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PORTLAND, Ore. – Howard Dean (search), the newly minted leader of the Democratic Party, and former Pentagon adviser Richard Perle (search) made clear their opposing views on the war in Iraq during a debate marred by a protester who tossed a shoe at Perle. Perle had just started his comments …

VATICAN CITY – For the first time in his 26-year-pontificate, Pope John Paul II (search) will skip Sunday prayers, and will instead follow along with the traditional ceremony from a hospital where he is recovering from a throat operation to ease a breathing ailment. Vatican officials said Saturday that there …

BRUSSELS, Belgium – Excerpts of a speech President Bush will deliver Monday in Brussels (search), Belgium, as released in advance by the White House: The alliance of Europe (search) and North America is the main pillar of our security in a new century. Our robust trade is one of the …

WASHINGTON – A reputed gang leader suspected of masterminding a bus massacre in Honduras that killed 28 people was arrested this month in Texas, U.S. and Honduran officials said Wednesday. Authorities described the man, Ever Anibal Rivera Paz, known as “El Culiche” — The Tapeworm — as the leader of …

SHARM EL-SHEIK, Egypt – Israelis, Americans, Arabs and dignitaries from around the world have been welcome in this “city of peace” that will host Tuesday’s Mideast summit. One man, however, had been kept at a distance until now: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (search). Sharon, reviled among Arabs as a …

WASHINGTON – The idea behind President Bush’s proposal to limit crop subsidies is to stop big corporate farming operations from gobbling up most of the government payments, but smaller farmers say they’d be hurt too. “If you want to do away with family farms, do away with subsidies,” said Daryl …

WASHINGTON – President Reagan‘s (search) famous smile and blue eyes shine from a new postage stamp issued Wednesday in ceremonies across the country. It’s the latest in an already high stack of honors bestowed on the former president since his death eight months ago. The new stamp shows Reagan’s smile, …

VATICAN CITY – Pope John Paul II (search) was rushed to a hospital in Rome late Tuesday night after suffering a “larynx spasm crisis,” the Vatican said. Shortly after midnight, Vatican (search ) spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls told The Associated Press that the decision to hospitalize the 84-year-old pontiff was “mainly …

SEOUL, South Korea – China (search) has pledged to try and revive talks aimed at ending North Korea’s (search) nuclear programs, after the isolated, Stalinist state’s declaration that it had atomic weapons and was boycotting disarmament negotiations. The United States and other countries involved in the six-party talks have called …

This is a partial transcript from “The Beltway Boys”, Feb. 12, 2005, that has been edited for clarity. Watch “The Beltway Boys” Saturday at 6 p.m. ET and Sunday at 1 and 6 a.m. EST. MORT KONDRACKE, HOST: I’m Mort Kondracke. BILL SAMMON, GUEST HOST: And I’m Bill Sammon, filling …