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From the Bishop of the Diocese of Baker, Oregon, in the most recent issue (Sept. 5, 2008) of The Catholic Sentinel: I certainly commend the public official for going to Saint Augustine, a great theologian and philosopher, for views on morality but Augustine’s views need to be read and adopted in context. It is highly disingenuous, deceptive and intellectually dishonest to take this ecclesial sound bite from 1,500 years ago and treat it as if it is the last definitive word on the subject. This is particularly true since Augustine himself “vigorously condemned the practice of induced abortion” despite the...

The uproar continues over the recent statements of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi who defended her pro-abortion stance or, to be more nuanced, her “pro-choice” stance supporting a woman’s “right” to choose between having a child or an abortion. In her statement, she made it clear she was speaking “as an ardent, practicing Catholic” about “an issue that I have studied for a long time.” After saying that “the doctors of the church have not been able to make that definition” of when life begins, she cites Saint Augustine to buttress her thesis and concludes that abortion is a decision “that...

House Democrats to yield on offshore drilling By Jared Allen Posted: 09/06/08 11:18 AM [ET] House Democrats are ready to propose an expansion of offshore drilling as part of a broader energy bill they plan to introduce this month, according to a top Democrat. Democratic Caucus Vice Chairman John Larson (Conn.) said the majority is prepared to back “responsible” offshore drilling through a bill that could be brought to the floor as early as next week. But the Democratic energy bill will also include past provisions pushed by the party – but that failed to pass the House with the...

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is being invited by her hometown archbishop to discuss her erroneous views on the Catholic Church's teaching on abortion. In a statement released today, Archbishop George Niederauer of San Francisco joined the list of bishops who have responded to Pelosi's misrepresentation of Church teaching, which she expressed during an interview Aug. 24 on NBC-TV's "Meet the Press." Catholic San Francisco, the official newspaper of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, published Archbishop Niederauer's text.Pelosi, when asked to comment on when life begins, said that as a Catholic, she had studied the issue for "a long...

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, under fire from U.S. bishops for comments she made about abortion, accepted on Friday an invitation from the Roman Catholic archbishop of San Francisco for a private talk.Pelosi said in a letter to Archbishop George Niederauer that she'd "welcome the opportunity for our personal conversation and to go beyond our earlier most cordial exchange about immigration and needs of the poor to Church teaching on other significant matters."The proposed meeting stems from comments Pelosi made Aug. 24 on NBC's "Meet the Press." The Democratic congresswoman defended her support for abortion by saying "doctors of the church"...

The Left has watched uneasily as power drains away daily from the CBS Newses and the Time magazines of the liberal mainstream media and flows toward a more politically pluralistic array of new media alternatives that range from (mostly) conservative talk radio to (Fox-dominated) cable news to the ceaselessly expanding (thoroughly bi-partisan) Internet. And make no mistake: liberals want to snuff out this exciting, democratic world of analysis and debate and return to the good old days, when you got up in the morning with The New York Times and had dinner with Dan Rather—and basically kept quiet while your...

Press Releases Contact: Brendan Daly/Nadeam Elshami 202-226-7616 For Immediate Release 09/05/2008 Pelosi: ‘With Unemployment Rate at Five-Year High, We Must Take Immediate Action to Strengthen Our Economy’ Washington, D.C. -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi today issued the following statement after the Department of Labor released its employment report for August showing a loss of another 84,000 American jobs, and an unemployment rate that climbed to 6.1 percent – the highest since September 2003. The economy has lost jobs for eight straight months, with a total of 605,000 American jobs lost this year: “The economic policies of President Bush and the Republicans...

As House Republicans stayed behind in Washington DC to debate solutions to the nation's energy crisis, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was out on the TV circuit last month, talking up her recent book, Know Your Power: A Message to America's Daughters. As a mother of five and current Speaker of House, Nancy Pelosi has good reason to be a proud. But this preachy tome is unlikely to bring many voters into the Democratic fold this coming November. Know Your Power consists of an odd brew of perky girl-talk, partisan posturing, and women's-libber agitations. The book's 174 pages projects all the...

Following is a statement by San Francisco Archbishop George H. Niederauer in response to recent comments on abortion, Catholic teaching on the beginning of life, and other life issues made by U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi. This statement by Archbishop Niederauer was published in the Sept. 5, 2008 issue of Catholic San Francisco, the official newspaper of the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Last month, in two televised interviews and a subsequent statement released through her office, Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and a Catholic residing in the Archdiocese of San Francisco, made remarks that...

 THANK YOU REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN!JOB WELL DONE!WE, THE AMERICAN, PEOPLE THANK YOU!FIVE FULL WEEKS! STORM DC with your CALLS FOLKS!Hit the Dems- THIS IS JOB ONE!-- GET TO IT SLACKERS!THANK OUR GOP HOUSE FOLKS FOR STAYING AND FIGHTING THE FIGHT!For Anyone Who has Not Met Congressman Broun from GAYOU WILL LOVE HIM!! Click HERE and Learn About HisFOUR WAY TEST! Please continue prayers for Jim Robinson and TrueblackmanPalin Video on Drilling!Randy Evans LIVE from RNC talks Palin and Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less!!Randy wants to get you the answers! Freepmail me if you would like Randy to talk to anyone as...

Thursday, September 04, 2008 The Speaker's Archbishop Speaks In response to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's recent statements on the church's teaching on abortion, Archbishop George Niederauer of San Francisco -- the top Rep.'s hometown ordinary -- prepared the following column for tomorrow's edition of the archdiocesan weekly, Catholic San Francisco. * * * Last month, in two televised interviews and a subsequent statement released through her office, Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and a Catholic residing in the Archdiocese of San Francisco, made remarks that are in serious conflict with the teachings of the Catholic Church...

Source: http://www.house.gov/pelosi/biography/bio.htmlY'all can skip to here if you want... Biography Since 1987, Nancy Pelosi has represented California's Eighth District in the House of Representatives. The Eighth District includes most of the City of San Francisco including Golden Gate Park, Fisherman's Wharf, Chinatown, and many of the diverse neighborhoods that make San Francisco a vibrant and prosperous community.Overwhelmingly elected by her colleagues in the fall of 2002 as Democratic Leader of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi is the first woman in American history to lead a major party in the U.S. Congress. Before being elected Leader, she served as House...

Be sure to READ THIS!!Please continue prayers for Jim Robinson and TrueblackmanPalin Video on Drilling!Randy Evans LIVE from RNC talks Palin and Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less!!Randy wants to get you the answers! Freepmail me if you would like Randy to talk to anyone as the Conventionfor information or any quesitons you may have. He will be joining us LIVE all week.Poll: 74% Support Drilling CONGRESSMAN MIKE PENCE Joins Bill Collier of DontGo on BTR!Today, Tuesday, August 26th at 4:30 pm EDT!DON'T MISS THIS SHOW!  Brokaw, Pelosi and Pickens"Media" Tries to Downplay Pelosi's Abuse of PowerBut the REAL Media Says "NOT...

QUICKIE QUIZ: NAME THAT FEMALE POLITICIAN! She’s a female politician with 5 children, one of whom is a 17 year old girl in her senior year of high school. Her hubby is supportive of her ambitions. She’s in her mid forties and her political duties consume much of her time. She is determined, forceful, and confident. Name that politician! For the correct answer scroll down…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… The answer: Mrs. Nancy Pelosi, less than affectionately known in some quarters as Bela Pelosi, now Democratic Speaker of the House. She entered Congress when she was 47 when her youngest daughter was 17 in...

Hiroshima, Japan (AHN) - U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi became the most senior U.S. official on Tuesday to pay tribute to victims of the atomic bomb that hit Hiroshima during World War II. Pelosi, in Japan for a two-day meeting of parliament speakers from Group of Eight (G8) nations, visited the Hiroshima memorial along with other delegates. She later toured a nearby museum where a survivor, former museum director Akihiro Takahash, gave a personal account of the tragedy. Pelosi, who is second in line for the U.S. presidency, makes her visit just a month after Japan marks the 63rd anniversary...

Pelosi, By George Another day, another dollar, another ecclesial ripple Nancy Pelosi hath wrought. Nine days after two leading USCCB chairmen took on the House Speaker's Meet the Press debacle in the name of the entire conference, the bench's president -- Cardinal Francis George OMI of Chicago (shown above with You Know Who) -- made his first public intervention earlier today with the following letter to his hometown church: Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, In the midst of a lengthy political campaign, matters of public policy that are also moral issues sometimes are misrepresented or are presented in a...

Pelosi Statement on Comprehensive Energy Plan of New Direction CongressTue Sep 2, 5:43 PM ET **SNIP** WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement in response to President Bush's comments today on energy: "For too long, the President's and Republicans' 'drill only' energy policies have reflected the demands of Big Oil. "The New Direction Congress is crafting a comprehensive energy strategy that will provide relief for consumers, end our dependence on foreign oil, create millions of jobs and grow our economy. The Democratic plan will promote efficiency and invest in renewable sources of energy, responsibly increase...

IER analyzes energy ‘plan’ proposed by the Speaker of the House On Saturday, August 16, the Speaker of the House delivered a radio address focused on energy issues. The following analyzes some of the claims and proposal outlined by the Speaker in that address.THE SPEAKER: “Over the past few months alone, Republicans have voted down our efforts to expand domestic drilling, opposed clean energy alternatives, and rejected requiring oil companies to produce from the public lands they already control. President Bush even refused our request to suspend buying oil at record prices for the federal stockpile until we passed a...

BEND - It is not possible this week to write about things related to the Catholic Church without making special note of the comments of a high-ranking U.S. official regarding abortion. This official, drawing from the rich tradition of the teachings of Saint Augustine, implied that he would have permitted abortion up to three months after conception. As has been well reported by others, Saint Augustine was working from the defective science of his day and he was trying to reconcile what he understood from science with the philosophical views of his day. It should be noted that Saint Augustine...

The Democratic Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, appeared on NBC’s Meet the Press on Aug. 24, 2008. She intentionally used her office and this very public opportunity to add to the efforts of some dissenting Catholics in both major US Political parties to confuse fellow Catholics, other Christians and other people of faith and good will concerning the Catholic teaching on the intrinsic evil of every procured abortion as the intentional and immoral taking of innocent human life. Speaker Pelosi compounded her error by telling the interviewer that the Catholic Church had taught different things at...

Be sure to READ THIS!!Please continue prayers for Jim Robinson and TrueblackmanRandy Evans LIVE from RNC talks Palin and Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less!!Randy wants to get you the answers! Freepmail me if you would like Randy to talk to anyone as the Conventionfor information or any quesitons you may have. He will be joining us LIVE all week.Poll: 74% Support Drilling CONGRESSMAN MIKE PENCE Joins Bill Collier of DontGo on BTR!Today, Tuesday, August 26th at 4:30 pm EDT!DON'T MISS THIS SHOW!  Brokaw, Pelosi and Pickens"Media" Tries to Downplay Pelosi's Abuse of PowerBut the REAL Media Says "NOT SO FAST!"  DON'T STOP...

Pelosi Visits Hiroshima A-Bomb Memorial Tuesday, September 2, 2008 1:30 AM HIROSHIMA, Japan — U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday became the highest-ranking serving American official to pay respects at the memorial site of the world's first atomic bomb attack. Democrat Pelosi is in Japan for a two-day gathering of top legislators from the Group of Eight industrialized countries. On Tuesday morning, she and the other G-8 representatives visited Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park before heading into an all-day meeting. No sitting U.S. president or vice president has ever visited Hiroshima.

Nancy Pelosi is the highest ranking US Official to visit the memorial

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The chairmen of the U.S. bishops' pro-life and doctrine committees criticized House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, saying she "misrepresented the history and nature of the authentic teaching of the Catholic Church on abortion" in a nationally televised interview Aug. 24. Pelosi, D-Calif., who is Catholic, said in an appearance that day on NBC's "Meet the Press" that church leaders for centuries had not been able to agree on when life begins. An Aug. 25 statement by Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia and Bishop William E. Lori of Bridgeport, Conn., said the church since the first century "has affirmed...

US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi (R) poses with her Japanese counterpart Yohei Kono (L) before a meeting of parliament speakers from the Group of Eight major industrial nations in Hiroshima, western Japan. Pelosi earlier in the day laid flowers at the memorial to the Hiroshima atomic bombing, becoming the highest-ranking sitting US official to pay respects at the site. US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi lays a bouquet at the altar for atomic bomb victims in Hiroshima. Pelosi is the highest-ranking sitting US official to pay respects at the site. Speaker of the US House of Representatives...

The chairwoman of the National Organization of Women’s Political Action Committee, Kim Gandy, dismissed the idea that the selection of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin would help Senator McCain get more women’s votes in his run for president. “Anatomy alone isn’t enough to seal the deal,” Gandy said. “We are looking for an authenticity that confirms a person shares a woman’s perspective on the issues of the day.” Gandy cited the inauthenticity of conservative Blacks in support of her argument. “Clarence Thomas, Michael Steele, Walter Williams have Black skins, but they don’t have Black values,” Gandy contended. “Likewise, Palin may have...

With the natural disasters of Hurricane Gustav and the expectations of Hurricane Hanna and possible a third hurricane, perhaps we should take time to recall a tragic disaster which this Democratic Controlled Congress has still failed to address. From April to the first weeks of June Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Indiana and states throughout the Midwest suffered through some of the worst flooding in 100 years. Iowa, in particular was especially hard hit with nearly 1/5th of the States' land being underwater in early June. Yet, despite the media attention of early June and promises of quick relief by both...

Be sure to READ THIS!!Please continue prayers for TrueblackmanPoll: 74% Support Drilling CONGRESSMAN MIKE PENCE Joins Bill Collier of DontGo on BTR!Today, Tuesday, August 26th at 4:30 pm EDT!DON'T MISS THIS SHOW!  Brokaw, Pelosi and Pickens"Media" Tries to Downplay Pelosi's Abuse of PowerBut the REAL Media Says "NOT SO FAST!"  DON'T STOP FOLKS!!JUST SAY NO TO GANGS!!Congressman John R Carter of Texas says Gang of 10 a "Bad Deal"Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed a total lack of our "Establishment Media/Misinformation Socialist Monarchy" reporting on the price of gas and food for the past 2 weeks?New FTC Rule Could Apply...

August 29, 2008, 0:00 p.m. Don’t Blame the BishopsCatholic means pro-life. By Father Thomas D. Williams You are unlikely to ever come upon a group called Mohammedans for Polytheism or Environmentalists for Seal Slaughter. A Muslim who espouses a multiplicity of deities has, ipso facto, placed himself outside the Muslim confession. Polytheism is not an Islamic thing. An environmentalist who patronizes anti-ecological activities is not an environmentalist at all, but a subversive. This is because the monikers “Muslim� and “environmentalist� mean something; they carry with them a series of necessary consequences. Certain terms — like “Muslim� and “polytheism� —...

If you've ever seen a lady with a bee in her bonnet, and all the crazy contortions she'll make to get the darned thing out before it stings her lovely head, you'll understand precisely why the Democrats are taking such crude swats at Governor Sarah Palin. Palin may come in a perfectly lovely, innocent-looking package, a bit like a bumble bee resting in the shade on a clover blossom, but when she sees professional politicians getting fat and rich at the public trough, she is immediately transformed into one threatening, buzzing, stinging machine. Pompous, polished, under-performing Democrat pols meet down-to-earth,...

TOKYO (AFP) - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is set this week to be the highest-ranking sitting US official to visit the site of the Hiroshima atomic bombing, which bitterly divides opinion six decades later. No sitting US president or vice president has ever paid respects to the dead of the US nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, a sore point for many survivors in Japan. Pelosi will travel to Hiroshima for a meeting of parliament speakers from the Group of Eight major industrial nations. Pelosi, who is second in line to the presidency, is a member of Barack...

Pelosi to protestor: 'Let's drill your brain'BY MARGARET THOMPSON Thursday, August 28th 2008, 5:09 PM DENVER - Sun beat onto the people gathered at a conference on American energy independence as sweat-drenched Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said, "What a beautiful Colorado day." The speakers discussed how the west is pushing the renewable energy frontier and pursuing innovative methods for harnessing alternative forms of energy. A persistent group of protesters decorated with McCain attire, brandished pro-onshore drilling signage and rhythmically chanted "Drill Here! Drill Now!" Over the protestors' ruckus, Nancy Pelosi yelled, "You want to drill right here? Let's...

The leader of the American Life League says Catholic bishops in America missed a golden opportunity to enforce the law of the Catholic Church when it comes to abortion.  Cardinals and bishops continue to rebuke House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for attempting a theological defense of her support for abortion. Pelosi, a Catholic school graduate who has expressed pride in her religious heritage, said last Sunday on NBC's Meet the Press that "doctors of the church" have not been able to define when life begins. Pittsburgh Bishop David Zubik says Pelosi "completely misrepresented the teaching of the Catholic Church in regard...

Brendan Daly, a spokesman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, issued the following statement yesterday from Denver, where the Democratic National Convention is under way.) “Her views on when life begins were informed by the views of Saint Augustine, who said: ‘... the law does not provide that [abortion] pertains to homicide, for there cannot yet be said to be a live soul in a body that lacks sensation.’” “While Catholic teaching is clear that life begins at conception, many Catholics do not ascribe to that view. The Speaker agrees with the church that we should reduce the number...

Don’t Blame the Bishops Catholic means pro-life. By Father Thomas D. Williams You are unlikely to ever come upon a group called Mohammedans for Polytheism or Environmentalists for Seal Slaughter. A Muslim who espouses a multiplicity of deities has, ipso facto, placed himself outside the Muslim confession. Polytheism is not an Islamic thing. An environmentalist who patronizes anti-ecological activities is not an environmentalist at all, but a subversive. This is because the monikers “Muslim” and “environmentalist” mean something; they carry with them a series of necessary consequences. Certain terms — like “Muslim” and “polytheism” — simply can’t be squared, and...

A response to: Archbishop Wuerl on the Church and Abortion Because of Mrs. Pelosi's scandalous comments last Sunday and [then] defying the teaching of the Church, all the pro-life Democrats ought to be asked to speak in defense of life. This includes especially Senator Robert Casey, Jr., whose father was proudly a pro-life Democrat. It is now that all should witness to their beliefs and not fear reprisal from pro-abortion Democrats. These last have all but silenced pro-life Democrats. For the sake of the Catholic common good, the public stance of politicians on abortion issues must be made public. In...

You are unlikely to ever come upon a group called Mohammedans for Polytheism or Environmentalists for Seal Slaughter. A Muslim who espouses a multiplicity of deities has, ipso facto, placed himself outside the Muslim confession. Polytheism is not an Islamic thing. An environmentalist who patronizes anti-ecological activities is not an environmentalist at all, but a subversive. This is because the monikers “Muslim” and “environmentalist” mean something; they carry with them a series of necessary consequences. Certain terms — like “Muslim” and “polytheism” — simply can’t be squared, and combining them is nonsensical. The recent ecclesiastical backlash to Nancy Pelosi’s unfortunate...

How much difference will it make that these are the two most prominent female faces of each party party? (Sorry Hillary) It'd be interesting to know how much thought this question was given by the McCain team. Not only a female candidate but one that is vastly superior (even if you adjust for age) in the looks departments than the most prominent dem counterpart. And now that Pelosi has been demonstrating for the all the world her grasp of energy and Catholic issues, nobody would dispute that Palen has a few hundred more oars in the water as well. There's...

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) issued the following statement Friday on Sen. John McCain's selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate: "The selection of a vice presidential candidate is one of the most significant and telling decisions a presidential candidate can make. John McCain's selection of Sarah Palin raises serious questions about his judgment. Why, when the country is fighting two wars, facing an uncertain economy and an energy crisis, did Senator McCain make the choice that he did?

Pelosi will now be NUMBER TWO having to answer to a MUCH SMARTER (Not that there's even a comparison!), good-looking, Republican WOMAN!! This is gonna be SWEET!!

Be sure to READ THIS!!Please continue prayers for TrueblackmanPoll: 74% Support Drilling CONGRESSMAN MIKE PENCE Joins Bill Collier of DontGo on BTR!Today, Tuesday, August 26th at 4:30 pm EDT!DON'T MISS THIS SHOW!  Brokaw, Pelosi and Pickens"Media" Tries to Downplay Pelosi's Abuse of PowerBut the REAL Media Says "NOT SO FAST!"  DON'T STOP FOLKS!!JUST SAY NO TO GANGS!!Congressman John R Carter of Texas says Gang of 10 a "Bad Deal"Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed a total lack of our "Establishment Media/Misinformation Socialist Monarchy" reporting on the price of gas and food for the past 2 weeks?New FTC Rule Could Apply...

Democrats and Republicans have scripted their conventions as tightly as possible. But after delegates return home with buttons, badges and banners, the curtain will rise on a more unruly drama: the fall session of Congress. And it could affect the November election more than the conventions. The House and Senate return to Washington Monday, Sept. 8. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid hope it will be a short session, ending on Sept. 26. That will allow members to go home and campaign, not to return until after Election Day. Good luck. Congress hasn't yet passed any...

A mid the cascade of words pouring out of Denver this week, none may have more long-term punch than the bubbly Mile High musings of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday's "Meet the Press." Tom Brokaw had asked about Barack Obama saying that deciding when life begins was "above my pay grade." Pelosi showcased the Peter Principle in action. It says that people rise to the level of their incompetence. Her answer showed that the principle has nothing to do with Saint Peter. "I would say that as an ardent, practicing Catholic, this is an issue that I have studied...

Democrats and Republicans have scripted their conventions as tightly as possible. But after delegates return home with buttons, badges and banners, the curtain will rise on a more unruly drama: the fall session of Congress. And it could affect the November election more than the conventions. The House and Senate return to Washington Monday, Sept. 8. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid hope it will be a short session, ending on Sept. 26. That will allow members to go home and campaign, not to return until after Election Day. Good luck. Congress hasn't yet passed any...

CNN' fails to report on Pelosi's faux pas.Folks, this from LifeSiteNews.com: Two More Bishops Make 8 Who Have Come Out against Pelosi's 'Catholic' Abortion Theology By Kathleen GilbertWASHINGTON, D.C., August 28, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Two more bishops have released statements condemning House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's widely publicized claim that the Catholic faith could support abortion.Bishop Michael J. Sheridan of Colorado Springs and Bishop David A. Zubik of Pittsburgh join the other six Catholic bishops who have already corrected Pelosi's false claims, made during an appearnace on NBC's Meet the Press, that when life begins has been "an issue of controversy"...

Two more bishops have released statements condemning House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's widely publicized claim that the Catholic faith could support abortion. Bishop Michael J. Sheridan of Colorado Springs and Bishop David A. Zubik of Pittsburgh join the other six Catholic bishops who have already corrected Pelosi's false claims, made during an appearnace on NBC's Meet the Press, that when life begins has been "an issue of controversy" throughout the history of the Church and that, therefore, the Catholic faith can support abortion. Bishop Sheridan warned Catholics in his statement Tuesday that Pelosi's picture of Church history and teaching is categorically...

Fears are mounting that Russia may restrict oil deliveries to Western Europe over coming days, in response to the threat of EU sanctions and Nato naval actions in the Black Sea. Any such move would be a dramatic escalation of the Georgia crisis and play havoc with the oil markets. Reports have begun to circulate in Moscow that Russian oil companies are under orders from the Kremlin to prepare for a supply cut to Germany and Poland through the Druzhba (Friendship) pipeline. It is believed that executives from lead-producer LUKoil have been put on weekend alert. "They have been told...

DENVER, Aug. 27 -- Laying the groundwork for his legislative agenda should he win the presidency, Sen. Barack Obama has begun courting the most powerful woman in U.S. politics: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). Pelosi, who is chairing the Democratic Party convention here, stands atop Congress with unquestioned power. Elected as the first female speaker in January 2007, she runs a tightly controlled House in which she sometimes overrules the initiatives of her Democratic chairmen and regularly denies Republicans the chance to offer amendments. Democratic leaders believe the strength of the Obama-Pelosi relationship could be critical in determining the successes...

Amid the cascade of words pouring out of Denver this week, none may have more long-term punch than the bubbly Mile High musings of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday's "Meet the Press." Tom Brokaw had asked about Barack Obama saying that deciding when life begins was "above my pay grade." Pelosi showcased the Peter Principle in action. It says that people rise to the level of their incompetence. Her answer showed that the principle has nothing to do with Saint Peter. "I would say that as an ardent, practicing Catholic, this is an issue that I have studied for...