Obama Throws No Bones to Progressive Base  —  When is Obama going to appoint someone who reflects the progressive base that brought him to the White House?  —  He won the crucial Iowa caucuses on the strength of his anti-Iraq War stance, and many progressive peace and justice activists worked hard for him against John McCain.

Judge Orders Five Detainees Freed From Guantánamo  —  In the first hearing on the government's justification for holding detainees at the Guantánamo Bay detention camp, a federal judge ruled Thursday that five Algerian men were held unlawfully for nearly seven years and ordered their release.

Waxman dethrones Dingell as chairman  —  California Rep. Henry A. Waxman on Thursday officially dethroned longtime Energy and Commerce Chairman John Dingell, upending a seniority system that has governed Democratic politics in the House for decades.  —  In a secret ballot vote in the Cannon Caucus Room …

GOP Takes Another Image Hit Post-Election  —  Republicans favor tacking right; independents offer mixed guidance  — USA - Democrats - Favorability - Government and Politics - Political Parties - Republicans - Americas - Northern America  —  PRINCETON, NJ — The Republican Party's image …

Bum Rush  —  Obama's secret plan to muzzle talk radio.  Very, very secret.  —  Rush Limbaugh, Fox News, and other friends have spent the past year screaming about the horrors of Barack Obama.  And, while it's true that they talked ad nauseam about socialism and the Weathermen and Jeremiah Wright …

Challenged ballots: You be the judge  —  Representatives from the campaigns of Sen. Norm Coleman and Al Franken have been challenging ballots across the state.  —  It's your turn to play election judge.  Tell us how you would rule in the case of these challenged ballots.

Why Arizona Dems Don't Want Napolitano at DHS  —  Arizona governor Janet Napolitano looks likely to be secretary of Homeland Security (thank you, leaky transition team).  Though many are applauding her candidacy, her pending appointment is raising anxiety among Arizona Democrats.

McCain Pollster Explains Loss, Calls Frank Luntz A Moron  —  The chief pollster for John McCain's presidential campaign offered a candid diagnosis of how his candidate was done in, on occasion reserving harsh words for fellow Republicans.  —  Bill McInturff, speaking at a National Journal breakfast …

Modernity, Faith, And Marriage  —  Reading this piece by Rod Dreher is saddening to me.  What separates Rod from many others on the right is his passionate sincerity.  Even when he goes overboard, it's all real.  He's not a cynic; and he grapples in ways many others on the social right …

Stevens leaves to a standing ovation  —  Featured Topics: - Barack Obama - Presidential Transition  —  Ted Stevens — the longest-serving Republican senator in history — bid farewell to the Senate on Thursday.  Although he leaves under criminal conviction, the 85-year-old Alaskan said the future is still bright.

World Leaders Don't Shake Bush's Hand At G20 Summit (VIDEO)  —  It appears in this video that President Bush's approval is in a sorrier state than polls indicate.  In a video taken at the G20 summit, Bush walks across a line of world leaders without shaking or being asked to shake any of their hands.

Mad Max and the Meltdown  —  How we went from Christmas to crisis.  —  Notwithstanding the cardboard Santas who seem to have arrived in stores this year near Halloween, the holiday season starts in seven days with Thanksgiving.  And so it will come to pass once again that many people …

Michelle Obama Taps Jackie Norris for Chief of Staff  —  Incoming first lady Michelle Obama has tapped Jackie Norris, President-elect Barack Obama's Iowa state director, to be her chief of staff.  Norris, a high school government and history teacher and longtime Iowa Democrat …

Exclusive: Pritzker turns down Commerce  —  Chicago businesswoman Penny Pritzker, national campaign finance chairwoman for the Obama campaign, has taken herself out of the running to be secretary of Commerce because of vetting issues, a Democratic official said.

First Steps to GOP Recovery  —  How can the Republican Party rebound?  The first step would be to quit letting Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham set its agenda.  —  A second step would be for Congressional Republicans to actually try to help President-elect Barack Obama succeed …

Another guilty plea in Abramoff probe  —  In the investigation of convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff, a former aide to Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo.) has pleaded guilty to accepting an illegal gift of a trip to the World Series and admission to a strip club.  —  Trevor Blackann, 34 …

FHA-Backed Loans: The New Subprime  —  The same people whose reckless practices triggered the global financial crisis are onto a similar scheme that could cost taxpayers tons more  —  As if they haven't done enough damage.  Thousands of subprime mortgage lenders and brokers …