Most blacks say MLK's vision fulfilled, poll finds  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — More than two-thirds of African-Americans believe Martin Luther King Jr.'s vision for race relations has been fulfilled, a CNN poll found — a figure up sharply from a survey in early 2008.

10 Bush pardons to watch for  —  As the clock ticks down on his presidency, George W. Bush has shown few signs he plans to indulge in the frenzy of last-minute pardons that marked Bill Clinton's final hours in the Oval Office.  —  But Bush could quickly leap back into the spotlight in the next …

Gay Bishop Kicks off Celebrity-filled Event  —  WASHINGTON — Gene Robinson, the divisive figure who was the first openly Episcopal gay bishop, led the invocation at today's inaugural kickoff.  —  Robinson prayed for God to “bless this nation with anger - anger at discrimination …

CAROLINE THE ‘CERTAIN’ PICK FOR DAVE: RIVALS  —  DESPITE claims that he's still undecided, Gov. Paterson is “certain” to pick Caroline Kennedy to replace Hillary Rodham Clinton in the US Senate, several unhappy contenders for the job have told friends and associates in recent days.

Wall Street Voodoo  —  Old-fashioned voodoo economics — the belief in tax-cut magic — has been banished from civilized discourse.  The supply-side cult has shrunk to the point that it contains only cranks, charlatans, and Republicans.  —  But recent news reports suggest that many influential people …

Likud, Kadima escalate mutual attacks  —  The Likud and Kadima parties intensified their attacks against each other on Sunday after the cease-fire took effect in the Gaza Strip, formally ending Operation Cast Lead and restarting the election campaign.  —  The first polls taken …

No Bush moving trucks needed Inauguration Day  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) - On Inauguration day, there's one scene at the White House that won't be playing out exactly as it has during past transitions: the traditional moving of the outgoing First Family's belongings.

Parsing Gains of Gaza War  —  GAZA — The Parliament building here has been reduced to rubble.  The five-story engineering department of the Islamic University is a pile of folded concrete.  Police stations, mosques and hundreds of homes have been blown away.

Obama Reaches Out for McCain's Counsel  —  WASHINGTON — Not long after Senator John McCain returned last month from an official trip to Iraq and Pakistan, he received a phone call from President-elect Barack Obama.  —  As contenders for the presidency, the two had hammered each …

INAUGURAL COSTS.... This week, inaugural festivities are a pretty big deal — in D.C., throughout the country, and even around the world — but it appears some news outlets have found a way to find fault with the celebration.  —  The AP, for example, reported, “Unemployment is up.  The stock market is down.

TPM LAUNCHES TPMDC  —  Today, on the eve of the inaugural, TPM is launching a new politics blog, TPMDC.com.  It's the successor to TPM Election Central.  Our team covering the Capital under the new administration will be Elana Schor, who joined our team earlier this month, covering Capitol Hill …

Ex-Senator Considered as Envoy to Mideast  —  WASHINGTON — People close to Secretary of State-designate Hillary Rodham Clinton said Sunday that George J. Mitchell, a former Senate majority leader and the chairman of a Middle East peace commission in 2001, was a leading candidate …

The Next War President  —  In synagogue on Saturday, before saying the customary prayer for our country, the rabbi asked us to reflect on the fact that a new president would be inaugurated on Tuesday, and urged us to focus a little more intently than usual on the prayer.

More Americans Joining Military as Jobs Dwindle  —  As the number of jobs across the nation dwindles, more Americans are joining the military, lured by a steady paycheck, benefits and training.  —  The last fiscal year was a banner one for the military, with all active-duty and reserve forces meeting …

Bush shoe man in Swiss asylum bid  —  Mr Zaidi's attack was launched with the words “this is a farewell kiss, you dog”  —  The Iraqi journalist who hurled his shoes at US President George W Bush is seeking asylum in Switzerland, Swiss newspaper Tribune de Geneve reports.

OBAMA'S READING LIST.... Barack Obama, it is safe to say, likes books more than his predecessor did.  We know that much because he has written a couple of good ones — most notably, the well-received memoir Dreams From My Father, which launched him into the public sphere as a writer …

Scale of Gaza destruction emerges  —  The full scale of devastation in Gaza following Israel's three-week offensive is becoming clear, after both Israel and Hamas declared ceasefires.  —  UN official John Ging said half a million people had been without water since the conflict began, and huge numbers of people were without power.