Court won't review Obama's eligibility to serve  —  Featured Topics: - Barack Obama - Presidential Transition  —  WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court has turned down an emergency appeal from a New Jersey man who says President-elect Barack Obama is ineligible to be president because he was a British subject at birth.

Tribune Co. files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection  —  The Chicago-based company, which owns the L.A. Times and KTLA Channel 5, will stop making interest payments on $12 billion in debt as it attempts to restructure its loans, chairman Sam Zell says.  —  The company that owns the Los Angeles Times …

9/11 suspects ask to make ‘confessions’ at Gitmo  —  GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba - The alleged mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks and four co-defendants told a military judge Monday they want to immediately confess at their war-crimes tribunal, setting up likely guilty pleas and their possible executions.

Thain Spars With Board Over Bonus at Merrill  —  Merrill Lynch & Co. chief John Thain has suggested to directors that he get a 2008 bonus of as much as $10 million, but the battered securities firm's compensation committee is resisting his request, according to people familiar with the situation.

Small Isn't Beautiful  —  President-elect Barack Obama and a Democratic Congress are about to serve up a supersized helping of big-government liberalism.  Conservatives will be inclined to oppose much of what Obama and his party cook up.  And, I believe, rightly so.

In Defense Of Sarah Palin  —  Will, a loyal Dish reader, writes: … I agree.  While signing off, Andrew mentioned the months long argument he and I have had with regard to Sarah Palin's fifth child.  I am the only other person who has read all the obstetrician interviews …

Stoking Fear Everywhere You Look  —  With unemployment figures beginning to resemble a mushroom cloud and the Fed running out of card tricks, I told a friend we were going to spend the weekend at my house making hard choices — scrutinizing every expense, eliminating spending where we could and downsizing at every turn.

Liberals voice concerns about Obama  —  Liberals are growing increasingly nervous - and some just flat-out angry - that President-elect Barack Obama seems to be stiffing them on Cabinet jobs and policy choices.  —  Obama has reversed pledges to immediately repeal tax cuts for the wealthy and take on Big Oil.

Sen. Weingarten?!  (Updated)  —  While media attention has been focused since last week on speculation that Caroline Kennedy is interested in replacing Hillary Clinton in the US Senate, a new name that is sure to raise some eyebrows popped up today: Teachers union honcho Randi Weingarten.

RICE TO HOST HRC TONIGHT  —  From NBC's Libby Leist  —  Two of the most powerful women in the world will meet for dinner tonight when Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice hosts Hillary Clinton for dinner at Rice's Watergate apartment, State Department transition sources tell NBC News.

Senator Nanny?  Fran Wants It!  —  Appoint her, or she'll run.  —  Fran Drescher wants to replace Hillary Clinton in the Senate.  She says she's qualified.  “I've just been given the appointment of U.S. diplomat,” she said at a party for Le Cirque: A Table in Heaven at that restaurant on December 3.

Wright: Obama made ‘bad’ choice to distance self, but it's ok  —  President-elect Barack Obama made a “bad decision” by distancing himself from the Rev. Jeremiah Wright and his church, Wright said Sunday — but that's OK.  —  “He's still my child,” Wright said in a sermon in which he expressed pride …

5 Guards Charged With Manslaughter in Iraq Deaths  —  WASHINGTON — In the first public airing of a case that remains the source of fierce international outrage, the Justice Department unsealed indictments here against five Blackwater security guards, accusing them of manslaughter and misuse …

Our Mutual Joy  —  Opponents of gay marriage often cite Scripture.  But what the Bible teaches about love argues for the other side.  —  From the magazine issue dated Dec 15, 2008  —  Let's try for a minute to take the religious conservatives at their word and define marriage as the Bible does.

Times Co. to borrow against building  —  The New York Times Company plans to borrow up to $225 million against its mid-Manhattan headquarters building, to ease a potential cash flow squeeze as the company grapples with tighter credit and shrinking profits.  —  The company has retained Cushman …

Are Republicans on the March?  —  In the wake of an election cycle dominated by bad news for Republicans, the last five days have been a welcome relief.  —  Georgia Sen. Saxby Chambliss cruised to a runoff victory last Tuesday, and House Republicans held Louisiana's 4th district and pulled off …

NEW FACES  —  I talked to a reporter today who's writing about the turnover on the Sunday shows, particularly David Gregory getting the nod to take over for the late Tim Russert as the host of Meet the Press and John King taking over the CNN show.  One thing that struck me though …

The Malcolm Gladwell Backlash  —  I've really been taken aback by a lot of the hostile response to Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers that I've read.  This isn't a book without flaws.  But the flaws in the book are flaws that have long been present in Gladwell's writing.

Paul Volcker is back, and he warns of tough times ahead  —  Volcker has been chosen by President-elect Barack Obama as a special economic advisor.  His ‘no pain, no gain’ fiscal strategy worked in the '80s and there's no sign he's softened that philosophy.  —  A generation ago …