Tonight on Countdown: Pay the Press !

[Catchawave]

From the Countdown e-list:

Today, more stories (and more serious accusations) about the military paying for stories in the Iraqi press.
Scott McClellan: "We are very concerned about the reports. We are seeking more information from the pentagon. General Pace indicated that they are looking into it. And we need to know what the facts are. General Pace indicated it was news to him as well."

Even as the State Department and the United States Agency for International Development pay contractors millions of dollars to help train journalists and promote a professional and independent Iraqi media, the Pentagon is paying millions more to the Lincoln Group for work that appears to violate fundamental principles of Western journalism. In addition to paying newspapers to print government propaganda, Lincoln has paid about a dozen Iraqi journalists each several hundred dollars a month, a person who had been told of the transactions said. Those journalists were chosen because their past coverage had not been antagonistic to the United States, said the person, who is being granted anonymity because of fears for the safety of those involved. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/01/politics/01propaganda.html?hp&ex=1133499600&en=3af8aaf9fa1cb0bc&ei=5094&partner=homepage

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Insurgents attacked several U.S. bases and government offices with mortars and rockets Thursday before dispersing in the capital of western Iraq's Anbar province, residents said. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10276071/

The government's decision to allow airline passengers to carry small scissors is part of a broader shift in airport security, focusing more on keeping explosives off planes and less on stopping another attack like that of Sept. 11, 2001. http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2005/12/01/airport_security_to_focus_more_on_finding_explosives/

Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert is getting in the middle of a national debate about what to call big pine trees that are cut down for festive celebrations around this time of year. While it is officially called the "Holiday Tree," Hastert wants the tree renamed "The Capitol Christmas Tree," NBC5's Mary Ann Ahern reported. Hastert, an Illinois congressman, wrote that, "The Supreme Court has ruled that such displays in public buildings are fully permissible." Even Wal-Mart has had to issue a statement that it is all right for their workers to even utter the phrase, "Merry Christmas." Lowe's Hardware Stores this week took down banners in front of its stores announcing holiday trees for sale. Lowe's is calling them Christmas trees. http://www.nbc5.com/news/5438960/detail.html

That's some of what we're planning for tonight's show.

Finally,
A man wearing only socks was arrested along a busy street after witnesses said he fired a gun at afternoon traffic. Temperatures were in the 40s when the incident occurred Tuesday. Police said no witnesses were injured. Glenn Higgs, 44, of Germantown, Tennessee, was charged with reckless endangerment, indecent exposure, firing a weapon in the city limits and public intoxication, authorities said. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/N/NAKED_GUN?SITE=NWCN&TEMPLATE=STRANGEHEADS.html&SECTION=HOME
Mr. Higgs, have some coffee next time.

-- Carey Fox

Countdown Home: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/

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South Africa's highest court ruled Thursday it is unconstitutional to bar gay marriage, paving the way for this country to become the first in Africa to legalize homosexual unions. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10279366/

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