Obama to GOP: ‘I won’  —  President Obama listened to Republican gripes about his stimulus package during a meeting with congressional leaders Friday morning - but he also left no doubt about who's in charge of these negotiations.  “I won,” Obama noted matter-of-factly, according to sources familiar with the conversation.

DAVE PICKS GILLIBRAND AS LIBERAL DEMS HOWL  —  ALBANY - Gov. Paterson, defying the liberal wing of his Democratic Party, has chosen little-known, NRA-backed, upstate Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand to succeed Hillary Rodham Clinton as New York's junior senator, it was learned last night.

Obama reverses Bush abortion-funds policy  —  Featured Topics: - Barack Obama - Presidential Transition  —  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama on Friday struck down the Bush administration's ban on giving federal money to international groups that perform abortions or provide abortion information …

Suspected U.S. Missile Strikes Kill at Least 20 in Pakistan  —  Attacks in Northwest Border Province Are First Since Obama's Inauguration  —  At least 20 people were killed in northwest Pakistan near the border of Afghanistan on Friday in two suspected U.S. missile strikes …

Palin's “Donated” Clothes Stashed in Trash Bags at RNC  —  Despite the Republican National Committee's promise to donate Sarah Palin's $180,000 campaign wardrobe to charity, word has it the Alaska governor's clothes remain stuffed in trash bags at RNC headquarters, NewMajority has learned.

NRCC: “Economy is Robust and Job Creation is Strong”  —  Looks like our counterparts at the National Republican Congressional Committee still have their heads in the sand.  —  NRCC.org:  —  I'm sure the millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet in this “robust” …

John McCain Does the Impossible  —  John McCain has prompted me to say the unthinkable.  —  The right man won in 2008.  —  I say this because the circumstances of Hillary Clinton being Secretary of State, while foreign governments have donated $41 million to her husband's foundation …

The 25 Most Influential Liberals In The U.S. Media  —  Edited by Tunku Varadarajan, Elisabeth Eaves and Hana R. Alberts, 01.22.09, 04:02 PM EST  —  Listen for their voices during the Obama era.  —  Barack Obama's inauguration was the formal point at which the reigning ideology in Washington changed from “conservative” to “liberal.”

Obama waives lobbying rules for Lynn  —  The Obama administration has waived its ethics rules to allow William Lynn to serve as the deputy secretary of Defense.  —  Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) said he supports Lynn's nomination and looks “forward to prompt consideration by the Senate.”

Bruno indicted  —  Grand jury issues 8-count indictment for mail and wire fraud  —  ALBANY — A federal grand jury today indicted former state Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno, accusing him of eight counts of public corruption.  —  Bruno is scheduled to appear before a federal magistrate at 1:30 p.m. today.

Former Bush Speechwriter: Obama Is “Most Dangerous Man Ever To Occupy Oval Office”  —  Former Bush chief speechwriter Marc Thiessen kicked up a big fuss yesterday with a Washington Post Op ed slamming Obama's executive orders by saying that if there's another terror attack, “Americans will hold Obama responsible.”

Toomey bags Senate run, takes steps in possible guv bid  —  Former Lehigh Valley Congressman Pat Toomey has decided against a repeat run for Senate in 2010, turning instead toward a possible bid for governor as he reaches out to Republicans statewide to assess his potential candidacy next year.

“Drunken Negro Face” Cookies On Sale at Greenwich Village Bakery  —  [UPDATE BELOW] At at a time when any decent baker should have been selling racially harmonious black and white cookies by the truckload, one Greenwich Village bakery popular with celebrities and shows like Sex and the City …

Media advance falsehood that Pentagon has confirmed that 61 former Guantánamo detainees have returned to battlefield  —  Since President Barack Obama signed an executive order requiring that the detention facilities at Guantánamo Bay be closed within a year …

Don't just stand there, do something!  —  Tyler Cowen calls this, from Warren Buffet, the best argument for stimulus so far: … At least it's honest.  And it may well be that merely being seen to be doing something is necessary—that aggregate demand will sag worse if the public perceives that there is no sheriff in town.

The Car of the Future Promised for October  —  The car of the future is almost here.  —  Aptera Motors has rolled out the first pre-production model of the 2e, an all-electric three-wheeled two-seater that gets the equivalent of 200 mpg and goes 100 miles on a charge.

Infrastructure: It's Job 1 to Americans  —  A poll finds near unanimous support for rebuilding.  —  I'm a pollster and political consultant associated with Republican causes: the Contract with America, the “death tax” and, of course, ending wasteful Washington spending.

ACLU Lays Off A Tenth Of Workforce  —  The American Civil Liberties Union, impacted by the unfolding economic crisis, laid off ten percent of its national workforce this week.  Thirty-six staffers lost their jobs, including five in the Washington, D.C. legislative office, a source familiar with the firings told the Huffington Post.

No Snickering: That Road Sign Means Something Else  —  CRAPSTONE, England — When ordering things by telephone, Stewart Pearce tends to take a proactive approach to the inevitable question “What is your address?”  —  He lays it out straight, so there is no room for unpleasant confusion.

Obama's Inaugural Surprise  —  Fascinating speech.  It was so rhetorically flat, so lacking in rhythm and cadence, one almost has to believe he did it on purpose.  Best not to dazzle on Opening Day.  Otherwise, they'll expect magic all the time.  —  The most striking characteristic …