Transition Holds Clues to How Obama Will Govern  —  WASHINGTON — On the day before moving into the nation's most storied house, Barack Obama visited a shelter for teenagers with no home.  With sleeves rolled up, he spent a few minutes painting for the benefit of the cameras that trail him everywhere now.

The Nation Awaits Its 44th President  —  WASHINGTON — Tens of thousands thronged to the Capitol this morning preparing to witness the midday inauguration of Barack Obama of Illinois as the 44th president of the United States and the first African American to hold the nation's highest elected office.

Al Qaeda bungles arms experiment  —  Biological or chemical weapons  —  An al Qaeda affiliate in Algeria closed a base earlier this month after an experiment with unconventional weapons went awry, a senior U.S. intelligence official said Monday.  —  The official, who spoke on the condition …

I Pledge to Ridicule Celebrities Who Refuse to Recognize We Are At War With People Who Want to Kill Them, Too  —  Many of the celebrities that were central to demonizing and making life impossible for President Bush for eight loathsome years NOW want to help with the heavy lifting of bringing America …

Cornyn likely to block Clinton vote  —  Hillary Clinton has rejected a request by Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) to increase oversight of her husband's foundation — so Cornyn is expected to scuttle Democratic attempts to confirm her as Secretary of State today by a voice vote, sources say.

Pray Obama fails  —  Many American Christians believe, as an article of faith, that we are to pray for the success of our leaders.  —  It has become a sort of conventional wisdom among soft-minded believers.  The biblical proof-text for this misguided way of thinking is Romans 13:1-4:

Cheney Pulls Muscle and Is in Wheelchair  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Dick Cheney pulled a muscle in his back on Monday while moving boxes and will be in a wheelchair for Tuesday's inauguration ceremony.  —  The White House press secretary, Dana Perino, said Mr. Cheney was helping …

Will Obama's Inaugural Address Be One for the Ages?  —  Millions of people, hundreds of parties, tens of millions of dollars in security, and in 10 years' time, if President-elect Barack Obama is lucky, all that most people will likely recall from his inauguration is one sentence.

BDS rages in DuPont Circle  —  This morning, in DuPont Circle, eight blocks from the White House, Bush Derangement Syndrome raged among the old coots of VFP, VVAW, IVAW, Code Pink, World Can't Wait and who knows who else was there.  Their main attraction was throwing shoes at this thirty-foot blow …

Bush's Real Sin Was Winning in Iraq  —  In a few hours, George W. Bush will walk out of the Oval Office for the last time as president.  As he leaves, he carries with him the near-universal opprobrium of the permanent class that inhabits our nation's capital.

Mayor admits '05 relationship with teen  —  After many denials, Adams confesses to relationship with man, 18, in '05  —  PORTLAND, Ore. - More than a year after denying it, the newly elected mayor of Portland has admitted having a sexual relationship with a male teenager in 2005.

Obama's link to America: his BlackBerry  —  As president, keeping in touch with friends and critics alike will be crucial to his ability to govern.  —  'Let the man have his BlackBerry.  I said that to a meeting of senior transition staffers in Washington last week.

Gordon Brown brings Britain to the edge of bankruptcy  —  Iain Martin says the Prime Minister hasn't ‘saved the world’ and now faces disgrace in the history books  —  They don't know what they're doing, do they?  With every step taken by the Government as it tries frantically to prop …

Marty Lederman joins the Office of Legal Counsel  —  Some of you may have noticed that Marty Lederman has not been blogging recently at Balkinization.  The reason is that he has been working on the Department of Justice Transition team.  As of today, the commencement of the Obama Administration …

Much in Obama stimulus bill won't hit economy soon  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — It will take years before an infrastructure spending program proposed by President-elect Barack Obama will boost the economy, according to congressional economists.  —  The findings, released to lawmakers Sunday …