Friday November 10, 2006

The Final Word: “Various Droppings Edition”

(The media experiment in which we conjoin the headline and last paragraph of each bylined article in the A-section of today's New York Times.)

Page 1

Democrats Take Senate; Concession in Virginia Completes Midterm Sweep:

"I would have rather seen it announced a month or two months ago," Mr. Semprini said. "It might have made a difference."

After Rumsfeld: Bid to Reshape the Brain Trust:

Mr. Gates, he said, "is poised to be George W. Bush's Clark Clifford." It was a reference to the elder statesman whom President Johnson tapped in 1968 to succeed Robert S. McNamara, the polarizing figure who became the face of a failed war.

Harry Reid, an Infighter With a Sharp Jab:

"I never thought we could do it," he said of winning the Senate. "I knew it was possible in my head, but I never let my heart believe it."

When Soldiers Fall, Grief Binds a Unit's 2 Worlds:

On a recent morning, he closed his eyes and sang: "When you are reading the paper, will you remember them? Will you see their faces like I did? I will see them forever in my head."

Ed Bradley, TV Correspondent, Dies at 65:

"In his own head," she added, "he was always Teddy."

Other News

White House Memo: On a Shifting Playing Field, a Sense of Rising Expectations:

"It could be the saving grace of his administration," said Kenneth M. Duberstein, chief of staff to President Ronald Reagan, "because it gives him an opportunity to demonstrate real presidential leadership that is inclusive, right of center but not far right of center, which is where the American people are."

Democrats Weigh New Power as Leaders:

"I seek this post, and not any other, because I believe what we need now is a unified Democratic caucus, focused squarely on the business of moving this country forward," Mr. Emanuel said in a statement.

Her Next Job: First Lady of New York:

A playful look of astonishment came over her face. "I was working. Remember?"

In Florida, Echoes of 2000 as Vote Questions Emerge:

"If I had not checked carefully I would have gone on without ever thinking about it," said Mr. Lasche, 50. "You have to wonder how many people it happened to and may not have even noticed it."

Palestinians Mourn Civilians Killed by Israel:

"Of course," he added, "this does not clear the United States of its moral obligation to try and be even-handed and objective instead of its bias toward Israel."

Gain for Same-Sex Marriage in Massachusetts:

Pointing to his wedding band, he said: "You don't have to live next to us. You don't have to like us. We are only asking you to end the debate," so that "we will at least have the right to enjoy the same rights that the rest of you have enjoyed from time immemorial."

Markus Wolf, German Spy, Dies at 83:

His death came 17 years to the day after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the symbolic end of that war.

Advertising: Brands Produce Their Own Shows:

Ms. Kaplan Thaler recently created a campaign for Dawn that included online shows, traditional commercials, a contest, and Ellen DeGeneres as a celebrity spokeswoman. She said advertisers had to do it all these days. "Ubiquity is the new exclusivity," she said.

International

Nairobi Journal: Chased by Gang Violence, Residents Flee Kenyan Slum:

On a smoldering hillside, children played among shattered teacups while their parents packed the last of their things. The smell of char stung the nose, and though it had been pouring all week, the fires still burned.

Russia Overturns Acquittal in Killing of Editor:

"If Paul were alive, he would have been deeply encouraged that a trial like this — that went so wrong — could be fixed," she said. "That is a sign of improvement."

Toilets Underused to Fight Disease, U.N. Study Finds:

In India, a private group called Sulabh has built thousands of public toilets and more than a million private latrines that cost as little as $10 each in more than 1,000 cities nationwide. The local authorities pay to build the public toilets, but user fees cover the costs of running them. The fee is about 2 cents, with free access for children, the disabled and the destitute.

Figure Skater Is New Envoy of Good Will Overseas:

"I'm not here to talk about my political views," Ms. Kwan demurred. "I'm here to promote America. This is a place where anything is possible."

National Report

Seattle Journal: Time for a New Tenant in the Kingdom of Odd:

"You can't download an LP," Mr. Hughes said. "You can't recreate that digitally with ones and zeroes. It will always be a physical good."

Rustlike Crystals Found to Cleanse Water of Arsenic Cheaply:

But Mr. van Geen said a simple solution was to drill wells into deeper water supplies that are free of arsenic. He has estimated that most villages in Bangladesh, the country with the most wide-ranging problems, could be supplied with clean water through a $50 million investment in deeper wells.

Gates Hearing in Senate May Have Echoes of 1991:

"Sycophants can only rise to a certain level," Mr. Gates said at his 1987 hearing, in an unusually outspoken moment. "Senior officials understand that the most dangerous thing in the world is a yes man, and the people I have worked for felt the candor with which I appraised them was a valuable asset."

At the Pentagon, Concern About Blame for the Situation in Iraq:

"Guys here are either deploying, redeploying, training for deployment or going about their normal lives as part of a transforming Army," the officer said.

Removal of Rumsfeld Dates Back to Summer:

But officials said Mr. Bush had always planned to delay action until after the election — and to announce his decision immediately afterward, whether or not Republicans or Democrats won, to avoid the appearance he was acting in response to a drumbeat from a new Congress.