Arizonan will head Homeland Security  —  Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano (D) has been chosen to serve as secretary of the vast and troubled Department of Homeland Security for President-elect Obama, Democratic officials said.  Napolitano is a border governor who will now be responsible …

[UPDATED] On First Day of Recount, Franken Gains Net of 43 Votes on Coleman  —  According to data just released by the Minnesota Secretary of State, Al Franken has gained a net of 43 votes on the first day of that state's recount process.  Norm Coleman had a lead of 215 voters over Franken …

Prop. 8 gay marriage ban goes to Supreme Court  —  The California high court will review legal challenges to Prop.  8. A hearing is set for March.  Prior to a ruling, gay weddings will not be allowed to resume.  —  REPORTING FROM SAN FRANCISCO — The California Supreme Court agreed today …

Martin puts Georgians' needs first  —  Chambliss fights for corporations  —  Jim Martin and Sen. Saxby Chambliss may be former fraternity brothers at the University of Georgia, but they look, act, think and speak in very different ways.  The two candidates in the Dec. 2 Senate runoff offer Georgia voters a stark choice.

Somali Pirates At Sea  —  Time for an anti-piracy coalition of the willing.  —  Somali pirates don't scare easily.  —  Last month, they hijacked a Ukrainian merchant vessel loaded with tanks, heavy weapons and ammunition, and still haven't relinquished control of the freighter to the American …

Auto Execs Fly Corporate Jets to D.C., Tin Cups in Hand  —  There are 24 daily nonstop flights from Detroit to the Washington area.  Richard Wagoner, Alan Mulally and Robert Nardelli probably should have taken one of them.  —  Instead, the chief executives of the Big Three automakers opted …

Health Insurers Offer to Accept All Applicants, on Condition  —  WASHINGTON — The health insurance industry said Wednesday that it would support a health care overhaul requiring insurers to accept all customers, regardless of illness or disability.  But in return, the industry said …

eHarmony forced to offer same-sex dating services  —  So, this is “progress?” eHarmony, a Christian-targeted dating website, gets sued by a gay man demanding that the business match him up with a same-sex partner.  The New Jersey Attorney General intervenes on behalf of the gay plaintiff …

Rewarding Failure: Why Stop With Big 3?  —  With Tongue In Cheek, Declan McCullagh Urges Treasury Chief To Bail Out Everybody … The Honorable Henry Paulson  —  U.S. Department of the Treasury  —  1500 Pennsylvania Avenue NW  —  Washington, DC 20220  —  Dear Secretary Paulson:

The 10 Sexiest Everyday Men Of 2008 [Must List]  —  When People announced its Sexiest Man Alive today — Hugh Jackman, you may recall — we thought, well, that's all well and good and he is hot, but what about the guys who don't (necessarily) grace the big and small screens but do get our hearts a-twitter and our loins a-twitchin'?

Where is the love?  —  11-19-08: CNN: George Bush snubbed at the G20 Summit.  Everyone greeting each other and shaking hands, but Bush walks with his head down like the dejected most unpopular kid in high school.  —Diane  —  Welcome Kossacks!  Hope you'll check out the site …

Eric Holder Nips Marijuana in the Bud and Invents a Time Cover Story  —  Barack Obama's selection of Eric Holder as his attorney general is a very discouraging sign for anyone who hoped the new administration would de-escalate the war on drugs.  As Dave Weigel noted earlier today …

Obama Hears a Giant Sucking Sound  —  His legacy is spent before he gets his hands on it.  —  His friends advise Barack Obama to launch a “New” New Deal.  Maybe that's because the old New Deal is sinking fast.  —  Mr. Obama's one deeply false note during the campaign was his harping on …

Palin Congratulates Begich after Sen. Stevens Concedes  —  Joel Millman reports on the Senate race in Alaska.  —  Sen. Ted Stevens, the man Alaskans know as “Uncle Ted”, quietly conceded his re-election fight Wednesday, a day after his opponent defeated the 85-year old Republican.

Have we beaten the CEOs up enough?  —  Matt Yglesias and I are debating whether the CEOs of major financial institutions are walking away from the financial crisis laughing, or whether they have actually been punished by the failure of their firms and loss of their jobs.