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Latin America: For a relatively small nation, Bolivia has an uncanny way of shaking up a continent, which it did last week with energy nationalization. For democracies like Brazil, it could be a turning point. In his surprise May Day announcement, President Evo Morales "nationalized" Bolivia's natural gas resources — not just by decree, but also by force. His leftist presidency was all of 100 days old as he moved in with a crude, 1960s-style seizure of 56 natural gas fields as well as private gas stations owned by Bolivians. All were taken as if by battle, with troops triumphantly...

It's the end of an Era of Shameless Self-Hype. The Puffed Up Verbose One who uses five melodramatic words when just one would work, Pied Piper Pitt, is leaving DUmmieland. And what was the reason for this sudden departure? Most likely it was the result of recently getting egg on his face for backing up the "integrity" of JASON LEOPOLD. As the Lib of the infamous team of Leopold and Lib, Pitt stuck his neck out backing the journalistic credentials of the factually challenged Leopold who stated that Karl Rove received a target letter from Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald. When...

Jim Lehrer, on his NewsHour program on PBS on Friday night, ridiculed John Kerry for calling for filibuster from "the ski slopes." Click the link above for the entire transcript. Liberal Mark Shields and conservative columnist David Brooks both joined Lehrer for some Kerry bashing. This exchange is making left-wing radicals furious, who are now calling Mark Shields a "Republican stooge" and a "Fox News Democrat." One leftist website had this to say to Mark Shields, long time CNN analyst: "This is the most despicable performance in your long career of pretending to be a Democrat. If you love George...

Howard Dean, the new chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and Senator Hillary Clinton (D.-NY) jointly hold the dubious distinction of being the only major public figures with less credibility than Mahmoud Abbas. Abbas, the recently elected successor to the late Yassir Arafat, alternately advocates peace and brotherhood with Israel, along with its total annihilation, depending on the particular audience he happens to be addressing. Likewise, both Dean and Clinton are on record as being not only the sworn enemies of conservatism, but also its truest of champions. Although they disagree on specific tactics in their respective quests for power,...

THE NEW YORK OBSERVER will report tomorrow: 'Former 60 Minutes Wednesday executive editor Josh Howard has told colleagues that before he resigns, the 23-year CBS News veteran will demand that the network retract remarks by CBS president Leslie Moonves, correct its official story line and ultimately clear his name'... In the event of a lawsuit, Mr. Howard has told associates that he would like to see Moonves put under oath to talk about his own roles in the network's stubborn, hapless defense of the flawed segment on President Bush's National Guard service. Howard has also indicated to colleagues that he...

Minister of Interior and Justice Jesse Chacon: We do not rule out that assassinated Prosecutor was part of an extortion ring. From hero to suspected criminal in less than two months -Minister of Agriculture, Arnoldo Marquez: The British owners of the large estate El Charcote have not been able to demonstrate they own the land. The documents are not guarantee that the land is private property, but that they belong to the Agrarian Institute or the Land Institute. There goes the VP’s promise to the British Government to respect their property. -General Oswaldo Bracho: The Bolivarian Liberation front which backs...

Demos oust members who supported GOP BY JIM VERTUNO Associated Press Writer AUSTIN - The Texas primary election took its toll on state House Democrats who had aligned with the Republican leadership during the bitter partisan fights last year. Seven House Democrats, including longtime maverick lawmaker Rep. Ron Wilson of Houston, were defeated or headed for runoffs. Five had supported GOP-backed legislation and Republican House Speaker Tom Craddick. "I'm tickled pink," said Texas Democratic Party Chairman Charles Soechting. "I don't describe it as a purge. I describe it as a realignment of priorities." Wilson was the biggest name to fall....

Dark horse Democratic Presidential contender Howard Dean opened fire Thursday on one of his rivals for the 2004 nomination, Mass. US Senator John Kerry, for voting to authorize President Bush to us military force against Iraq.Dean questioned Kerry's vote to give Bush what he called 'blank check to go to war.'Dean jibes came in response to a foreign policy address by Kerry at Georgetwon University in Washington in which the Mass. Senator urged Bush to use caution before resorting to force against Iraq.