"When it comes to choosing a president, results matter."

--George W. Bush, in his newly unveiled stump speech


Iraqis Postpone Conference as Kidnappings Rise

Iraq postponed a major national conference billed as one of its first steps toward democracy and national reconciliation on Thursday, as the epidemic of kidnappings widened sharply with insurgents announcing that they had kidnapped five more foreign hostages.

...Iraqis officials had argued that postponing the conference could set a bad precedent for a far more important democratic milestone: the first national elections, set for January....

--New York Times