Gates agrees to stay on under Obama  —  Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has agreed to stay on under President-elect Obama, according to officials in both parties.  Obama plans to announce a national-security team early next week that includes Gates at the Pentagon and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton …

Exceptional news: John Brennan won't be CIA Director or DNI  —  (updated below - Update II - Update III)  —  This is really exceptional news on multiple levels — the best political news I've heard since the election: … Brennan's self-defense here is quite disingenuous.

Is Clinton barred from State job?  —  Pete Williams of NBC raised the question on MSNBC this afternoon: Is Hillary Clinton barred by the Constitution from accepting the post of secretary of state?  —  Article One, Section Six of the U.S. Constitution says:

Barack Obama chafes inside the ‘bubble’  —  Barack Obama wants his BlackBerry back - or at least some good way to communicate better with people outside the immediate circle of the president-elect.  —  And Obama isn't too impressed with the way that automakers have conducted themselves …

Politico's journalist malpractice  —  Today brings two of the most jaw-droppingly moronic stories I've ever seen, both in Politico, both written by Erika Lovley, who one can only assume is either the most dimwitted, gullible reporter in D.C. or ... um, I can't think of another explanation.

The Anti-Obama Ad Campaign That Never Happened  —  What if the McCain campaign had run ads using footage of Barack Obama dancing with Ellen DeGeneres to show his coziness with celebrity?  Or followed up on its Paris Hilton ad with others featuring Donald Trump and Jessica Simpson?

State justice confirms he yelled “Tyrant!” at Mukasey before AG collapsed  —  Richard Sanders, a justice on the Washington State Supreme Court, has never been one to shy from controversy or blunt language.  And last week, as he sat at a Federalist Society dinner and listened …

WE HEAR . . . WE HEAR  —  THAT although we didn't think it would be pos sible to silence Ann Coulter, the leggy reaction- ary broke her jaw and the mouth that roared has been wired shut . . . THAT the Tel Aviv Hilton was abuzz Saturday with the arrival of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock …

Throw The Bums Out  —  In a sign that the End Times are upon us, I actually agree with a WSJ Opinion column: … I have no idea.  The same goes for a lot of senior management.  If some particular division of Citi has done well over the past few years, I can see letting the management of that division stay on.

Norquist: 'The Economy's In The Present State' Because Democrats Took Control Of Congress In 2006  —  On CNBC this morning, Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist claimed that the current financial crisis facing America is rooted in the fact that Democrats took control of the House and Senate in 2006.

The Truth About the Election  —  As he demonstrated in his campaign for the presidency, Barack Obama thinks long.  Hence, the new President-elect is better prepared to take office than any other newly elected chief executive in the history of the modern presidency.

Fundraiser canned on claims disease affects only whites  —  Carleton University won't be holding a popular fundraiser to benefit cystic fibrosis, it was confirmed Tuesday, after the student council passed a motion falsely claiming the disease affects only white men.

Inquiry Set on Mormon Aid for California Marriage Vote  —  SAN FRANCISCO — California officials will investigate accusations that the Mormon Church neglected to report a battery of nonmonetary contributions — including phone banks, a Web site and commercials — on behalf of a ballot measure to ban same-sex marriage.

Great Engine of China Slows  —  MA'ANSHAN, China — The Ma'anshan Iron and Steel Company recently opened a giant $3 billion steel mill on the outskirts of this city.  The mill, which covers one and a half square miles and has its own power plant and shipping port, was built to help meet China's seemingly insatiable appetite for growth.