Columnist Bob Novak watches a basketball game in Washington in this Dec. 5 file photo. Novak, who first published the identity of covert CIA officer Valerie Plame, says he is confident that President George W. Bush knows who leaked Plame's name here.

*Bush: Iraq invasion my responsibility: "It is true that much of the intelligence turned out to be wrong"/Associated Press -- Sounds like he still wouldn't take a do-over, though.

*House OK's Patriot Act extension: Counterterrorism bill sent to Senate on 251-174 vote/Associated Press: No surprise here. The Senate's where the suspense will take place.

*Air marshals to expand their mission: Testing counterterror surveillance at train stations, other transit facilities/Associated Press -- Just as long as airport screeners isn't allowed to expand its mission. Some of them are as power mad as they are intrusive.

*Salvation Army Gets 'Gifts of Gold': Red kettles filling up with "12 Days of Christmas" stuff this season/NewsMax -- Now, if the Salvation Army would see fit to give the city of Coeur d'Alene $29M for a community center, we'd all enjoy a merrier Christmas.

*U.S. nixes Cuba for baseball classic: Embargo prevents contracts involving Cuba, Cubans/Associated Press -- Just when you think the Cold War has been over since the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Soviet Union ...

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