastern time slot) I say ‘Give Me a Break!’ to our Nobel Prize-winning Vice President. “Mr. Gore says ‘The debate is over,’ and those who disagree with his take...

Whatever Hollywood says a presidential candidate is supposed to look like, Ron Paul isn't it. At 72, wearing mall-walking shoes and an inquisitive smile, he looks like a retired obstetrician, which he is. His platform is hardly from central casting, either. He not only wants U.S. troops home from Iraq, he wants them home from the rest of the planet. He wants to abolish an alphabet of federal agencies and the income tax, dismantle the Patriot Act, reconnect the dollar to the price of gold, decriminalize prostitution and call an end to the drug war. Seated in the House Speaker's...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush warned on Wednesday a nuclear-armed Iran could lead to World War III as he tried to shore up international opposition to Tehran amid Russian skepticism over its nuclear ambitions. Bush was speaking a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has resisted Western pressure to toughen his stance over Iran's nuclear program, made clear on a visit to Tehran that Russia would not accept any military action against Iran. At a White House news conference, Bush expressed hope Putin would brief him on his talks in Tehran and said he would ask...

Obesity is more dangerous than smoking and will dramatically shorten the lives of millions, a landmark study has found. While smoking reduces life by an average of ten years, the research says being seriously overweight can cut life expectancy by as much as 13 years. The Foresight report, written by 250 leading scientists, says Britain's obesity crisis is so severe that it would take at least 30 years to reverse. If current trends continue, by 2050 about 60 per cent of men, 50 per cent of women and 25 per cent of children in the UK will be clinically obese...

Panic has begun to sweep the sub-prime mortgage sector in the United States after the bankruptcy of 22 lenders over the past two months, setting off mass liquidation of housing loans packaged as securities... ...The rapid deterioration could not come at a worse time for British bank HSBC, which has set aside $10.5bn (£5.4bn) to cover bad loans in the US... ...The cost of insuring against default on these loans has rocketed in recent weeks, from 50 basis points over Libor to 1,200, raising fears that a credit crunch could spread to the rest of the property market. Low-grade BBB-rated...

The latest Keystone Poll finds incumbent Republican Congressman Jim Gerlach locked in a tight battle for re-election with challenger Democrat Lois Murphy. The poll of 431-registered voters conducted by the Center for Opinion Research at Franklin & Marshall College finds Gerlach with a 45-to-38 percent edge. When narrowed to likely voters, Gerlach's advantage is down to 44-to-41 percent. Gerlach scored a two point win over Murphy in 2004. Poll respondents list the war in Iraq, the war on terror and healthcare as the top issues. The sixth district covers portions of Berks, Montgomery and Chester counties.

Federal health officials are examining rare reports of blindness among some men using the impotence drug Viagra. The Food and Drug Administration still is investigating, but has no evidence yet that the drug is to blame. (AP/Toby Talbot) WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. health officials are examining rare reports of blindness among some men using the impotence drugs Viagra and Cialis, a disclosure that comes at a time when the drug industry can ill afford negative publicity about another class of blockbuster medicines. The Food and Drug Administration still is investigating, but has no evidence yet that the drugs are to...

WASHINGTON — With a speech that focused on providing contraceptives to poor women but added a notable tip of the hat to abstinence education, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (search) recently drew a gale of speculation — positive and negative — over whether she is anticipating a 2008 presidential run. "She is one of many people after the election trying to build a broader audience — reaching across differences," said Marie Wilson, president of the White House Project (search), a non-profit advocacy group promoting more women leaders. "As a party leader, that's her job. Will it make her more interesting as...

This is a question for those that know. Do the security agencies have a way to monitor private replys on this and other forums on the internet? If not, we may have a security breach that has not been addressed.

<p>The U.S. short-track speedskating team pulled out of next week's World Cup event in South Korea on Friday after team member Apolo Anton Ohno received death threats via e-mail. "There was substantial security concerns surrounding Apolo and the majority of the other athletes did not feel safe in competing at the event," U.S. Speedskating executive director Katie Marquard said Friday. Ohno won two medals at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games, including a disputed gold over South Korea's Kim Dong-sung. Kim won the race, but Ohno was declared the winner when the referee ruled that Kim had used an illegal block to stay in front. The Korean Skating Federation proposed a security plan after learning of the threats, but Ohno said he would only make the trip if those making the threats were caught. The event is scheduled for Nov. 28-30. "It has become obvious to myself and those that I trust, that my security cannot be guaranteed," Ohno said in a statement. "It is unfortunate that a few people feel the need to make death threats against me. I am an athlete, not a politician." It was unclear how many threats Ohno had received or how long he had been getting them. Ohno gained international fame at the Salt Lake Games with his fuzzy soul patch, flowing mane of hair and aggressive style. Short-track speedskating was one of the more popular events at the games and Ohno became the face of his sport. He won gold in the 1,500 meters, but became known more for his gutsy silver in the 1,000 meters. Ohno was leading that race when a crash sent him and four other skaters into the wall on the final turn. Despite a gash in his thigh that would require six stitches, Ohno crawled across the line to finish second. Ohno has eight golds, five silvers and two bronzes in the 2002-03 World Cup season. He was disqualified in the 3,000-meter finals at a World Cup event in Michigan on Oct. 26. The eight-man U.S. team will compete next at a World Cup event Dec. 5-7 in Beijing.</p>

A huge increase in Afghan opium production has raised fears of a new influx of heroin into European cities. Latest estimates suggest that poppy cultivation has increased by up to 1,400% since the removal of the Taleban regime at the end of last year. A warning of the renewed threat will be delivered to an international conference on drugs in Paris on Thursday. The message to the conference, organised by the British charity Drugscope, will be that international efforts to clamp down on the main source of Europe's heroin are failing. "The expected large rise in Afghan opium production is...

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