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.

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.”

Gillibrand unpopular among peers  —  Within the high school gossip circle that is New York's congressional delegation, Kirsten Gillibrand's nickname is “Tracy Flick” — a not-so-flattering reference to the over-eager, blonde, bubbly and viciously competitive Reese Witherspoon character from “Election.”

Matthews questions if Palin can read  —  MSNBC host Chris Matthews suggested Friday that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) may not have the reading or writing ability needed to complete the book she is reportedly shopping.  —  The Los Angeles Times reported Friday that Palin is seeking …

Obama Overturns ‘Mexico City Policy’ Implemented by Reagan  —  U.S. Can Now Give Federal Funding To International Family Planning Groups That Provide Abortion Services  —  President Obama signed an executive order today reversing the ban that prohibits funding to international family planning groups …

“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 …

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.

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 …

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.

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” …

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.

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 …

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 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.”

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 …

Dirk Kempthorne In 2012?  —  Here's a name I've not heard linked with presidential aspirations before: former Idaho governor and senator Dirk Kempthorne.  —  Republicans familiar with his activities say that Kempthorne has begun to reach out to allies gauge their opinion about whether he should run for President in 2012.

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.

Tom Hanks Apologizes for Calling Mormon Supporters of Proposition 8 ‘Un-American’  —  Tom Hanks says he's sorry he told FOXNews.com that Mormons who supported California's constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage were “un-American.”  —  “Last week, I labeled members of the Mormon church …

Ill. gov tells AP that strain is like Pearl Harbor  —  CHICAGO (AP) — Illinois' embattled but defiant governor turned to the history books to describe the emotional strain on him and his family, comparing his arrest last month to Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor.