Internal Battles Divided McCain and Palin Camps  —  PHOENIX — As a top adviser in Senator John McCain's now-imploded campaign tells the story, it was bad enough that Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska unwittingly scheduled, and then took, a prank telephone call from a Canadian comedian posing as the president of France.

Exclusive: Gibbs will be WH press secretary  —  Robert Gibbs, a top aide to Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) on his campaign and in his Senate office, will be named the White House press secretary, a top Democratic official said.  —  Gibbs was usually the senior official on Air Obama, the campaign plane.

Dems lower expectations  —  Democratic leaders are tamping down on expectations for rapid change and trying to signal they will place a calm hand on the nation's tiller.  —  “The country must be governed from the middle,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Wednesday.

McCain at ease after loss  —  On the day after his victory, Barack Obama faced a world in financial crisis, shooting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and a nation that expected him to deliver on all his promises.  —  John McCain faced a barbecue.  —  “I got nine racks of ribs,” McCain told his closest aide and co-author, Mark Salter.

‘Impeach Obama’ groups pop up on Facebook … Barack Obama has not even been sworn in yet as the 44th president of the United States but groups are springing up online calling for his impeachment.  —  On Facebook, an “Impeach Barack Obama” group has attracted more than 700 members …

Obama campaign workers angry over unpaid wages  —  Updated:  —  Indianapolis - Lines were long and tempers flared Wednesday not to vote but to get paid for canvassing for Barack Obama.  Several hundred people are still waiting to get their pay for last-minute campaigning.

Obama Turns to Building Leadership Team  —  WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama offered the key post of White House chief of staff to Rep. Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, the first step in building a team that is expected to take shape in coming days.  —  The quick transition from campaign …

Blunt steps down  —  House GOP whip Roy Blunt is stepping down, he announced to his colleagues in a letter today.  —  After sending out the letter, he met with reporters.  “I just called Joe Barton [R-Texas] and told him I was looking forward to coming back to the energy committee,” Blunt told reporters today.

Exit poll: Black voters back Calif. marriage ban  —  California's black and Latino voters, who turned out in droves for Barack Obama, provided key support for a state ban on same-sex marriage.  Christian, married and older voters also helped give the measure the winning edge, according to exit polls for The Associated Press.

How the President-Elect Did It  —  The new voters changed the game.  —  Intense and gripping, the 2008 election was also historic.  The son of a Kenyan immigrant and an American mother has risen to the presidency of history's most powerful nation.  Who was not moved by the sight …

DNC touts success of 50-state strategy  —  The Democratic National Committee (DNC) on Wednesday touted its 50-state strategy, which sought to expand the party's competitiveness deep into red states, as one of the reasons for Democrats' success on Election Night.

MoveOn — How Do You Like them Now?  —  It was only a short time ago that every Democrat in the Senate was trashing MoveOn, refusing to stand up for them as the right tore them apart.  Many of us argued that it was really stupid and irresponsible to help dismantle a critically important part …