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 …

Why do Feinstein and Wyden sound much different on the torture issue now?  —  Time constraints prevented me yesterday from writing about Dianne Feinstein's comments concerning torture in yesterday's New York Times, in which the California Senator — who will replace Jay Rockefeller as Chairperson …

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 …

SPITZER'S REHABILITATION CONTINUES.... A few weeks ago, former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) had a very smart op-ed in the Washington Post on capitalism and the ongoing financial crisis.  I suggested at the time that Spitzer has spent enough time in the penalty box, and given his background …

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.

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 …

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 …

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.

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.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.

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.

Chambliss's Win in Georgia Shows Obama's Diminishing Coattails  —  Saxby Chambliss has won the Georgia runoff by a 57.4 percent-to-42.6 percent margin with 97 percent of precincts reporting.  That's a margin of 14.8 percentage points, far greater than the 49.8 percent-to-46.8 percent margin …

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.

CNN Cuts Entire Science, Tech Team  —  Despite network's intention to launch wire service, compete with the AP  —  CNN, the Cable News Network, announced yesterday that it will cut its entire science, technology, and environment news staff, including Miles O'Brien, its chief technology …

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.

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.

Silver Line To Dulles Wins Crucial Federal Okay  —  With Key Agency's Reversal, Final Approval Is Expected  —  Federal regulators have approved a long-awaited extension of Metrorail to Tysons Corner and Dulles International Airport, virtually assuring construction of a $5.2 billion project …

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) …

Response by The New York Times  —  Response to 1 Shortly after Sept. 11, 2001, an assortment of large United States-based corporations began opening small offices offshore in an effort to reduce their federal tax burden by declaring themselves foreign companies.

Inaugural Nudge: Leave The Little Guys at Home  —  Organizers of President-elect Barack Obama's Jan. 20 swearing-in ceremony are being as kid-friendly as a snooty, high-priced restaurant.  —  Officials are banning all strollers and backpacks and make a point of saying on their Web site that …