The Obama Gap  —  “I don't believe it's too late to change course, but it will be if we don't take dramatic action as soon as possible.  If nothing is done, this recession could linger for years.”  —  So declared President-elect Barack Obama on Thursday, explaining why the nation needs …

Unemployment Hits 7.2%, 16-Year High  —  With the recession in full swing, the nation's employers shed 524,000 jobs in December, the government reported Friday, and a rapidly deteriorating economy promised more significant losses in the months ahead.  December's job losses brought the total …

Not Doing Enough  —  Why I worry that Obama doesn't realize just how bad things are.  —  Does Barack Obama understand the seriousness of the economic crisis?  Yesterday, he laid out his economic agenda, and it was filled with all sorts of important exhortations and proscriptions.

Jan. 1 Attack By CIA Killed Two Leaders Of Al-Qaeda  —  A New Year's Day CIA strike in northern Pakistan killed two top al-Qaeda members long sought by the United States, including the man believed to be behind September's deadly suicide bombing at a Marriott hotel in the Pakistani capital …

Cover-up continues  —  Pro-Israel and conservative blogs have been all over the story of CNN peddling a bit of Hamas theater today.  As you watch this video, take a good look at the supposed “victim” and the medical treatment he receives.  —  After the uproar erupted …

Mere Presidents  —  American leaders are mortal, not magical.  —  He didn't seem distracted, like he was thinking about lunch, and he didn't seem to be deflecting responsibility, but taking it.  This was a relief, and rather unusual in a Washington politician, or pretty much any politician.

POLL: Coleman should concede  —  An exclusive Survey USA poll shows nearly half of Minnesotans surveyed say its time for Republican Norm Coleman to concede the U.S. Senate race to Democrat Al Franken.  —  But the survey does not hold good news for Franken either.

Mitch McConnell Lost His Testicles and Now Infects the Senate GOP With a Cancer  —  Allow me to be blunt:  —  There are some of you who have fallen under McConnell's spell in the same way the lefties have fallen under Obama's spell.  McConnell can do no wrong.

Barack Obama administration ‘prepared to talk to Hamas’  —  The incoming Obama administration is prepared to abandon George Bush's ­doctrine of isolating Hamas by establishing a channel to the Islamist organisation, sources close to the transition team say.

Change in Burris' story?  —  SPRINGFIELD — A potentially troublesome new detail emerged about Roland Burris' controversial U.S. Senate appointment Thursday after a state House panel voted unanimously to recommend Gov. Blagojevich be impeached.  —  For the first time, Burris indicated …

DAN DIKER: A DETERRENT RESTORED?  —  Dan Diker is a foreign policy analyst with the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs.  He writes from Jerusalem today with an optimistic assessment of Israel's current offensive:

Obama mixes some fear into his rhetoric  —  Barack Obama won the White House on a message of hope, but when it comes to dealing with the first test of his presidency, he has mixed in a little fear.  —  As the president-elect works to salvage the slumping economy with his pricy stimulus plan …

House votes to impeach Blagojevich  —  Posted by Ray Long and Rick Pearson a 10:25 a.m.; last updated at 10:40 a.m.; (for the live blog, scroll down)  —  SPRINGFIELD—In a historic vote, the Illinois House has impeached Gov. Rod Blagojevich, directing the Senate to put the state's 40th chief executive …

A Difficult Road Awaits Panetta at the C.I.A.  —  WASHINGTON — As every previous director could attest, succeeding at the helm at the Central Intelligence Agency requires an uneasy balance: being firm enough to impose a White House agenda without inciting a revolt, while winning allegiance …

Eric Holder pushed for controversial clemency  —  As deputy attorney general in 1999, Holder — now attorney general nominee — pressed subordinates to drop objections to clemency for 16 members of violent Puerto Rican nationalist organizations.  —  Reporting from Washington …

Online, Sarah Palin Has Unkind Words for the Press  —  Sarah Palin, still smarting over coverage of her vice presidential run, calls the media's reporting on her family “very scary” and says there may be “a class issue” that explains the more sympathetic treatment of Caroline Kennedy.