BONING UP FOR THE MIDTERM:

Jobless Claims Plunge to Five-Year Low (MARTIN CRUTSINGER, 1/05/06, AP)

The number of newly laid-off workers filing claims for unemployment benefits fell to the lowest level in more than five years last week, providing strong evidence that the labor market is shaking off the effects of a string of devastating hurricanes.

The Labor Department reported Thursday that applications for unemployment benefits dropped by 35,000 to 291,000, the smallest number since Sept. 23, 2000, when the economy was in the concluding months of the longest economic expansion in history.

Clinton's Campaign to Donate Abramoff Money (1010 WINS, 1/05/06)

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign is contributing $2,000 in donations from American Indian tribes that were clients of lobbyist Jack Abramoff. He's now at the center of a congressional corruption probe.

Clinton spokeswoman Ann Lewis, in a statement, said to ensure that there's no question of any link to Abramoff, Friends of Hillary will contribute the cash to a New York charity.

But Democratic Congressman Charles Rangel of Harlem, who received $36,000 in donations from Abramoff clients, says he's keeping the money.

Oh well, at least folks are outraged about the Administration spying on terrorists.....

Posted by Orrin Judd at January 5, 2006 9:41 AM