Here’s an interesting question: Are Americans more interested in the presidential election because the writers’ strike means there’s nothing else new on TV, or is the presidential election really just more interesting this year, regardless of the strike?  A little of both, I think.

Much of this election’s appeal has nothing to do with the lack of alternatives. History hangs near - both a former first lady and a competitively viable candidate who happens to be black are in the thick of things - and the narrative has delivered a surprise around every bend. It’s not just the Democrats drawing viewers. The best lines this year haven’t come from David Letterman’s writers but from whoever (or Whoever) is whispering in Mike Huckabee’s ear.

I can tell you, when trolling for something new, I’m more likely to find it in a debate than on The Office.  But both can be pretty entertaining.

A man took several Hillary Clinton campaign workers hostage on Friday, claiming to have a bomb strapped to his chest. Police took the man into custody, and Clinton met with the hostages and their families: “It appears he is someone who was in need of help and sought attention in absolutely the wrong way. … It was for me and my campaign an especially tense and difficult day.”

Rudy Giuliani is also having a tense time explaining his mayoral spending practices. Instead of billing the police department for mayoral security expenses, the city spread the bill among obscure city offices. Much of the interest centers on Giuliani’s visits to Southampton, New York, when he was having an affair with Judith Nathan, who owned a condominium there. Giuliani dismissed the allegations as an old story and a political hit job.

A new HIV testing method yields a higher government estimate for annual HIV infections. For a decade, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has calculated 40,000 new HIV infections each year, but this year the count is 50% higher — between 55,000 and 60,000. The new method enables epidemiologists to distinguish between new infections and long-standing ones. President Bush called for an additional $30 billion to fight AIDS worldwide.

Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez has threatened to cut off oil exports to the U.S. if it questions the results of next Sunday’s vote. The referendum would do away with term limits and cede Chavez control of the country’s Central Bank, giving him control of Venezuela’s economic policy and, he says, enabling him to move towards socialism.

Another Sunday vote may tighten Vladimir Putin’s grip on power. Putin’s United Russia party should win by a landslide, despite the fact that Russian liberals are decrying Putin’s televised pre-poll speech urging Russians to vote for the United Russia party. One leader called for equal television time and called Putin’s speech “a flagrant violation of the legislation, an abuse of office in the interests of one party.”

Hollywood writers are still stewing and striking. Producers attempted a compromise but writers rejected the new proposals, saying that they were a public relations ploy that failed to meet the guild’s core demands.

Readers: Post links to news-worthy articles we may have overlooked!

Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) will resign from the Senate to pursue “other opportunities,” congressional sources say — possibly more lucrative lobbying opportunities.

Oprah is stumping for Barack Obama, but TIME doubts that she’ll do him much good. USA Today, however, is impressed that Obama is storming Iowa with a “front-runner’s swagger.” Fred Thompson has endorsed a voluntary flat tax, and Mike Huckabee says he is the only candidate who can defeat “the Clinton political machine.”

Writers and producers are “cautiously optimistic” that the TV writers’ strike may end by Wednesday.

A new report says that Washington D.C. is experiencing a modern HIV epidemic that crosses racial, ethnic, and gender lines.

Pres. Bush says that he’s optimistic about Middle East peace conference in Annapolis. He may be more hopeful than the others involved: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas. FOX News analyzes the risks.

The US may be in Iraq for a long time, now that Bush and Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki have signed a declaration that paves the way for a long-term stay.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has returned from exile “to save Pakistan and save democracy,” he says. Pervez Musharraf, military dictator, ousted Sharif in 1999 and established martial law earlier this month.

A British schoolteacher in Sudan was arrested for letting her classroom name a teddy bear Muhammmad. The 54-year-old teacher may face a punishment of 40 lashes.

Readers: Feel free to post newsworthy links we overlooked!

There are so many essays and articles on the writers’ strike, and they’re mildly informative and mostly boring.  But this short essay from The New Yorker, “Why We Strike,” may be worth your time. 

We are not in this for the money. Management would have you believe that we all make $200,000 a year. That’s funny. We wouldn’t even eat something that cost $200,000, unless it was actually $200,000, drizzled with truffle oil, the way Silvio makes it. Yum. The only reason we require payment at all is so we can support those little people we keep telling you about-the assistants, amanuenses, baristas, Rolfers, scarf carriers, and erotic muses we need to create our art. Oh, and our babies. And various charities.

It is, after all, in the humor section.  And it’s written by a real writer.