Matthews advised to quit MSNBC  —  Chris Matthews is dead serious about running for the Senate in Pennsylvania - and shopping for a house in the state and privately discussing quitting MSNBC as proof of his intense interest, according to NBC colleagues, political operatives and friends.

Not Every Vote Counts  —  THE lizard people have eaten a vote in Beltrami County.  That's not so strange in a recount like the one underway in Minnesota — voters do all kinds of inexplicable things like inscribing “lizard people” in the write-in slot, as one did, invalidating his ballot.

U.A.W. Makes Concessions to Help Automakers  —  WASHINGTON — The United Automobile Workers union said Wednesday that it would make major concessions in its contracts with the three Detroit auto companies to help them lobby Congress for $34 billion in federal aid.

Ros-Lehtinen hangs up on Obama.  Twice.  —  Is Ileana Ros-Lehtinen a little paranoid?  —  Maybe.  —  On Wednesday, the Republican congresswoman got a call from President-elect Barack Obama, didn't believe it was him, and hung up on him.  Twice.  —  According to Ros-Lehtinen's flack Alex Cruz …

IDF preparing options for Iran strike  —  The IDF is drawing up options for a strike on Iranian nuclear facilities that do not include coordination with the United States, The Jerusalem Post has learned.  —  While its preference is to coordinate with the US, defense officials have said Israel …

Eric Holder's Politics  —  His years at Clinton Justice don't inspire confidence.  —  One of the media narratives about the Bush Administration has been its “politicization” of the Justice Department.  We've always thought most of that was woven out of whole cloth.

Treasury Weighs Action on Mortgage Rates  —  Intervention Would Aim to Buoy the Housing Market by Forcing Down the Cost of Loans  —  The Treasury Department is strongly considering a plan to intervene directly in the mortgage industry to dramatically force down rates and stimulate …

Medicine for the Job Market  —  A CENTRAL feature of Barack Obama's presidential campaign was an aggressive plan to expand health insurance coverage by subsidizing low-income Americans and preventing discrimination against the ill. In recent weeks, Senators Max Baucus and Ted Kennedy …

Poll: Calif. gay marriage ban driven by religion  —  SAN FRANCISCO - Voters' economic status and religious convictions played a greater role than race and age in determining whether they supported the Nov. 4 ballot measure outlawing same-sex marriage in California, a new poll shows.

Actress, FBI Agent, Wiretapper, Spies: A Washington Love Story  —  The FBI agent who stands accused of accessing bureau computers for a notorious Hollywood private eye is no stranger to controversy.  —  Mark Rossini, 46, was a favorite go-to guy for national security reporters when he worked in the FBI's media relations office.

McCain Couldn't Compete With Obama's Money  —  America affirms Chicago's Golden Rule.  —  If money talks, we'll likely soon hear the real reason why Barack Obama beat John McCain.  Both men and the national parties will report to the Federal Election Commission today how much money they raised in October and November.

Obama campaign manager to write book  —  NEW YORK (AP) — Barack Obama's campaign manager, David Plouffe, is writing a book about the historic election victory and has retained Washington attorney Robert Barnett, Obama's literary representative, to shop the proposal to publishers.

We need to stop using the bailouts to rebuild gigantic financial institutions.  —  Last month, as the financial crisis and the government rescue plan dominated headlines, almost everyone overlooked a news item that could have enormous long-term impact: GE Capital announced the acquisition …

Campaign Promises on Ending the War in Iraq Now Muted by Reality  —  WASHINGTON — On the campaign trail, Senator Barack Obama offered a pledge that electrified and motivated his liberal base, vowing to “end the war” in Iraq.  —  But as he moves closer to the White House …

NO TRANSITION FROM NONSENSE  —  Congressional Quarterly bemoans Obama's broken promise of a bipartisan cabinet since he's only appointed one Republican to one of the top three positions in government — State, Defense and Treasury ...  I guess maybe it's a slow news period and there's not much to write about.