History will show that George W Bush was right  —  The American lady who called to see if I would appear on her radio programme was specific.  “We're setting up a debate,” she said sweetly, “and we want to know from your perspective as a historian whether George W Bush was the worst president …

Geithner's Skill May Trump Tax Issue  —  WASHINGTON — If Timothy F. Geithner were a bank, he might well be considered “too big to fail.”  —  In better economic times, Mr. Geithner's confirmation to be President-elect Barack Obama's Treasury secretary might be in danger after the disclosure …

War on Hamas Saps Palestinian Leaders  —  JERUSALEM — Israel hoped that the war in Gaza would not only cripple Hamas, but eventually strengthen its secular rival, the Palestinian Authority, and even allow it to claw its way back into Gaza.  —  But with each day, the authority, its leader …

‘War on terror’ was a mistake, says Miliband  —  The foreign secretary, David Miliband, today argues that the use of the “war on terror” as a western rallying cry since the September 11 attacks has been a mistake that may have caused “more harm than good”.  —  In an article in today's Guardian …

New official portrait released  —  Today we are releasing the new official portrait for President Barack Obama.  —  It was taken by Pete Souza, the newly-announced official White House photographer.  —  It is the first time that an official presidential portrait was taken with a digital camera.

Inaugural Freak Show  —  Blogs and Stories  —  You'll never believe how a Christian right congressman and two anti-abortion protestors have prepared the Capitol for the Obama's inauguration.  —  On January 7, second-term Republican Rep. Paul Broun of Georgia and two friends prayed over a door.

The Minnesota Recount Was Unconstitutional  —  There's still plenty of time for the state to get it right.  —  You would think people would learn.  The recount in the contest between Norm Coleman and Al Franken for a seat in the U.S. Senate isn't just embarrassing.  It is unconstitutional.

New Jersey official: We didn't take the kid because he's named after Hitler  —  So they say. … Dad, who's never been shy with the media, has conspicuously clammed up on why the kids were taken.  Make of that what you will.  A local cop told Fox News that he's dealt with the family …

AP Slammed Bush's ‘Extravagant’ Inaugural in '05, But Now It's Spend, Baby, Spend  —  Four years ago, the Associated Press and others in the press suggested it was in poor taste for Republicans to spend $40 million on President Bush's inauguration.  AP writer Will Lester calculated the impact …

Where Is Oil Going Next?  —  HOUSTON — From the Indian Ocean to the South Atlantic to the Gulf of Mexico, giant supertankers brimming with oil are resting at anchor or slowly tracing racetrack patterns through the sea, heading nowhere.  —  The ships are marking time, serving as floating oil-storage tanks.

Obama to End Military's 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Policy  —  WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama will allow gays to serve openly in the military by overturning the controversial “don't ask, don't tell” policy that marred President Clinton's first days in office, according to incoming White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.

TARP vote to test Obama  —  Top Obama advisers met late Wednesday with Senate Republicans in hopes of defusing a messy fight over bank bailout funds — a first test of strength for the new president and his ability to deliver on his larger economic recovery plan.

Gannett to Furlough Workers for Week  —  The Gannett Company, the nation's largest newspaper publisher, said on Wednesday that it would force thousands of its employees to take a week off without pay in an effort to avoid layoffs.  —  Gannett, which owns 85 daily newspapers across …

Shaky economy means ‘bye-bye baby’ for some  —  Birth rate expected to drop in U.S. as more couples delay family plans  —  Forget about cutting back on cable and pricey cappuccinos.  For some couples, a shaky economy means putting plans to grow or start a family on hold.

Key step to Chavez term law vote  —  Venezuela's national assembly has approved a constitutional amendment to remove limits on how many times President Hugo Chavez can serve.  —  The amendment, which applies to all elected officials, must be approved by a referendum within 30 days, a vote correspondents say is set to be close.

The Audacity of Hoops … The path is a familiar one: Ancestry in Kansas; influences from Africa; a kind of apotheosis in Michael Jordan's Chicago; eventual acclamation by the world.  And while, no, basketball itself won't be sworn in next Tuesday as the 44th president of the U.S. …

Re: Ricardo Montalban  —  Jonah, I'm with you on Ricardo Montalban.  He was one of a select group of actors who could redeem almost any nonsense.  My memory of the Dynasty spin-off, The Colbys, is that he was cast as a guy called “Zach Powers” but played him as his usual Latin charmer anyway.

Bailouts and Stimulus Plans  —  There is an identity in macroeconomics.  It says that in any given year private investment must equal the sum of private savings, corporate savings (retained earnings), and government savings (the government surplus, which is more likely negative, that is, a deficit),

Bank of America to Get Billions in U.S. Aid  —  Deal Is Said to Be Reached on Fresh Bailout Cash; Lender Told Government It Needed Funds to Absorb Ailing Merrill Lynch  —  WASHINGTON — The U.S. government has agreed to commit billions in additional aid to Bank of America Corp. to help …