Creating News, Not Reporting It?

Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine:

What if U.S. Forces Left Iraq?

A recent Gallup Poll found that 54 percent of Americans want U.S. troops to be withdrawn from Iraq now or within a year and 60 percent said it wasn't worth it to go to war in Iraq. But a new FOX News poll shows that a vast majority of Americans see dire consequences if the U.S. pulls its troops out of the country: 41 percent of those polled believe an immediate withdrawal would lead to civil war, while 32 percent say Iraq would become a haven for terrorists. Just 14 percent think the situation in Iraq would improve.

Entrapment Journalism?

NBC's "Dateline" is defending its reporting methods after being accused of recruiting Muslim men to entrap NASCAR fans into harassing them on tape. NASCAR called the move to fit some Muslims attending a race with hidden cameras, "outrageous," and blasted NBC for "going out to create news instead of reporting news." But NBC says its reporting is fair, calling its techniques "nothing new."

A NASCAR spokesman says NBC's Muslim recruits showed up at a race in Virginia last weekend, but in spite of their efforts, he says, there were no instances of discrimination.

Homosexual History Lesson

A state Senate committee in California has approved a bill that would require schools to teach students about the historical contributions of gay people. The bill would add homosexuals to the list of groups whose roles in history must be included in school texts and could have a national effect, since California is the country's biggest market for textbooks.

Openly gay Democratic State Senator Sheila Kuehl says the proposal will help gay students feel included in society by highlighting famous homosexuals such as poet Langston Hughes. Under this proposal, textbooks that did not identify prominent gays by their sexuality could not be purchased for the state's public schools.

Better Than a Bake Sale

New Orleans Public Schools came up with a novel way to raise much needed funds in the wake of Hurricane Katrina — putting a school bus ruined in the storm up for auction on eBay. Collectors had pushed the bidding up to nearly $7,000 yesterday until a lawyer forced the district to remove the bus. The reason? The school board had not properly authorized the sale. But for anyone in the market for a rusted-out bus, there are other options available. A crude drawing of the bus is up for auction on the Web site and has received bids for up to $300. Proceeds from that sale will go to New Orleans schools themselves.

— FOX News' Aaron Bruns contributed to this report.