Obama preserves renditions as counter-terrorism tool  —  The role of the CIA's controversial prisoner-transfer program may expand, intelligence experts say.  —  Reporting from Washington — The CIA's secret prisons are being shuttered.  Harsh interrogation techniques are off-limits.

Lieberman jokes about waterboarding at black-tie dinner.»  —  At last night's black-tie dinner at Washington's Alfalfa Club, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) couldn't resist cracking a joke about torture.  Politico's Mike Allen reports: … Last year, Lieberman, who has voted against banning waterboarding …

RNC's Michael Steele: Moving forward  —  Michael Steele, newly seated chairman of the Republican National Committee, and the first African-American leader of “the party of Lincoln,” vows that his party will reach out for broader support while remaining true to its core principles - “life,” …

Daschle Knew of Tax Issues Over Car Use Last June  —  WASHINGTON — President Obama's choice for health secretary, Tom Daschle, was aware as early as last June that he might have to pay back taxes for the use of a car and driver provided by a private equity firm, but did not inform …

McConnell: Gregg Appointment Will Not Change Senate Make Up  —  Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said he is confident the expected appointment of Republican Senator Judd Gregg (R-NY) as Secretary of Commerce would “have no impact on the [Senate's] balance of power,” on “Face the Nation” this morning.

Robert E. Lee, confused  —  Obama appears tonight at the Alfalfa Dinner, a gathering of Washington's elite with Confederate roots, a fact on which the president remarked, according to excerpts from his prepared remarks:

THE RUSH REVIVAL  —  DERANGED DEMS' OBSESSION WITH LIMBAUGH WILL BE THEIR UNDOING  —  President Obama is throwing a bipartisan Super Bowl party Sunday at the White House.  But one leading conservative football fan won't be in attendance: Rush Limbaugh.  The much-heralded new era of outreach …

SHLAES STRIKES AGAIN.... Over the summer, the Washington Post ran a piece from conservative writer Amity Shlaes, explaining that the national economy was fine, there was no recession, and that Phil Gramm was right to call us a “nation of whiners.”  —  Undeterred, in early December …

Life after ice storm dire, getting worse in spots  —  MARION, Ky. - In some parts of rural Kentucky, they're getting water the old-fashioned way — with pails from a creek.  There's not room for one more sleeping bag on the shelter floor.  The creative are flushing their toilets with melted snow.

Another temporary misunderstanding  —  Brad DeLong links to Megan McArdle saying something wrong about the effects of a temporary increase in government spending.  But he fails to note that it's not just wrong, it's 180 degrees wrong: a temporary increase in government spending …

Recession Can Change a Way of Life  —  AS job losses mount and bailout costs run into the trillions, the social costs of the economic downturn become clearer.  The primary question, to be sure, is what can be done to shorten or alleviate these bad times.  But there is also a broader set …

Two children should be limit, says green guru  —  COUPLES who have more than two children are being “irresponsible” by creating an unbearable burden on the environment, the government's green adviser has warned.  —  Jonathon Porritt, who chairs the government's Sustainable Development Commission …

Putnam set to give up seat  —  Rep. Adam Putnam, the third-ranking Republican in the House until he relinquished that post late last year, will give up his House seat to pursue a bid as the next agriculture commissioner of Florida.  —  His decision to make this run has been the source …

Unrest in China Worse Than Widely Reported  —  When we have featured articles that mention growing unrest in China, we've been told that it's overblown.  The usual arguments: most of the people losing their jobs in Guangdong were young women who could go back to the provinces …