Sarah Palin: Conservative of the Year  —  Sarah Palin wins HUMAN EVENTS' prestigious “Conservative of the Year” Award for 2008 for her genius at annoying all the right people.  The last woman to get liberals this hot under the collar would have been ... let's see now ... oh, yeah: Me!

For Conservative Radio, It's a New Dawn, Too  —  Amid all the pressures on the radio industry, news-talk stations see an opportunity — and his name is Barack Obama.  —  After eight years of playing defense for President Bush, the conservatives who dominate talk radio are back on offense.

A Special Note Re: Third Way  —  This is Jennifer Palmieri, acting CEO of the Center for American Progress Action Fund.  —  Most readers know that the views expressed on Matt's blog are his own and don't always reflect the views of the Center for American Progress Action Fund.

Poll finds public split on Obama aides' contacts with Blagojevich  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — A new national poll indicates Americans are split on whether aides to President-elect Barack Obama did something inappropriate in their contacts with embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Cheney says top congressional Democrats complicit in spying  —  (updated below - Update II)  —  Dick Cheney's interview yesterday with Fox's Chris Wallace was filled with significant claims, but certainly among the most significant was his detailed narration of how the administration …

Life Without Bubbles  —  Whatever the new administration does, we're in for months, perhaps even a year, of economic hell.  After that, things should get better, as President Obama's stimulus plan — O.K., I'm told that the politically correct term is now “economic recovery plan” — begins to gain traction.

Newspaper Shuns Web, and Thrives  —  With 2008 drawing to a brutal close on the media beat — bankruptcies, daily newspapers that are no longer daily, magazines that are downsizing into brochures — a little ray of light appeared in my e-mail inbox.  It was from a newspaper owner, of all people.

Sweet Bailout  —  Looks to me like the $700 billion rescue package may have been $1.6 billion too large: … A lot of people are going to read this as a confirmation of the Sirota/Pence view that government intervention was unnecessary.  I don't see it that way.

Toyota Expects Its First Loss in 70 Years  —  TOKYO — Toyota Motor, the Japanese auto giant, announced Monday that it expected the first loss in 70 years in its core vehicle-making business, underscoring how the economic crisis is spreading across the global auto industry.

Krugman in contact with the Obama team?  —  Yes.  —  When master economist, columnist, and plain ole intellectual (so few left these days) Paul Krugman was asked this morning* about whether or not he was “in communications” with the Obama administration regarding the economy, he declared …

Inauguration Day Crowd Estimate Reduced by Half  —  Officials are casting doubt on an early projection that 4 million to 5 million people could jam downtown Washington on Inauguration Day, saying it is more likely that the crowd will be about half that size.

Developers Ask U.S. for Bailout  —  With a record amount of commercial real-estate debt coming due, some of the country's biggest property developers have become the latest to go hat-in-hand to the government for assistance.  —  They're warning policymakers that thousands of office complexes …

Biden: I'll be different vice president  —  (CNN) — In an interview with CNN's Larry King that will air at 9 p.m. ET Monday, Vice President-elect Joseph Biden discussed what role he will play in decision-making at the White House.  Biden also said the U.S. will remove combat troops from Iraq within two years.

Mika Brzezinski, Letting Her Opinions Percolate on ‘Morning Joe’ and the Radio  —  Mika Brzezinski doesn't mince words about what happened when CBS dropped her as a correspondent two years ago.  —  “Nobody wanted me,” she says.  “I spent a year looking for a job.

Fundraiser seeks immunity in Blagojevich probe  —  Blagojevich allegedly pressured ‘Individual D’ for cash to pick Jackson  —  A key figure in Gov. Rod Blagojevich's alleged scheme to sell a U.S. Senate seat has sought immunity from federal authorities in return for his cooperation in their ongoing probe, the Tribune has learned.

Popularity Isn't Everything  —  O.K., O.K. ...  you don't have to.  But consider this exchange with Chris Wallace on “Fox News Sunday”:  —  WALLACE: Did you really tell Senator Leahy, bleep yourself?  —  CHENEY: I did.  —  WALLACE: Any qualms, or second thoughts, or embarrassment?

Editors' Note  —  Earlier this morning, we posted a letter that was signed by Bertrand Delanoe, the mayor of Paris, sharply criticizing Caroline Kennedy.  —  This letter was a fake.  It should not have been published.  —  Doing so violated both our standards and our procedures in publishing signed letters from our readers.

the big rick's yamaka  —  OMG. when was the last time i had so many minutes to play with my blog? awesome.  —  so honey met rick warren last night.  well, she spoke to him on the phone beforehand, giving us insight into the man the media has made our latest “HE HATES YOU!” …

Card companies adjusting credit limits  —  For some, lowering based on where they shop  —  Kevin D. Johnson returned from a dreamy Jamaican honeymoon in October eager to check out wedding photos and help his new wife open stacks of beautifully wrapped wedding gifts.

Where'd the bailout money go?  Shhhh, it's a secret  —  Featured Topics: - Barack Obama - Presidential Transition  —  WASHINGTON - It's something any bank would demand to know before handing out a loan: Where's the money going?  —  But after receiving billions in aid from U.S. taxpayers …

LI REP GETS FACE TIME IN SEN. BID  —  GOV. Paterson will hold direct talks with Long Island Rep. Steve Israel about picking him, and not Caroline Kennedy, to replace Hillary Rodham Clinton in the US Senate during their surprise trip to Iraq, The Post has learned.  Israel has made no...

The City Where the Sirens Never Sleep  —  Detroit is dying.  But, it is not dead yet.  —  This is the place where bad times get sent to make them belong to somebody else, thus, it seems easy to agree about Detroit because the city embodies everything the rest of the country wants to get over.