House Passes $819 Billion Economic Stimulus  —  Republicans Wary of Package's Price Tag, Spending Priorities  —  With no Republican support, the House approved an $819 billion stimulus plan that will serve as the cornerstone of President Obama's efforts to resuscitate the economy …

EXCLUSIVE: Holder assures GOP on interrogation prosecution  —  President Obama's choice to run the Justice Department has assured senior Republican senators that he won't prosecute CIA officers or political appointees who were involved in the Bush administration's policy of “enhanced interrogations.”

Exclusive: CIA Station Chief in Algeria Accused of Rapes  —  “Ugly American”?  Spy Boss Allegedly Drugged Muslim Women, Made Secret Sex Videos  —  The CIA's station chief at its sensitive post in Algeria is under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department for allegedly raping at least …

State of the States: Political Party Affiliation  —  Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Hawaii, and District of Columbia are most Democratic  — USA - Democrats - Government and Politics - Party Affiliation - Republicans - Americas - Northern America … PRINCETON, NJ — An analysis …

GOP Leader Pushes Back Against Limbaugh Line  —  Over the past few days, talk radio host Rush Limbaugh has been, far and away, the most combative critic of Barack Obama.  As Republicans on the Hill compliment the president for his willingness to talk and compromise on the stimulus …

OBAMA TO HOST COCKTAIL PARTY FOR LAWMAKERS  —  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has invited Republican and Democratic lawmakers for drinks at the White House as they consider his economic recovery bill that still faces opposition.  —  White House aides say about two dozen key members …

Nadler transit amendment passes on voice vote  —  The House just approved Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY)'s amendment to add $3 billion in transit capital funding to the stimulus.  They approved it on a voice vote instead of a roll call.  —  According to Nadler's floor speech …

Hey Bam, that's not the door!  —  It looks like President Obama hasn't gotten acquainted to his White House surroundings.  On the way back to the Oval Office Tuesday, the President approached a paned window, instead of the actual door — located a few feet to his right.

The case for doing nothing  —  Most of Washington has reached quick consensus: Government must do something big to shock the economy, and it should cost between $800 billion and $900 billion.  —  But dissident economists and investment professionals offer a much different take: Most of Washington is dead wrong.

O'Reilly don't know much about (WWII) history  —  From MSNCB's Courtney Hazlett at The Scoop: … It is worth noting that Alba wasn't speaking with a Fox reporter - it was one of O'Reilly's ambush-obsessed-producers.  Also worth noting, O'Reilly takes issue with Alba's naming of Sweden …

GOP holds the line: 244-188.  This crap sandwich is all yours, Dems  —  Own it.  Embrace it.  Swallow it.  The House version of the $1.1 trillion Generational Theft Act of 2009 is all the Democrats' doing now.  —  Not one Republican voted for it.  (1 Republican had to leave early).

Russia ‘drops missile plans due to Obama change to US attitude’  —  Russia has dropped plans to install missiles near Poland after the Obama administration signalled a change in US attitude to the region, a Moscow military official has reportedly said.  —  The official suggested …

Geithner names ex-lobbyist as Treasury chief of staff  —  WASHINGTON — Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner picked a former Goldman Sachs lobbyist as a top aide Tuesday, the same day he announced rules aimed at reducing the role of lobbyists in agency decisions.

School can expel lesbian students, court rules  —  An appeals panel finds California Lutheran High School in Riverside County is not a business and therefore doesn't have to comply with a state law barring discrimination based on sexual orientation.  —  Reporting from San Francisco …

The Presider  —  One impression from Obama's interactions with the Republicans and Democrats in Congress: Obama clearly sees the presidency as a different institution than his immediate predecessor.  This is a good thing, it seems to me.  Bush had imbibed a monarchical sense of the office from his father and his godfather (Cheney).

Scott McClellan's Advice for Robert Gibbs  —  Yesterday, we asked President Bush's former press secretary, Scott McClellan, if he had any hard-won suggestions for Robert Gibbs.  —  My view is that the press-briefing model that is used now is kind of outdated.

Obamas Hire Chef From Chicago  —  WASHINGTON — Sam Kass, a chef who cooked for the Obamas while they were living in Chicago, is now cooking for them in the White House.  —  A spokeswoman for Michelle Obama, Katie McCormick Lelyveld, said Mr. Kass would not be the only cook preparing the family's meals …

20 or 30 Years Ago?  —  “America was not born as a colonial power, and that the same respect and partnership that America had with the Muslim world as recently as 20 or 30 years ago, there's no reason why we can't restore that.  And that I think is going to be an important task.”

The Political Case For The Stimulus, If You're A Vulernable Republican  —  Over a 48 hour period when 100,000 job layoffs have been announced, Hill Republicans have decided to take a stand against the stimulus.  —  Now - President Obama's approval rating is about 70%;  —  Congressional approval is still around 20%;

It's the Economy, Girlfriend  —  The economic crisis came home to 27-year-old Megan Petrus early last year when her boyfriend of eight months, a derivatives trader for a major bank, proved to be more concerned about helping a laid-off colleague than comforting Ms. Petrus after her father had a heart attack.