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.

Suit contesting Barack Obama's citizenship heads to U.S. Supreme Court Friday  —  Justices will decide whether to consider the case  —  The U.S. Supreme Court will consider Friday whether to take up a lawsuit challenging President-elect Barack Obama's U.S. citizenship …

Looking for the Ideal Spot to Make a Speech  —  WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama's aides say he is considering making a major foreign policy speech from an Islamic capital during his first 100 days in office.  —  So where should he do it?  The list of Islamic world capitals is long …

Why do Feinstein and Wyden sound much different on the torture issue now?  —  (updated below w/ statement from Sen. Wyden's office)  —  Time constraints prevented me yesterday from writing about Dianne Feinstein's comments concerning torture in yesterday's New York Times …

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 …

NBCU To Cut 500 Jobs, Layoffs Begin at NBC News Bureaus  —  Breaking: TVNewser has learned NBC Universal will be cutting up to 500 jobs in a round of layoffs which are now underway at all levels of the company — television, film and parks.  That amounts to about 3% of the workforce.

Worries about next year  —  I've been ruminating over economic prospects for next year, and I'm getting scared.  —  Two points:  —  1. The economy is falling fast.  We'll see what tomorrow's employment report says, but we could well be losing jobs at a rate of 450,000 or 500,000 a month.

Say it Ain't So, Sarah, Another 30K?  —  The Republican National Committee is scheduled to file a campaign report with the Federal Election Commission Thursday disclosing that the committee spent additional funds to clothe and accessorize vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

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.

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 …

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.

U.S. to Raise ‘Irregular War’ Capabilities  —  The Pentagon this week approved a major policy directive that elevates the military's mission of “irregular warfare” — the increasingly prevalent campaigns to battle insurgents and terrorists, often with foreign partners and sometimes clandestinely …

Hutchison launches gubernatorial committee  —  Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison today launched a committee to explore a run for governor in 2010.  —  Hutchison's paperwork, filed at the Texas Ethics Commission, names Allan “Bud” Shivers Jr. of Austin as her campaign treasurer.  Fetch the one-pager here.

Women Abroad and Men at Home  —  Truett Cates was scanning a wall of study abroad brochures across from his desk.  “Let me put on my bifocals here — just a quick impression — I see one brochure for Australia and New Zealand, which has one guy on the cover of it,” said Cates …

Auto CEOs Return to Capitol Hill  —  Automakers Appear Before Lawmakers to Convince Them of Need for Federal Bailout  —  Leaders of the automotive industry returned to Capitol Hill today to convince Congress that they need a massive loan to keep the industry on its feet.

Free Plaxico Burress  —  New York City's gun law is unconstitutional.  —  New York Giants star receiver Plaxico Burress is facing a mandatory 3½ years in prison and the end of his football career.  His crime?  Not having a license, which New York City never would have issued him …

RNC chair discloses comeback plan  —  Sen. Saxby Chambliss' reelection this week was a tremendous victory for the people of Georgia.  Voters went to the polls on Tuesday and selected a strong leader prepared to deal with both the domestic and the foreign challenges our nation faces in the months and years to come.

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.

Becerra in Chicago to Meet with Obama About USTR Job  —  Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.), who's a top candidate to be U.S. Trade Representative in the incoming administration, is in Chicago today to meet with President-elect Barack Obama to discuss the job.  Becerra, an eight-term congressman …

Hillary and the Constitution  —  Members of the Senate are not above the law.  —  What's a little matter like the Constitution among friends?  That's a question a few legal eagles are asking as they note that Hillary Clinton can't become Secretary of State thanks to something called the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution.

LEAKS PEEVE NBC  —  NBC is holding back from anointing David Gregory as the new host of “Meet the Press” because “they're furious about leaks” that tipped off the media, well-placed sources told Page Six.  The infamous in-house squabbling over Tim Russert's replacement “is at a new peak” …

Real balance effects (wonkish)  —  I'm continuing to indulge myself over Depression economics.  So here's a reply to people wondering why I dismissed the real balance effect — the fact that a fall in the price level raises the real value of the money supply (or more strictly the monetary base) …