"With a big election in Iraq tomorrow, the future of that country may be changing for the better. I talked with Fox News analyst General Thomas McInerney last night ... he's just back from Iraq; he believes US forces are skillfully dismantling the insurgents. Also, a chart in The New York Times today says there has been a rise in Iraqis informing on the insurgents. I am not cheerleading this war but I do want the USA to win and believe that is very possible. I resent people like Howard Dean who seem to want things to go bad in Iraq, and liberal Time Magazine writer Joe Klein says the exact same thing in his column this week. That brings us to Congressman Jack Murtha, who is firmly convinced the USA is losing in Iraq but I want to know how he has reached that conclusion. On what data is he basing his assertion? Murtha will not talk with me. Is that responsible? This is by far the highest rated prime time daily news program in the country. Why wouldn't Murtha want to engage this audience? Of course Congressman Murtha could be right and his dissent has certainly spurred debate. But it has also given the anti-Bush media a huge amount of bashing material, while Senator Joseph Lieberman, who thinks we'll win, was almost ignored by the elite media. If the Iraq election goes well tomorrow then I call upon Murtha to reconsider his defeatist stance, or at least come in here and discuss it."

Fox News Video: FoxNews.com

Guest: Fox News analyst Rod Wheeler

In Northern Virginia there is an operation called Direct Response Consulting Services, which allegedly raised money to help veterans. But the two men in charge, Byron Hughey and Jerry Watson, apparently take a big fee for themselves. The Factor wanted to know how they pulled it off in the middle of a war on terror. "They're calling people on the phone, asking people to give money to veterans, in a war on terror, and Americans give more than $1 million a day to veterans groups. And then these guys get the money and they take, it seems, most of it for themselves." Former DC Detective and FNC analyst Rod Wheeler stressed caution but noted that these guys had pulled off this kind of thing before, "You know, it's one of these types of cases where we don't know for sure if there's anything criminal going on. One case last year that I actually did a lot of research on -- and you need to hold your hat when I tell you these statistics. They raised $4.7 million for an organization supposedly for veterans. 98 cents on the dollar went to the pockets of these same two individuals. Only two cents went to the veterans organization."

Guest: Nicole Wallace, White House communications director

Many Americans believe most of the American media is firmly against the Bush administration, and certainly the overseas media generally is. White House Communications director Nicole Wallace talked about fighting the anti-Bush press. "We have started fighting back and engaging the press a lot more aggressively than I think - than we ever had as a White House. We started a new product called Setting the Record Straight, where we take on the stories that are just egregiously wrong. We take on the reporters by name. And we call out the inaccuracies. So we've become a lot more aggressive about calling out the things that are egregious." The Factor thought this was an important initiative. "If you guys are firmly convinced that you're doing the right thing in the war on terror, and the right thing for the country, then you owe it to the country to fight these other people. At least get your side out."

White House Communications Director Nicole Wallace tried to explain how important the elections in Iraq were to the President. "He's ending the year with these four important speeches on Iraq. They're important to us. It's important that people understand where things stand. It's important that people know there's an historic election tomorrow. And that's why we're doing big, big interviews this week." The Factor advised not to let the anti-Bush press get the upper hand. "Don't let the opposition define the administration. I'm trying to tell you. I'm looking out for you guys. And I'm looking out for everybody. I'd say the same thing to Democrats. Don't let the people who hate you define the story."

Guest: Congressman Martin Meehan (D-MA)

Congressman Martin Meehan, Democrat of Massachusetts responded to the Nicole Wallace's comments. He said Bush was to blame for his own second term woes. "Most recent presidents have had difficulties in their second term. I think the biggest problem the president has is the fact that Iraq has not gone as well as he said it was going to go. And we're spending over $2 billion a week. Today, I was happy to see the president at least admitted that the intelligence was faulty going into Iraq, but this happens in second terms." The Factor cautioned that the press and even some Democrats would hurt the party. "They want to make him look bad. They'll even go make the military look bad to try to do it. Now, Howard Dean. Howard Dean is not doing the Democratic Party any good. You've got to understand that. I mean, with the defeatism and the name-calling and the vitriol that he spits out, this guy is going to kill you guys."

Guests: Fox News contributor Father Jonathan Morris & Father Richard McBrien, Notre Dame University

The Factor wanted to know why the Catholic Church had not addressed the Christmas controversy. Father Richard McBrien, professor of theology at Notre Dame, compared recent trials in the Church. "The pedophilia crisis and scandal that was associated with it was enormously significant. This controversy over Christmas celebration, whether to say "Happy Holidays" or "Merry Christmas" or to allow nativity scenes, cr�ches and so forth or to call Christmas trees Christmas trees rather than holiday trees, is a very minor issue in comparison." Father John Morris, Vice Rector for the Legionnaires of Christ, said people looked to the Church for guidance, even on this issue. "They are looking, in my opinion, looking to Rome for guidance and direction on the big issues is a good thing. It's what makes us specifically Catholic, that we have a pope. Should we stand up for baby Jesus? You better believe it." The Factor agreed. "We've got 65 million American Catholics. OK? And they don't hear a word from any Catholic leadership on the subject at all."

Guest: Beverly Broadus Green

The Factor talked to Beverly Broadus Green, who is mother of rapper Snoop Dogg. She is heading up a brand-new charity called Mothers of Entertainers, a group trying to keep American kids out of gangs. Ms. Green talked about Snoop's rough upbringing and his future. "The area that we lived in, it was bad. I mean, it was really bad. So nobody was going to come in that area to do anything. So what I had to do, when he turned 18, I moved from that area, and he didn't move with me. I couldn't live in that life anymore, you know, the shooting, the up all night long. Kids running in, running out, loud music. And I just couldn't be bothered with that. But you know, really and truly, he raps, but he's still a human being. He's a husband. He's a father. And, most of all, he's my son. So I can't put down what he does, because he's doing his thing. But I'll tell you this one thing, and you watch what I'm saying, it's not going to be too long, he's going to turn around. Because God has placed a calling on his life to be a minister." The Factor thought that, after a rough upbringing, Snoop had the potential to do good things. "So you are the classic example of the single mom. You were working, trying to raise three boys by yourself in a tough neighborhood. Your son got involved with drugs and gangs and subsequently was charged with murder. He can do a lot of good if he does turn it around."

Christmas again dominates the mail?

Adrian Jenkins, Lehl, UT: "Plenty of things being said about you in the print media, some very unfair. Most of it accuses you of starting the Christmas controversy. You didn't start it - you just got results in the fight."

Curt Fletemier, Jakarta, Indonesia: "Even here in a Muslim country, Christmas trees are all over the place and choirs sing carols in shopping malls."

Mike Forte, Port St. Lucie, FL: "Bill, Christmas celebrators or not, more people are thinking about the meaning of Christmas than ever before."