From the Sunday Times Online (UK): President Bush is considering a "double down" strategy in Iraq.

Having ruled out a “graceful exit”, Bush is tempted by the one option that presents the slightest chance of success: a sustained surge of up to 40,000 US forces into Baghdad and the Sunni stronghold of Anbar province.

He believes a sharp boost in troop numbers could salvage his reputation as a resolute war leader while presenting a satisfying break with the “cut and walk” proposal to reduce combat troops by early 2008 that came from the bipartisan Iraq Study Group, co-chaired by James Baker, his father’s secretary of state. This independent report is already gathering dust.

What a travesty. Our sinking leader cares more about salvaging his legacy than the lives of American troops.

I love it when Republicans bash Rudy. Now, he's accused of making a "rookie mistake" by scheduling a major fundraising event in the days before Christmas.

As one Republican strategist says:

"He's viewed as erratic, mercurial," said Republican strategist Nelson Warfield. "His history is not one that inspires confidence that he can make a decision and go forward with it."

Doctors are now weighing in on the botched Florida execution of Angel Nieves Diaz (background here and here.)

They believe he died a slow, agonizing death, which one equates to torture.

``It really sounds like he was tortured to death,'' said Jonathan Groner, associate professor of surgery at the Ohio State Medical School, who has written several articles on lethal injection. ``My impression is that it would cause an extreme amount of pain.''

7 Guantanamo detainees have been returned to Afghanistan and freed.

The AP has conducted an investigation into what happens when these "vicious killers" -- many of whom turned out to be harmless farmers kidnapped and sold to Americans -- are returned.

Through interviews with justice and police officials, detainees and their families, and using reports from human rights groups and local media, The Associated Press was able to track 245 of those formerly held at Guantanamo.

The findings are very interesting. I hope you'll follow the link and read them.

I received this by e-mail, I don't know if it's real or satire, but it gets funnier as it goes along.

Date: Fri, 15 Dec 2006 09:49:07 -0800
Subject: FW: Party Announcement

RE: Christmas Party

It's down to the wire. DNC Chair Howard Dean will decide really soon, probably this coming week, whether the 2008 Democratic National Convention will be held in Denver or New York City.

I really hope Denver is chosen. We are up to the challenge, we can raise the money and we have the infrastructure.

The Rocky Mountain West is the old South in terms of importance in 2008, particularly Colorado and New Mexico.

It would be great to host bloggers here in Denver. There's a lot to do, it's young and vibrant, not too expensive and easy to get around.

We also have a very active progressive blog community. Check out ProgressNow Action, Colorado Confidential, Square State and Colorado Media Matters. We're ready.

Where do you think the convention should be held?

John Edwards is going to announce his 2008 Presidential bid.

Edwards, who represented North Carolina in the Senate for six years, plans to make the campaign announcement late this month from the New Orleans neighborhood hit hardest by Hurricane Katrina last year and slow to recover from the storm.

I'm glad. He has good ideas that need to be heard. I think it's time to expand the talk beyond Hillary and Obama. The more choices the better.

Indiana Senator Evan Bayh today announced he will not run for President in 2008 because he can't win.

"At the end of the day, I concluded that due to circumstances beyond our control the odds were longer than I felt I could responsibly pursue," Bayh said in a statement. "This path - and these long odds - would have required me to be essentially absent from the Senate for the next year instead of working to help the people of my state and the nation."

Translation: Between Hillary and Obama, there's no room for me.

Here's Laura Bush on why Condoleezza Rice won't run for President:

Mrs. Bush referenced Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and noted that while she would be a "really good candidate", Rice is not interested in the job.

"Probably because she is single, her parents are no longer living, she's an only child. You need a very supportive family and supportive friends to have this job," the First Lady said.

[via Jessica at Feministing.]

A huge thank you to all who voted for Best of the Top 250 Blogs Results will be final Monday, but these are the votes as of the time voting ended:

Talk Left 25.15 (3495)
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Bump and Update: Voting has ended. Thanks to each and every one of you who voted. The official results will be announced by Monday. I think that when voting ended, TalkLeft was in first place. We'll know soon.

Now back to regular blogging.

Bump and Update: We've pulled into first place, but just by a nod. Your vote is still needed. And thanks to all of you.

Crooks and Liars has the video of Matt Damon's comments on Hardball...

Damon: I don't think that it's fair as I said before, that it seems like we have a fighting class in our country. That's comprised of people who have to go for either financial reasons or , I don;t think that that is fair. And if you're gonna send people to war, ahh, if, if we all get together and decide we need to go to war then that needs to be shared by everybody. You know and if the President has daughters who are of age then maybe they should go too…