No More 'Islamic Terrorism'?

Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine:

The European Union says it will no longer use the phrase "Islamic Terrorism" to describe attacks carried out by Muslims. Instead, EU press releases will use the phrase "terrorists who abusively invoke Islam."

The words "Islamist," "Fundamentalist," and "Jihad" will also be banned, as part of a new "lexicon" that seeks to avoid offending Muslims.

The EU's counterterrorism chief says the government is taking great pains to use language that "makes clear that we are talking about a murderous fringe that is abusing a religion and does not accept it"

Oath Objection

A Florida city councilman is refusing to take the oath of office to "support, protect and defend the Constitution and the government of the United States," saying he can't support a government with "immoral and unlawful policies."

Basil Dalack, a Democrat who has called for impeaching President Bush and Vice President Cheney for war crimes, says pledging to support the current administration would put the "blood of all those Iraqi and American kids on my hands."

The councilman tells the Palm Beach Post that the oath restricts his freedom of speech and he's suing in federal court to have it changed.

Leader Loses Support

Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid may have gained power when he ascended to the post in 2005, but it's cost him support in his native Nevada.
A new Las Vegas Review-Journal poll shows Reid's approval rating has dropped 10 points to 43 percent since he became his party's leader. What's more, the number of Nevadans who hold an unfavorable view of Reid jumped 14 points to 39 percent.

Pollster Brad Coker tells the paper that "Reid was always at his most popular when he was seen as an independent,” noting that he's moved to the left since becoming leader. But the growing disapproval may not matter much — Reid doesn't face re-election until 2010.

Classroom Politics

An Athens, Alabama teacher has been reprimanded after showing his eighth grade science class an obscenity-laden Internet movie attacking President Bush. Steve White, who is also a Democratic candidate for the state legislature, screened a film that repeatedly calls the president, Condoleezza Rice, and Donald Rumsfeld — among others — a word that can't be repeated on a network newscast.

One parent tells the Athens News Courier that White also made her son say "John Kerry rocks" before leaving the classroom. She says the private reprimand isn't discipline enough and is calling for a public apology.

— FOX News' Aaron Bruns contributed to this report.