Cabinet post for Clinton roils Obamaland  —  Barack Obama's serious flirtation with his one-time rival, Hillary Clinton, over the post of secretary of State has been welcomed by everyone from Henry Kissinger to Bill Clinton as an effective, grand gesture by the president-elect.

2 Democrats to Submit Compromise on Lieberman  —  Connecticut Senator Would Be Sanctioned for Backing GOP Ticket but Could Keep Key Committee  —  A pair of Senate Democrats will offer a compromise plan today to sanction Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) for his support of the Republican presidential ticket …

Administration Protects Bush Appointees by Converting Positions to Career Civil Service Jobs  —  Political Positions Shifted To Career Civil Service Jobs  —  Just weeks before leaving office, the Interior Department's top lawyer has shifted half a dozen key deputies …

Fighting the Financial Crisis, One Challenge at a Time  —  WE are going through a financial crisis more severe and unpredictable than any in our lifetimes.  We have seen the failures, or the equivalent of failures, of Bear Stearns, IndyMac, Lehman Brothers, Washington Mutual, Wachovia …

Al Franken's vote-tally appeal rebuffed  —  He wanted erroneously rejected absentee ballots to be counted in the state's official tally, which will be certified today.  Those disputed votes will be argued in court - later.  —  DFLer Al Franken asked Monday to have rejected absentee ballots …

Web Sites That Dig for News Rise as Watchdogs  —  SAN DIEGO — Over the last two years, some of this city's darkest secrets have been dragged into the light — city officials with conflicts of interest and hidden pay raises, affordable housing that was not affordable, misleading crime statistics.

Early Test for Obama on Domestic Spying Views  —  WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama will face a series of early decisions on domestic spying that will test his administration's views on presidential power and civil liberties.  —  The Justice Department will be asked to respond …

E.D. Hill To Leave Fox News Channel  —  Exclusive: TVNewser has learned veteran Fox News Channel anchor E.D. Hill will not be renewed when her current contract expires.  Hill, who has been with Fox News for more than 10 years, will continue with the network for the next few months until her current deal expires.

Can Mall Be Filled For an Inauguration?  4 Million May Try It.  —  District and federal officials are preparing for as many as 4 million people for the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama, a crowd that would be three or four times larger than previous big events on the Mall.

104 retired officers against 'don't ask-don't tell'  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — More than 100 retired U.S. military leaders — including the former head of the Naval Academy — have signed a statement calling for an end to the military's “don't ask-don't tell” policy, according to a California-based think tank that supports the movement.

Gov. Crist Is Man To Beat In Florida, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Sen. Martinez Gets Mixed Grades From Voters  —  Florida Gov. Charlie Crist remains overwhelmingly popular with a 68 - 18 percent job approval rating that makes him a strong favorite for re-election in 2010 …

Some Abortion Foes Shifting Focus From Ban to Reduction  —  Frustrated by the failure to overturn Roe v. Wade, a growing number of antiabortion pastors, conservative academics and activists are setting aside efforts to outlaw abortion and instead are focusing on building social programs …

NEWSWEEK CONSIDERS ANTICHRIST TALK.... When bizarre, fringe publications speculate openly about who may or may not be the Antichrist, it's easy to dismiss.  When Newsweek publishes a 600-word piece on those who wonder about Obama being the Antichrist, one really has to wonder what on earth the editors were thinking.

‘No’ to Obama's experimental government  —  We need to slow down and resist the urge the try a bunch of economic fixes.  —  » Discuss Article On Sunday night, President-elect Barack Obama told CBS' “60 Minutes” that Franklin D. Roosevelt would be a model of sorts for him.

International food chain responds to blogger's demands, franchisee retracts gift, job protections added  —  “One down and many more to go,” said Mike Rogers of BlogActive.com in response to the successful result of pressure on the fast food chain Subway after it was disclosed that a franchisee gave $2,500 to the Yes on 8 campaign.

Stevens GOP expulsion vote delayed  —  The GOP conference won't vote on Ted Stevens' expulsion today, pending the resolution of the Alaska count - which now favors his Democratic opponent Mark Begich.  —  South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint, who has pushed hardest for Stevens' expulsion …

Con-jugal Visits  —  Cops: Indiana inmates crawled through ceilings for sexual trysts  —  Undaunted by a concrete wall separating their respective cellblocks, male and female inmates took advantage of a design flaw in an Indiana jail to engage in late-night sexual trysts.