NEWS -- Republicans blast 'bait and switch' health bill

WASHINGTON (AP)-- Digging in for a long struggle, Republican senators and governors assailed the Democrats' newly minted health care legislation Thursday as a collection of tax increases, Medicare cuts and heavy new burdens for deficit-ridden states. [Links] [Related]

NEWS -- What's in the health bill for Sen. Mary Landrieu?

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has included at least $100 million in Medicaid funds for Louisiana in his health care bill at the same time he is trying to persuade that state's wavering Democratic senator to cast a pivotal vote for the overhaul legislation. [Links] [Related]

NEWS -- Army fears anti-Obama politics at Palin event

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- The U.S. Army plans to prevent media from covering Sarah Palin's appearance at Fort Bragg, fearing the event will turn into political grandstanding against President Barack Obama, officials said Thursday. [Links] [Related]

NEWS -- GOP governors push for 2010 party rebirth

CEDAR CREEK, Texas (AP) -- Thrilled with twin victories this month, Republican governors are looking to lead a party-wide resurgence in 2010 and shape the GOP for years to come. [Links] [Related]

NEWS -- White House at odds with bishops over abortion

WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House is on a collision course with Catholic bishops in an intractable dispute over abortion that could blow up the fragile political coalition behind President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. [Links] [Related]

NEWS -- AP Exclusive: Muslim countries seek international blasphemy ban

GENEVA (AP) -- Four years after cartoons of the prophet Muhammad set off violent protests across the Muslim world, Islamic nations are mounting a campaign for an international treaty to protect religious symbols and beliefs from mockery -- essentially a ban on blasphemy that would put them on a collision course with free speech laws in the West. [Links] [Related]

NEWS -- Gates says Afghan surge could happen swiftly

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Defense Secretary Robert Gates said any new U.S. forces President Barack Obama sends to Afghanistan could move into the country swiftly, despite logistical hassles that force almost all major deliveries of troops and supplies to go by air. [Links] [Related]

NEWS -- Pentagon looking for Fort Hood management lapses

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Pentagon said Thursday it will scour its procedures for identifying volatile soldiers hidden in the ranks following the Fort Hood shooting rampage and lapses that might allow others to slip through bureaucratic cracks. [Links] [Related]

NEWS -- House moves to protect doctors from Medicare cuts

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The House has voted to add more than $200 billion to the deficit in order to spare doctors from a big reduction in Medicare payments. [Links] [Related]

NEWS -- Sources: Giuliani leaning toward run for US Senate

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who many Republicans have been pushing to run for governor in 2010, is instead leaning more toward a run for U.S. Senate, according to two party advisers. [Links] [Related]

NEWS -- Protesters gather at UCLA to oppose UC fee hike

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Hundreds of protesters chanted, marched and took over a building Thursday on the UCLA campus, where University of California regents were scheduled to vote on a 32 percent student fee increase. [Links] [Related]

NEWS -- 200 Web sites spread al-Qaida's message in English

RIYADH,Saudi Arabia (AP) -- Increasing numbers of English-language Web sites are spreading al-Qaida's message to Muslims in the West. [Links] [Related]

COMMENTARY -- When Big Labor Bullies And Volunteers Collide

By Michelle Malkin -- The Boy Scouts' motto is: Be prepared. Who knew it meant preparing to defend themselves against purple-shirted union thuggery over community service? Kids, pay attention. This is a teachable moment for all of you on power, politics and Big Labor's culture of corruption. [Links] [Related]

COMMENTARY -- What Could Go Wrong In NY Terror Trial?

By Linda Chavez -- If there was ever a more irresponsible decision by a U.S. attorney general than Eric Holder's decision to try the mastermind of the 9/11 terrorist attack and four others as common criminals in a civilian court in New York City, I can't recall it. He is gambling with the nation's security and providing a platform that will give aid and comfort to the enemy at a time of war. And he is doing so with no discernible benefit, least of all to showcase the strength of our judicial system. [Links] [Related]

COMMENTARY -- Suicide Pact

By Oliver North -- This week, while "the most traveled president in history" was on his latest foreign adventure and bowing to Japanese Emperor Akihito, the rest of the O-Team was busy kowtowing to political correctness. The headlines tell the story: [Links] [Related]

COMMENTARY -- Sally Quinn On Sarah Palin -- Versus Reality

By David Limbaugh -- It seems the mainstream media's favorite pastime is to ridicule Sarah Palin. Of all the screeds I've read, I don't think any are snarkier than The Washington Post's Sally Quinn's "On Faith" blog post "Sarah Palin's 'rogue' Christianity." [Links] [Related]

COMMENTARY -- Stimulus Equals Deception

By Michael Reagan -- It seems the president has a new trick up his sleeve to convince us his bloated "stimulus" packages are solving our economic woes: deception. ABC News called out the Obama administration the other day when, on the official Recovery.gov Web site, the administration reported "jobs added" in Congressional districts which didn't even exist. [Links] [Related]