*Fox News Channel's token liberal, Alan Colmes is leaving the Hannity and Colmes program. I suppose Juan Williams now is as close as you'll find to a left of center voice on Fox. But both Colmes and Williams aren't likely to be coronated as honest-to-goodness lefties. Meanwhile, left-leaning MSNBC's house righties, Joe Scarborough and Pat Buchanan, are the real deal from their side of the plate.

*The president-elect has had more press conferences this week than the president has had this month ... maybe even this quarter ... maybe even this year. GWB looks to me like a guy who can't wait to go on vacation.

*In a capsule, here's what's wrong these days with professional sports: The Knicks make a couple of trades to rid themselves of expensive contracts. By 2010, when they'll have shed some more big-dollar pacts, they'll be able to sign high-priced free agents and presumably, finally, contend for a National Basketball Association championship. The New York papers are enthused. The Knicks will turn it around, in 2010! Part of the anticipation is that by 2010, superstar LeBron James will be on the market, no doubt eager to bite into the Knicks' Big Apple bucks and save the franchise. Put another way, as far as NBA scribes have it, James and the Knicks are all but a done deal. Except James still plays for Cleveland. What do you suppose fans in that city think about the Knicks' (unstated, because it would be tampering) grand plan? And how much of a discount do Knicks' fans get on Madison Square Garden tickets until 2010?

*If you don't subscribe to the Freeman and you're interested in all those Black Friday sales, better get to your local convenience store early on Thanksgiving morning. We're carrying about 30 inserts in Thursday's paper and most places tell us the racks are empty not all that long after the doors open.