171 uncounted ballots turn up in Ramsey County; Franken nets gain  —  The final day of recounting in Ramsey County in the U.S. Senate race kicked up controversy today when 171 uncounted ballots from Maplewood turned up.  The ballots apparently had been uncounted because of a ballot-counting-machine malfunction on Election Day.

Obama National Security Picks Get High Marks  —  Sixty-nine percent approve of Obama choosing Hillary Clinton as secretary of state  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Americans widely approve of Barack Obama's decisions, announced on Monday, to name Hillary Clinton secretary of state and to ask Robert Gates to stay on as secretary of defense.

Paterson talks Senate  —  New York Gov. David Paterson joked with Barack Obama about the open Senate seat at the National Governors Association meeting that just ended in Philadelphia, Paterson told Politico.  —  “What he said to me was, 'I'm sure I made your life easier,'” …

Reid: We won't smell the tourists anymore  —  The Capitol Visitors Center, which opened this morning, may have tripled its original budget and fallen years behind schedule, but Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid found a silver lining for members of Congress: tourists won't offend them with their B.O. anymore.

Short Lines at Polls in Georgia Senate Runoff  —  ATLANTA — Georgia voters encountered short lines but heavy campaigning Tuesday on the morning of the state's runoff election for the Senate between the incumbent Republican, Saxby Chambliss, and Democratic challenger Jim Martin.

Christmas Colors for the White House: Red, White and Impeach  —  ** 3:20 p.m. This story updated here: White House Won't Hang Christmas Impeachment Ornament.  When Deborah Lawrence got the invitation from the White House, the Seattle-based artist decided to make a lefty political statement.

Murkowski to Palin: Leave my seat alone  —  Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski has some Republican-to-Republican advice for Gov. Sarah Palin: If you want to make a run at the White House, keep your hands off my Senate seat.  —  Murkowski, up for reelection in 2010, is nervously awaiting word …

Gregory to host ‘Meet the Press’  —  NBC News plans to name David Gregory as moderator of “Meet the Press,” infusing one of television's most prized franchises with a sharp edge leavened by a youthful style and versatility, according to network executives.  —  Gregory, 38, celebrated …

‘Political Archaeologists’ Find Surprises During the Transition  —  WASHINGTON — For the first time since they threw their old, boxy pagers over the White House fence on Jan. 20, 2001 — the BlackBerry as we know it wasn't on the market yet — the alumni of the Clinton Administration have returned to their old haunts.

Gates's Top Deputies May Leave  —  Major Shifts at Pentagon Anticipated in Obama Administration  —  Although President-elect Barack Obama's decision to keep Robert M. Gates at the helm of the Pentagon will provide a measure of continuity for a military fighting two wars …

Bush = Nixon?  Not So Fast, Says FNC's Chris Wallace  —  Last night's special screening of new movie “Frost/Nixon” in Washington, D.C. was an early holiday gift to Beltway liberals, delivering glad tidings of anti-Nixonian feelgood vibes to the permanent Washington establishment …

NIXON TAPES: RUTHLESS, CYNICAL, PROFANE  —  From NBC's John Rutherford  —  Richard Nixon's reputation takes a fresh pounding every time the National Archives releases another batch of audio tapes from his presidency, and today's opening of nearly 200 hours of Nixon White House recordings is no exception.

GM: We need $12 billion to survive  —  Automaker offers plan to slash workers, brands and plants by 2012  —  WASHINGTON - General Motors said Tuesday it needs $4 billion in government loans this month and a total of $12 billion by late March to keep operating.

MISTAKES WERE MADE.  —  I've spent part of the day reading about super senior tranches and synthetic bonds and all the rest, and on some level, I think we're making this too complicated.  The other day, Robert Rubin was asked if he's made mistakes.  “I honestly don't know,” he said.

Mel Martinez To Retire  —  Fla. Sen. Mel Martinez figured to be a top target for Democrats in 2010.  (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)  —  Florida Sen. Mel Martinez (R) has decided against seeking a second term, a decision he will formalize shortly in the Sunshine State, according to an informed party source.

The Sovereignty Dodge  —  What Pakistan Won't Do, the World Should  —  “We don't think the world's great nations and countries can be held hostage by non-state actors,” Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari said yesterday.  Fair enough.  But what is the world to do when those non-state actors operate …

Atheists sue to take God out of state's terrorism law  —  An atheists-rights group is suing the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security because state law requires the agency to stress “dependence on Almighty God as being vital to the security of the Commonwealth.”

More Immigration Losers  —  GOP hardliners need to face reality.  —  Virginia Republican Congressman Virgil Goode's narrow loss to Democrat Tom Perriello became official last week, and it caps another bad showing for immigration restrictionists.  For the second straight election …

Obama picks Richardson for Commerce  —  New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson waves at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Aug. 28, 2008.  (AP Photo/Chris Carlson, File)  —  New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson will be named President-elect Barack Obama's Commerce Secretary at a Chicago press conference tomorrow.

Delinquent Mortgages Set to Nearly Double in 2009  —  The number of consumers with delinquent mortgages is poised to almost double by the end of next year, hitting its highest level in at least 16 years, according to a leading credit bureau.  —  TransUnion LLC, which analyzed …

The Hope for Audacity  —  With the country thrashing around and an incoming president as yet largely untested, hopes hearken backwards, converging on memories—and fantasies—of a time in the previous century when, in the wake of a catastrophic and self-destroying presidency …