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 …

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 …

Mr. Holder at Justice?  —  IF TAPPED as attorney general, Eric H. Holder Jr. would bring years of experience and top-notch credentials as a prosecutor, judge, lawyer in private practice and former top official in the Justice Department.  The predominant features of his record are independence, integrity and effectiveness.

Syrian Facility Looked Like Reactor, U.N. Says  —  The first independent investigation of the suspected nuclear site in Syria that Israel destroyed last year has bolstered U.S. claims that Damascus was building a secret nuclear reactor, according to a U.N. report that also confirmed the discovery of traces of uranium amid the ruins.

[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 …

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 …

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.

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 …

Discussions With Clintons as Obama Creates Team  —  WASHINGTON — Former President Bill Clinton has agreed to all of the conditions sought by President-elect Barack Obama's transition team to eliminate potential conflicts of interest if Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton becomes secretary of state …

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.

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 …

Ignore the Stock Market Until February  —  The current volatility is less about fundamentals than forced selling.  —  Down in the morning, up in the afternoon.  Or is it the other way around?  The topsy-turvy stock market is tough to read.  —  In the last year, the Dow Jones Industrial Average …

One Reason Hillary Could be Extraordinary at State  —  Her understanding of Middle East peacemaking is second-to-none, IMHO.  Two years ago, I interviewed the front-runners for the Democratic nomination on a range of foreign policy issues.  Obama was smart and savvy and reasonable and seemed to have …

Regenerating a Mammoth for $10 Million  —  Scientists are talking for the first time about the old idea of resurrecting extinct species as if this staple of science fiction is a realistic possibility, saying that a living mammoth could perhaps be regenerated for as little as $10 million.