Guest: Jane Fleming, Young Democrats of America

"With in minutes of our report on The Factor last night, Amanda Marcotte, a vicious anti-Christian blogger, left the John Edwards campaign. And today her partner in crime Melissa McEwan was shown the door as well. Both women consistently delivered hate-filled diatribes on their Internet sites and Edwards was foolish to hire them in the first place. Even after the Catholic League pointed out that his employees were attacking Christianity in the most offensive ways, using sexual images of Mary, Edwards refused to take action. It was only after a critical mass was reached and millions of people around the world actually saw what these women were putting on the 'net that Edwards came to his senses. But it's too late. Everyone knows Edwards would never employ an anti-Semite, a Klan member or an anti-Muslim bigot or a homophobe, but he had no problem standing by two anti-Christian women. Talking Points doesn't feel good about the demise of John Edwards, but we did everything possible to hear his side of the story, to extend to him the benefit of any doubt. For our trouble, he gave us the middle digit. So now we all know about Senator Edwards and, as always, the folks will decide."

Edwards supporter Jane Fleming joined The Factor to defend her candidate's actions. "He showed his leadership and he did not have a knee-jerk reaction - he waited until he spoke to the two women and then made his decision. The women resigned after getting lots of hate mail and threats." The Factor corrected Fleming's chronology. "He didn't make his decision until after we announced we were going to do the story. That's the truth, Ms. Fleming, that is what happened." Then came this illuminating exchange: "If you were in charge of the Edwards campaign, would you have fired these women?" "No, I would have stood by them." "Would you have fired someone who said anti-black things in the past?" "Yes." The Factor pointed out Fleming's glaring double standard. "These women attacked Christianity and Catholicism. Yet you come on this broadcast and say you would not have fired them, but you would have fired someone who did an anti-black diatribe. That's hypocritical! And you know what? John Edwards has eliminated himself as a serious candidate."

Guests: Mark Kukis, Time Magazine & Fox News correspondent Reena Ninan

The Factor has predicted that ABC Evening News will overtake increasingly left-leaning NBC, and last week ABC actually beat NBC in the evening news ratings. In one example of NBC's bias, correspondent Richard Engel said this about U.S. troops in Iraq: "They all told me it is time to end this war." Time's Mark Kukis cast doubt on Engel's assertion. "My experience is that there's a high level of frustration, but frustration doesn't translate into despair, and I didn't hear a lot about wanting to go home." FNC correspondent Reena Ninan also questioned Engel's claim. "I was embedded in the 'triangle of death,' and these U.S. soldiers were focused on their mission. This was the one thing in their life they felt they could achieve." The Factor reiterated that NBC is bleeding from self-inflicted wounds. "According to the Washington Post, Richard Engel is an anti-war guy, someone who feels all wars should be banished. I'm not sure NBC is doing themselves a favor by having this kind of reportage."

Guest: Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff

The Factor welcomed Homeland Security boss Michael Chertoff, who commented on the prison beating of Ignacio Ramos, one of two former border patrol agents convicted of shooting a drug smuggler. "Everyone agrees," Chertoff declared, "that we have to offer these individuals protective custody." Chertoff also reacted to ACLU criticism that his department's detention facilities on the Mexican border are inhumane. "These facilities," Chertoff responded, "are designed to be as humane as possible. There are three meals a day, everybody has a place to sleep, there are recreation activities. We are holding families who come across the border illegally so we can send them back." The Factor pointed out that Chertoff is portrayed as a villain by the ACLU and like-minded organizations. "Why are these people so eager to undermine the illegal alien detentions and Guantanamo Bay when we're fighting people who want to kill us? The hatred directed at you and the Bush administration is staggering."

Guest: Author Homer Hickam

NASA is reeling from the scandal involving astronaut Lisa Marie Nowak, who allegedly plotted to kill a rival for the affections of her fellow astronaut William Oefelein. Former NASA trainer Homer Hickam criticized the astronaut program. "I respect the astronauts an awful lot, but NASA has picked more than 125 astronauts, so there are way too many competing for too few seats. It creates an extremely competitive environment where there is backstabbing going on, and that stress carries over into everything." The Factor remained surprised at the Nowak situation. "You're supposedly in an elite corps, yet this woman was having an affair with another astronaut and totally out of control emotionally."

Featured Book: Rocket Boys: A Memoir by Homer Hickam

Guest: Body language expert Tonya Reiman

Tonya Reiman returned to analyze the body language of various newsmakers, beginning with Anna Nicole Smith's final television interview. "She doesn't look like she's 100 percent," Reiman said. "She seemed to have lost control of some of her lip movements, and even her blinking is out of synch." Reiman also scrutinized the tearful appearance of Smith's attorney Howard K. Smith, who proclaimed his eternal love for Anna Nicole. "I get the impression that there's a little less sincerity than he's trying to show. He's crying, but I don't see anything else that indicates sincerity." Finally, Reiman commented on Barack Obama's wife Michelle, who spoke on "60 Minutes." "She's a very strong personality. Her eyebrows are very emphatic and I find it surprising that she's so dominating. She's a force to be reckoned with."

Guest: Prince Frederick von Anhalt

A multitude of men have come forward to claim they may be the father of Anna Nicole Smith's daughter. The Factor spoke with one of them, Frederick von Anhalt, a self-proclaimed prince and the 9th husband of Zsa Zsa Gabor. "I had to come out now," Anhalt explained, "because if I'm the father and the child went to someone else that would be a terrible thing. I definitely want custody if it is my child." The Factor was skeptical of Anhalt's claim. "Can you prove any of this? At this point you have nothing to back up what you say." Finally, The Factor challenged Anhalt to take a lie detector test, and the "prince" accepted.

Many of you wrote about John Edwards and the two anti-Christian women he hired. Some excerpts:

Jan Sullivan, Stockton, CA: "Bill, just finished watching your segment on John Edwards and the two vicious Christian-bashing women he hired. If this finishes Edwards, good riddance."

Scott Welnack, Dayton, OH: "I applaud those women for boldly shining a light on the Christian right. I hope I live to see the day when such religious criticism is common."

Beth Saleeby, Greenville, NC: "It is obvious that Edwards cannot play in the big leagues. What an embarrassment for the state of North Carolina."

Jim Pearson, Berkeley, CA: "Edwards forever! Religion is the greatest evil in history."

Janine Moriarity, Houston, TX: "As a Christian, I'm praying for those women Edwards hired."