I've been wanting to post this video since I came across it a few days ago. So forget about the Iowa causcuses for a few minutes and check out the late great Buddy Rich.

Why Bloomberg?

By Joe Conason —

A presidential run by the New York mayor would be a monument to egotism. Even worse, it might prevent the nation from ridding itself of today’s destructive policies.

Stonewalled by the C.I.A.
By THOMAS H. KEAN and LEE H. HAMILTON

What we do know is that government officials decided not to inform the 9/11 commission to investigate one the greatest tragedies to confront America.

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Our investigation was "obstructed"
The bipartisan co-chairmen all but accuse the White House of committing serious felonies in destroying the CIA videos.
by Glenn Greenwald

Matthew Rothschild:William Kristol, Coronated by The Times

Bush’s Twilight Year Looks Grim

Looking At America

New York Times Editorial

Robert Fisk:They Don’t Blame Al-Qa’ida. They Blame Musharraf.

BHUTTO CONSPIRACY THEORIES ABOUND

A Bhutto Successor?

Edwards Radicalizes Anti-Corporate Pitch
by Marc Cooper

Dubuque, Iowa - Amid a heavy snow storm Friday afternoon, an overflow crowd of several hundred supporters bundled into a meeting hall in this economically battered town to hear candidate John Edwards escalate his closing campaign message of opposing "corporate greed" and denounce what he called a "small group of profiteers" dominating American life.

"Everything about America is threatened today...this is an epic struggle for the future of America," Edwards told the cheering crowd. "Corporate greed and the very powerful use their money to control Washington and this corrupting influence is destroying the middle class."

While all of the presidential campaigns have refocused to some degree on foreign policy in the wake of the murder of Pakistani leader Benazir Bhutto, Edwards is keeping his message of economic fairness front and center during the final week of campaigning here. "We will defeat greed and fear - and strike a blow for working people, for those with no voice, for those Washington has ignored too long." Edwards made no mention of the Pakistani crisis in his newly re-tooled stump speech.

While Edwards has consistently campaigned on an economically populist program, his speech today in Dubuque was marked by a noticeable ratcheting up and radicalization of his critique of corporate wealth and power.

"Why on earth would we expect the corporate powers and their lobbyists, who make billions by selling out the middle-class, to just give up their power because we ask them nicely?" Edwards asked. He made no mention of rivals Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton in today's speech; in the past, he has slammed Clinton for being too indebted to powerful Washington lobbies.

Edwards is in the midst of a final 38-county push to win next Thursday's Iowa caucuses. Even his own supporters will concede that taking Iowa is a do-or-die must for a campaign running third in national polls, but in a virtual dead heat in the Hawkeye State with rivals Clinton and Obama.

Nestled on the gritty Illinois border, Dubuque has been hit hard by the collapse in American manufacturing jobs and offers itself as a perfect venue for Edwards' message of economic fairness. The local Flexsteel plant has lost about two-thirds of its 800 jobs over the past decade. Paper maker Georgia Pacific, another big employer in town, has also been hit hard by job exports.

"Iowa has lost twice as many jobs to unfair trade deals than it's won in the so-called technological revolution," Edwards adviser Dave "Mudcat" Saunders told the HuffPost before today's event started. "What kind of revolution is that?" Saunders said Edwards would stay on his message of opposing "unchecked greed" and that it was a theme that resonated deeply throughout the state.

Pakistani Govt Reveals How Benazir Was Killed

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Juan Cole:With Bhutto Gone, Does Bush Have a Plan B?

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Who Killed Benazir Bhutto?

"Musharraf has a lot to answer for"

After Bhutto's death, the press in South Asia and Europe fear for democracy's future in Pakistan, which could go up in "turbulent smoke and bloody dust."

By Edward M. Gomez

PAKISTAN'S BHUTTO KILLED

Suspected suicide bomber struck opposition leader's rally.

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What's Next For Pakistan?
A Former Intelligence official says that the death of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, while tragic, won't necessarily plunge Pakistan into the depths. —By Laura Rozen

Tom Hanks Tells Hollywood Whopper In "Charlie Wilson's War"

It is a given that, in creating a film narrative, sometimes the truth gets a little bent, but it's against the rules to change facts that change the outcome of history.

By Melissa Roddy

Ron Paul: American Civil War Was Unnecessary
By Greg Sargent

This has gotten a bit of attention already, but we wanted to flag it for you. It's Ron Paul in an interview with Tim Russert yesterday asserting that the American Civil War was unnecessary. His take: Other countries ended slavery without a civil war -- why not America? Paul theorizes that the north could have simply bought all the slaves and released them...

Ashton Kutcher's Christmas Video: A Horny, Rudolph-Loving, Script-Pitching Santa

Ashton Kutcher and his production company put together a hilarious video Christmas card featuring Ashton as a drunk, unemployed Santa looking for work in Hollywood, production partner Jason Goldberg as plays Mrs. Claus and striking writer elves.

Even real-life wife Demi Moore shows up as Rudolph, and has inappropriate relations with Santa in the copy room.

TORTURE TAPE FINGERING BUSH AS A WAR CRIMINAL

by Andrew Sullivan

MERRY CHRISTMAS, MR. PRESIDENT...

If you don't know what to get President Bush for Christmas, maybe the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) can help. After 37,000 people joined their grassroots campaign to give Bush the ultimate all-American gift this holiday -- a Constitution that "forbids torture and spying on Americans without a warrant" -- activists went to the White House to deliver the goods. Naturally, they had help from a very special guest. The YouTube clip of the festivities, titled simply "G.W. Bush hates Santa," is the third most watched video of the week in the nonprofits category. CCR, which was founded in 1966 as the legal arm of the civil rights movement, has recently taken Bush administration officials to court for domestic spying, torture and rendition. (Full disclosure: I once worked at CCR, but there were no sleigh field trips back then.)



Posted by Ari Melber

Political Christmas Wishes
Taking a look at some inspiring (political) Christmas wishes.
By Glenn Greenwald

Very Futuramey Xmas