Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens loses re-election bid  —  Featured Topics: - Barack Obama - Presidential Transition  —  ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Sen. Ted Stevens, the longest serving Republican in Senate history, narrowly lost his re-election bid Tuesday, marking the downfall of a Washington political power …

Ted Kennedy asks Hillary Clinton to head Senate healthcare team  —  She has not indicated whether she will take the job if she does not become Obama's secretary of State, but expanding coverage has been one of her goals for years.  —  Reporting from Washington — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton …

Vice president, former AG, state senator indicted  —  McALLEN, Texas — A South Texas grand jury has indicted Vice President Dick Cheney and former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales on charges related to the alleged abuse of prisoners in Willacy County's federal detention centers.

Obama exerts his power  —  President-elect Barack Obama, in the latest of several moves to heal election wounds, persuaded Democrats to reject stiff punishment for Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) despite his campaign efforts for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).  —  Lieberman is the beneficiary …

Let Detroit Go Bankrupt  —  IF General Motors, Ford and Chrysler get the bailout that their chief executives asked for yesterday, you can kiss the American automotive industry goodbye.  It won't go overnight, but its demise will be virtually guaranteed.  —  Without that bailout, Detroit will need to drastically restructure itself.

Giving Up on God  —  As Republicans sort out the reasons for their defeat, they likely will overlook or dismiss the gorilla in the pulpit.  —  Three little letters, great big problem: G-O-D.  —  I'm bathing in holy water as I type.  —  To be more specific, the evangelical, right-wing …

Holder Seen as Justice Choice as Obama Forms Team  —  WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama's transition team has signaled to Eric H. Holder Jr., a senior official in the Justice Department in the Clinton administration, that he will be chosen as attorney general, but no final decision has been made …

Recall specter hangs over high court as it considers Prop. 8 challenges  —  Backers of the measure banning gay marriage have said they will target justices who vote to overturn it.  Legal scholars say the court has no clear path to tossing out Prop.  8.  —  Reporting from San Francisco …

WAXMAN VERSUS DINGELL.  —  I haven't given this the attention it deserves, but Henry Waxman's decision to challenge John Dingell for chairman of the Energy and Commerce committee is a HUGE deal.  Energy and Commerce is, along with Ways and Means, the key House Committee, with jurisdiction over both energy and health care legislation.

Iranian grain ship seized as Somali pirates hold world to ransom  —  Alarm grows as governments and navies are rendered legally powerless to conduct security operations on the high seas  —  Somali pirates struck again yesterday, seizing an Iranian cargo ship holding 30,000 tonnes of grain …

A Sea of Unwanted Imports  —  LONG BEACH, Calif. — Gleaming new Mercedes cars roll one by one out of a huge container ship here and onto a pier.  Ordinarily the cars would be loaded on trucks within hours, destined for dealerships around the country.  But these are not ordinary times.

First lady got back  —  I'm a black woman who never thought I'd see a powerful, beautiful female with a body like mine in the White House.  Then I saw Michelle Obama — and her booty!  —  Michelle Obama waves to the crowd at the Democratic convention in Denver on Aug. 25, 2008.  —  Free at last.

Hagel takes aim at Limbaugh, Senate colleagues  —  (CNN) — As his Senate career nears its end, Republican Chuck Hagel isn't holding back when it comes to criticizing members of his own party — including conservative talk radio hosts.  —  “We are educated by the great entertainers like Rush Limbaugh …

Big Three CEOs Flew Private Jets to Plead for Public Funds  —  Auto Industry Close to Bankruptcy But They Get Pricey Perk  —  The CEOs of the big three automakers flew to the nation's capital yesterday in private luxurious jets to make their case to Washington that the auto industry is running …

Democrats Attempt Full Precinct Disenfranchisement, ACLU Silent  —  When an entire precinct of voters are about to have their votes thrown out by state legislators, you would think that some of those bold first amendment types would step up and sue and embarrass everyone in the process …