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Are the American people ready for an elected president who was educated in a Madrassa as a young boy and has not been forthcoming about his Muslim heritage? This is the question Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s camp is asking about Sen. Barack Obama. An investigation of Mr. Obama by political opponents within the Democratic Party has discovered that Mr. Obama was raised as a Muslim by his stepfather in Indonesia. Sources close to the background check, which has not yet been released, said Mr. Obama, 45, spent at least four years in a so-called Madrassa, or Muslim seminary, in Indonesia.

WASHINGTON - Sen. Barack Obama acknowledged Sunday he was considering a run for president in 2008, backing off previous statements that he would not do so. The Illinois Democrat said he could no longer stand by the statements he made after his 2004 election and earlier this year that he would serve a full six-year term in Congress. He said he would not make a decision until after the Nov. 7 elections. "That was how I was thinking at that time," said Obama, when asked on NBC's "Meet the Press" about his previous statements. "Given the response I've been getting...

THE 'BORED,' BEFUDDLED POLITICS OF JOHN KERRY RETURNSCALLS FOR ALITO FILIBUSTER FROM 'SKI SLOPES' POURQUOI JOHN KERRY EST DANGEREUX POUR L'AMÉRIQUE   by Mia T, 01.28.06 JIM LEHRER: To the analysis of Shields and Brooks, syndicated columnist Mark Shields, New York Times columnist David Brooks. Mark, how do you read the John Kerry sudden push for a filibuster, what is that about? MARK SHIELDS: Well, I think there an unfortunate call for it, the venue is not ideal -- JIM LEHRER: The ski slopes. MARK SHIELDS: Yeah, the Swiss connection.... Windsurfing in the Persian GulfPOURQUOI JOHN KERRY EST DANGEREUX...

A South Korean man collapsed and died from exhaustion after playing computer games for 10 days without a proper rest, police said Friday. The 38-year-old man collapsed Thursday as he was playing an on-line game at an Internet cafe in Incheon, west of Seoul. "He was carried to a nearby hospital but declared dead on arrival," said a police officer. The officer said the man had played computer games from morning to night every day and had barely stopped to sleep. In August, a 28-year-old man died in southeastern Taegu city after playing an online computer game for more than...

Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Sunday that the federal government's handling of Hurricane Katrina has been "inadequate," and said more aid, including police officers and firefighters, was en route to Louisiana. The Republican mayor, who usually treads carefully when it comes to commenting on the Bush administration, told reporters that the president himself was aware of the government's failings. "It would appear, and I think the president acknowledged, that the federal government's response has been inadequate," Bloomberg told reporters at City Hall. Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said 150 police officers, plus support vehicles, were to leave for the region Monday, in...

Washington- Senate Judiciary Committee member Mike DeWine, who was mentioned by Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid on Tuesday as a potential Supreme Court pick, doesn't anticipate being nominated. "I'm on the short list, just the wrong short list," he joked. DeWine, an Ohio Republican, compared the intense public kibitzing over Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's successor to "watching the speculation for the next pope." Because O'Connor was a swing vote in many cases, DeWine said, whoever fills her slot could shape the court for years to come. He said he plans to scrutinize case decisions and writings of whomever Bush selects...

Apparently Senator Edwards had a close brush with the truth some months back, though like the proverbial "broken clock" that shows the correct time twice each day, he didn't linger for long on the cusps of reality. According to Edwards, we live in a split society, which he described as the "two Americas." Edwards attempted to portray this nation as being divided between the "haves" and the "have nots," by which he delineated between those who are financially well-off, as opposed to others who struggle to make ends meet. However, another far more insidious divide exists across the nation, as...

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Greeted by an enthusiastic crowd, John Edwards kicked off a farewell tour as U.S. senator Monday but left little doubt he wasn't saying goodbye to politics. "One thing you can count on is that this fight is not over," the former vice presidential candidate told supporters. The visit to western North Carolina's largest city was the first of six stops Edwards plans across the state over three days. "It's just good to be home," Edwards said after arriving more than an hour late for the rally. "My blood pressure goes down when I cross the line...

Please add any facts that demonstrate that Edwards has become baggage for Kerry. 1. He campaigned WITH Kerry last night even though the campaign needs the two to split up for greater coverage in the last few days before the election. 2. His wife's extremely STUPID comments about the Cheney's yesterday. 3. In the VP Debate, Edwards was decimated. No one is now interested in him....not even Kerry. 4. His whiney voice and "johnny one-note message" is simply not a draw. 5. He lack of experience and longevity gives him zero base around the country...not even in his own state....

After-debate discussion here!

Boston, Mass. — Everyone is congratulating John Edwards for his "hawkish" speech, and saying how wonderful it was that he declared to al Qaeda, "We will destroy you." Fine. I suppose I should be grateful. But isn't this setting the bar awfully low? I mean, al Qaeda has vowed a war of destruction against America. They've already killed 3,000 of us. And John Edwards — Democrat though he is — vows, "We will destroy you." Whoop-de-doo. I mean, isn't this the least that can be expected of those who ask for power in America (al Qaeda's target)? But Democrats have...

Edwards is getting skewered for his almost grinning taunt to AlQaeda ... Howard Fineman notes if that's the best the Dems have got then the US will decide "we need Dick Cheney". Andrea Mitchell notes that it's impossible for Edwards to say anything and come across seriously because he's so young and Scarborough cracks a joke about how AlQaeda cannot take "the Breck Girl" seriously. Meanwhile on CNN lib gal laments Edwards came across as a slick "game show host" and "Jr." by any comparison.

At the intro of his show, Sean alluded to a newsbreaking announcement regarding Teresa Heinz-Kerry due to break at the start of Hannity & Colmes tonight...Anyone have any clue as to the substance of the announcement? I couldn't tell by his tone if it is huge anti or pro-Teresa type news....

Time to make a fool of myself. On June 4, I posted my prediction for the Presidential election on my office wall. I have President Bush carrying 36 states and winning 348 electoral votes. It sounds kind of crazy, and I’ve felt rather lonely with it for about a month. But after more reading I see that I’m not the only person on Earth who doesn’t think it will be close. Number-crunching economists such as Ray Fair and Nigel Gault agree with me. Their econometric models are predicting Bush will take 56% to 58% of the two-party vote. As of...

WASHINGTON - A feisty President Bush yesterday took a broad swipe at Democratic vice presidential pick John Edwards - branding him as a lightweight lacking enough experience to step into the Oval Office. Bush's jab was in response to a reporter's question about how Edwards, a freshman senator with a dynamic stump style, compared to his own running mate, Vice President Dick Cheney, who has decades of Washington experience but little flash. ``Dick Cheney can be president,'' Bush snapped. ``Next.'' The president's sharp words, coming just one day after Kerry announced his running mate with a burst of favorable news...

Wednesday, July 7, 2004 John Edwards: Sen. Lightweight Posted: July 7, 20041:00 a.m. Eastern By Hugh Hewitt © 2004 WorldNetDaily.com So it is John Edwards, Sen. Lightweight. Kerry's slippage in the polls dictated that he pick someone with flash and energy, but this choice won't wear well because the country knows it is wartime, and it knows that John Edwards is no more prepared to run a war than he is to run a small state or a large corporation. He spent four years in the Senate positioning himself to run for president and two years running. That's it. Aside from...

So it is John Edwards, Senator Lightweight. Kerry's slippage in the polls dictated that he pick someone with flash and energy, but this choice won't wear well because the country knows it is wartime, and it knows that John Edwards is no more prepared to run a war than he is to run a small state or a large corporation. He spent four years in the Senate positioning himself to run for president and two years running. That's it. Aside from a talent for persuading juries to award money to injure people, John Edwards brings nothing to the debate except...

I received the installation CD today for Microsoft Office Powerpoint 2003. Of course, it comes with no written instructions, and I'm rather stumped as to how to proceed further. Example; I try and import a 'folder' with several pics and I get either none, or just one - during my little test runs. Any tips from fellow FReepers?...My goal is to be able to take a series of digital pics and snaz them up a bit, and look like a wizard. I'm failing tonight in the wizard department! It appears I've installed correctly, but now I'm stalled.

Feminists should welcome the entry of John Edwards, our first official hunk, into the presidential race. This holds the promise, at long last, of a gender equity of sorts. Imagine the first news reports coming out of an Edwards White House. "President Edwards, wearing a blue Armani suit and red Garcia tie, unveiled a new hairstyle today." Women have complained that such superfluous items as dress and appearance have long been staples when reporting on women politicians. There was a time when Hillary Clinton's new hairdo elicited more reaction than her work on that infamous health care plan. And please...

MORE EXPLORE FEATURES Lost in Space Problems with the space shuttle and the International Space Station have knocked NASA off its moorings By Mark Alpert Image: NASAALBATROSS? The International Space Station. Critics of human spaceflight have a saying: "If God had wanted people to go into space, He would’ve given them more money." This reworked adage has never seemed more appropriate than during the recent battles in Washington, D.C., over the future of the space shuttle and the International Space Station (ISS). Both programs are facing severe cutbacks as NASA’s new administrator, Sean O’Keefe, tries to bring order to...