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Discusses the history of televised presidential debates in the United States as George W. Bush and John Kerry take the spotlight. Famous debate between Walter Mondale and President Ronald Reagan in 1984, which Mondale still remembers; Fact that having a good performance one year does not guarantee a good performance four years later, which is what the Bush campaign is nervous about as he and Kerry face off in Florida on Thursday; Fact that Kerry has to reach people during the debates so that at the end voters have a better sense of who he is; Largest and smallest televised debates in the history of the United States; Kerry's strength as a debater.

Profiles the bold and controversial approach of President George W. Bush in his invasion of Iraq and the global war on terrorism. Response characterized by the most aggressive option rather than the path of least resistance; Adoption of a doctrine of pre-emptive war; Controversy over the administration's decision to deprive many foreign detainees of any access to U.S. courts because of the national security threat posed by them; Criticism of a reckless presidency; Surveys showing that Bush's approval rating has dropped.

This article presents a collection of news briefs regarding American politics. Christian fundamentalists are leaning towards presidential candidate Mike Huckabee of Arkansas over Mitt Romney. Rep. Bennie Thompson, chairman of the House Homeland Security committee, personally responds to emails from airport screeners reporting security issues.

This article discusses news in the U.S. during February of 2007. A terror scare in Boston, Massachusetts turned out to actually be a poorly-planned advertising campaign for the television program "Aqua Teen Hunger Force." The U.S. Interior Department has made plans to remove wolves from the endangered species list. Miami, Florida officials have made plans to host a party in the Orange Bowl when Cuban dictator Fidel Castro dies.

The article presents news briefs from around the United States for the week of January 29, 2007. Freezing temperatures around Fresno, California, have destroyed almost 70 percent of the state's citrus crop. Law enforcement experts believe that fear may have prevented 15-year-old Shawn Hornbeck from escaping from abductor Michael Devlin. State lawmakers in Texas and Wisconsin are debating the origin of the hamburger, as restaurants in both states have claimed the food as their own creation.

The article presents news briefs on the U. S. Two lacrosse players from Duke University charged with rape in April 2006 were let back into school when the charges were dropped. Louisiana is sinking and sliding into the Gulf of Mexico at a rate of one inch a year. New information has been uncovered about the shooting death of Denver Broncos defensive back Darrent Williams.

Several news briefs about politicians in the United States are presented. Former House majority leader Tom DeLay has unveiled a website, tomdelay.com, where he'll blog. Former President George Bush shed tears as he paid tribute to his son Jeb, the outgoing governor of Florida. It is reported that elderly Representative John Dingell got an iPod nano.

The article presents news briefs on U. S. news. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has apologized to Brandon Mayfield, a lawyer wrongfully arrested and held for two weeks on incorrect fingerprint matches in connection with the 2004 Madrid (Spain) bombings. Questions are being raised of police brutality after officers in New York City killed a man on the eve of his wedding and Atlanta (Ga.) police shot an 88-year-old woman. A same sex child custody dispute will be decided in Vermont.

United States news briefs for the week of December 4, 2006 are presented. Details related to a ruling from New York State's highest court regarding education funding in New York City are reviewed. Also discussed are details related to a school bus crash in Huntsville, Alabama that killed four students. The sentencing of a former high-ranking aide to Chicago Mayor Richard Daly is discussed.

The article presents several U.S. news briefs. A federal report determined that budget cuts and negligence are in part responsible for the March 2005 explosion at BP's Texas City, Texas refinery. A federal grand jury in Miami, Florida indicted sports agent Gustavo "Gus" Dominguez for allegedly smuggling professional baseball prospects to the U.S. from Cuba. Oklahoma became the last state to legalize tattoo art.

This article discusses the U.S. Secure Fence Act, requiring the Department of Homeland Security to build 700 miles of steel fencing on the U.S.-Mexico border. Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert responded to questions about the bill. Congressional leaders are committed to changing some specific aspects of the legislation after the November 2006 elections.

This article reports on Jay Cohen, who was sworn in as the new head of the Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate on August 10, 2006. August 10 was the same day that the United Kingdom arrested 24 suspects for allegedly plotting to blow up 10 U.S.-bound airliners with liquid explosives. Cohen spent six years as head of research for the U.S. Navy.

The article focuses on the election of Congressional representative Randy Graf of Arizona. Graf, who is a former professional golfer, state representative, and member of the Minutemen border patrol group, won his election due to the popularity of his opinions on the "border crisis" with Mexico and illegal immigrants. Graf felt that the United States Congress was not doing enough to address the issue of illegal immigrants, and so he ran for office.

The article speculates about connections between U.S. President George W. Bush urging Congress to quickly approve a revised system for military tribunals and 2006 midterm election politics. According to the article, the proposed bill will elicit election conscious alternatives from Republicans who might offer a more legally defensible proposal and Democrats who will be careful not to appear soft on terrorism.

The article explores the impact of U.S. President George W. Bush's call for Congress to pass legislation authorizing a revised version of the military tribunals he established to try al Qaeda suspects. The article speculates about the strategies employed by the Bush administration in presenting the possibility of more terrorist attacks just two months before the 2006 midterm elections. Democrats say the Republican tactics won't yield the same benefits they did in the 2002 and 2004 elections.

The article presents news items of national interest regarding various states across the U.S. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger agreed to support a bill that would limit the state's greenhouse gas emissions. Warren Jeffs, leader of a breakaway polygamist Mormon sect, was arrested outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. It was determined that the August 2006 crash of a Comair jet in Lexington, Kentucky was the result of a series of errors.

The article discusses the difficulty in passing an immigration bill. Both the United States House of Representatives and Senate have bills that would require an electronic program to verify the legal status of workers, although timetables for implementing both plans may be unrealistic, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The U.S. President George W. Bush administration and DHS are supporting the Senate's bill where there would be an eventual worker legalization.

Several items of news from across the United States are presented. Power outages are occurring in several cities as a result of a heat wave. Matthew Amorello stepped down as chairman of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority amid the latest Big Dig scandal. Miami, Florida schools are forced by a federal judge to allow children access to the book "¡Vamos a Cuba!" after groups tried to ban it for its unrealistic and happy portrayal of life in Cuba.

This article reports that the summer of 2006 could be a difficult one for U.S. aviation. A record number of travelers, the introduction of untested technology in airports, shortages in personnel at the Transportation Security Administration and the overbooking of flights could cause long lines and delays at major and minor airports.

The article offers news briefs on issues in Washington, D.C. The National Republican Congressional Committee is concerned the June 6 special election to fill an empty seat could ultimately result in a loss of GOP control over the House. The federal government plans to restrict access to the statistical information on how oil prices are set. The Senate Intelligence Committee is attempting to pass a bill which would require the president to be more forthcoming with details on the warrantless surveillence program and clandestine detention facilities.