Blue Radar

As I post each morning, here are some of the political stories thatmight not be worthy of their own posts, but are nonetheless newsworthy:

• (IRAQ) President Bush will address the nation on Thursday evening and announce a withdrawal of 30,000 US troops from Iraq by next summer.  That means at least 130,000 US troops will remain in Iraq through the end of his presidency.
• (TERRORISM) According to ABC News, even six years after the 9/11 attacks, Saudi Arabia continues to be a major al Qaeda donor.
• (IMMIGRATION) The Senate voted to block an Administration program that allows Mexican long-haul trucks to operate in the United States in accordance with NAFTA.
• (SCANDAL) Wendy Ellis, a New Orleans prostitute, recalls having sexual relations with Republican Senator David Vitter.
• (2008 ELECTION/PRESIDENTIAL) John McCain used the Petraeus-Crocker hearing on Tuesday to proclaim that he was right all along about the troop surge.  "For almost four years we pursued a failed policy in Iraq. ... Icondemned it, I was criticized by Republicans and others for doing so,and I saw it was doomed to failure and I argued for the strategy thatis now succeeding," McCain said.
• (2008 ELECTION/SENATE) VA-Sen: (D) Mark Warner - 54%, (R) Jim Gilmore - 34%.  This is the open Senate seat vacated by Republican John Warner.
• (2008 ELECTION/PRESIDENTIAL) Iowa Democrats (LA TIMES): Clinton - 28%, Edwards - 23%, Obama - 19%.
• (2008 ELECTION/PRESIDENTIAL) New Hampshire Democrats (LA TIMES): Clinton - 35%, Obama - 16%, Edwards - 16%.
• (2008 ELECTION/PRESIDENTIAL) South Carolina Democrats (LA TIMES): Clinton - 45%, Obama - 27%, Edwards - 7%.

If we left something out, it's because we either wrote about ityesterday or are scheduled to do so in an individual post later today. Otherwise, feel free to add any stories in the commentbox.