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 …

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 …

Obama's Mother-in-Law to Move Into the White House  —  (Photo: Ted S. Warren/Associated Press)  —  It's official: Marian Robinson, the 71-year-old mother-in-law of President-elect Barack Obama, will be moving into the White House, transition officials said on Friday.

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.

Unemployment Hits 7.2%, a 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 big losses in the months ahead.  December's job losses brought the total for 2008 …

Blackburn says foreclosure notice on Brentwood home bank's mistake  —  A foreclosure notice published Thursday on 7th District Congressman Marsha Blackburn's Murray Lane home in Brentwood was the result of her bank's failure to make automatic payments to Countrywide Home Loans, according to her staff.

AN IMPORTANT CAUTION  —  From TPM Reader LG ...  I think we're in a genuine crisis.  One that is immediate and an overlapping one that is going to stretch far into the future.  But we all, and I don't exclude myself, must be ever wary of the way our own egos and excessive regard …

Endgame in Gaza  —  Israel's leaders have purposely obscured their war aims in Gaza.  But there are only two possible endgames: (A) a Lebanon-like cessation of hostilities to be supervised by international observers, or (B) the disintegration of Hamas rule in Gaza.

Iran's Hottest Porn Video  —  The Farewell Chronicles: Survivors of the Bush Presidency Speak Out  —  Blogs and Stories  —  A hidden camera catches an Iranian cleric committing adultery, and the video rockets around the blogosphere, where a new generation can finally skirt state censorship.

Al Sharpton Filling Liberal Seat on ‘Hannity’ Premiere  —  Rep. Michelle Bachman (R-Minn.) will fill the seat on the right  —  The new Alan Colmes-less Hannity premieres Monday with frequent Fox News guest Al Sharpton filling the liberal seat on Sean Hannity's newly christened “Great American Panel.”

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.

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.

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 …

The Confidence Surplus  —  Christina Romer is Barack Obama's choice to lead his Council of Economic Advisers.  In 1994, Romer and her husband, David, wrote an essay entitled “What Ends Recessions?”  In the first paragraph, the Romers noted that “economists seem strangely unsure …