Obama will resign Senate seat Sunday  —  President-elect Barack Obama said today he will step down from his Senate seat effective this Sunday.  —  The decision adds to the pressure on Gov. Rod Blagojevich, a fellow Democrat, who under state law has the sole responsibility for naming a successor to Obama …

No Clamoring for Palin to Become a National Political Figure  —  But she enjoys support of three-quarters of Republicans  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Just 45% of Americans would like to see Sarah Palin become a major national political figure for many years to come, while a slight majority of 52% say they would not.

Who Were Those Clinton-McCain Crossover Voters?  —  CBS News' Election and Survey Unit's survey analyst extraordinaire Jennifer De Pinto goes inside the exit polls from last week's election and finds some interesting nuggets about those Hillary Clinton supporters who voted for John McCain:

Facing Obama, Iran Suddenly Hedges on Talks  —  Since 2006, Iran's leaders have called for direct, unconditional talks with the United States to resolve international concerns over their nuclear program.  But as an American administration open to such negotiations prepares to take power …

The RNC Throws A Pie In John McCain's Face  —  Nine days after the election, the Republican National Committee is no longer interested in being friends with their nominee.  —  They've filed suit today in courts in Louisiana and Washington, D.C. claiming that the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act …

Bill O'Reilly and Dennis Miller make homophobic jokes about Barney Frank.»  —  Last night on the O'Reilly Factor, Dennis Miller said President-elect Obama should “flatten these punks at AIG.”  When O'Reilly suggested Obama should arrest Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), Miller laughed and said, “Barney might want to be arrested.”

Gore says no to ‘Climate Czar’ role  —  President-elect Barack Obama's transition team is flirting with creating a White House “Climate Czar,” but climate change crusader Al Gore says he doesn't want the job.  —  The Obama team declined to comment on such a post, even as environmentalists …

EXCLUSIVE: Did Next Commander-in-Chief Falsify Selective Service Registration?  Never Actually Register?  Obama's Draft Registration Raises Serious Questions  —  By Debbie Schlussel  —  **** Copyright 2008, Must Cite Debbie Schlussel and link to DebbieSchlussel.com ****  —  *** SCROLL DOWN FOR UPDATE ***

Obama Team Faces Major Task in Justice Dept. Overhaul  —  Goal Is to Restore Confidence in Law Enforcement Actions  —  As a transition team for the Obama administration begins work on a Justice Department overhaul, the key question is where to begin.  —  Political considerations affected every crevice …

History Favors Republicans in 2010  —  The 2008 election numbers are not as stark as the results.  —  Political races are about candidates and issues.  But election results, in the end, are about numbers.  So now that the dust is settling on the 2008 presidential race, what do the numbers tell us?

An awkward press conference  —  After much anticipation from a room full of reporters and other curiosity-seekers, Sarah Palin this morning took four questions from reporters in a press conference that lasted 11 minutes.  —  Actually, taking away Texas Gov. Rick Perry's opening statement, the session lasted under 10 minutes.

Tolerance fails T-shirt test  —  Catherine Vogt, 14, conducted an experiment in political tolerance at her Oak Park middle school and learned some valuable lessons.  (Tribune photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo / November 12, 2008)  —  As the media keeps gushing on about how America has finally adopted tolerance …

Gingrich says GOP is outmatched  —  How bad off is the Republican Party right now?  Ask Newt Gingrich.  —  “The Republican Party right now is like a midsize college team trying to play in the Superbowl,” Gingrich told me Wednesday.  “It is pretty hard to say our losses were because of John McCain's campaign.

Stevens Pollster: Race Is Over, Begich Will Win  —  Alaska-based GOP pollster David Dittman, who worked for Sen. Ted Stevens during this year's primary race, believes Democratic challenger Mark Begich is all but certain to expand his current razor-thin lead and snatch the seat.

DISAPPOINTMENT WATCH... If you're looking for an indication of what the first schism between the Obama Administration and the Democratic Congress will be, consider the question of investigations.  —  Congressional Democrats are gearing up for a season of post-Bush inquiries …

Obama's plans for probing Bush torture  —  WASHINGTON — With growing talk in Washington that President Bush may be considering an unprecedented “blanket pardon” for people involved in his administration's brutal interrogation policies, advisors to Barack Obama are pressing ahead with plans …

After Taking Some Shots, She Fires Back  —  Palin Aims at Detractors In Remaking Her Image  —  Sarah Palin is fighting back against the “jerks.”  —  Cooking moose chili and slicing sandwiches for Matt Lauer and Greta Van Susteren, chatting up Larry King and Wolf Blitzer …

Obama's Call for Community Service Is Not Marxism  —  It's not “slavery” either — and the comparison insults one's intelligence.  —  Is community service synonymous with slavery?  Whether that service is mandated or suggested, could it in any way be construed as enslaving citizens?

Getting inside Obama's ‘brain’  —  (CNN) — Karen Kornbluh is not famous, but her ideas are.  As Barack Obama's chief policy director, political insiders call her his “brain.”  —  “Karen is a big ideas person, but more than that, she's able to bring a lot of really smart people together …

Theater Director Resigns Amid Gay-Rights Ire  —  SACRAMENTO — The artistic director of the California Musical Theater, a major nonprofit producing company here in the state's capital, resigned on Wednesday in the face of growing outrage over his support for a ballot measure this month that outlawed same-sex marriage in California.