Lynch Will Appoint Republican If Obama Nominates Gregg  —  Gov. John Lynch (D-NH) indicated today he'll appoint a Republican to replace Sen. Judd Gregg if Obama nominates the New Hampshire senator to be Secretary of Commerce.  In a statement, Lynch said that Gregg made it clear …

Senate confirms Holder as first black AG  —  Featured Topics: - Barack Obama - Presidential Transition  —  WASHINGTON - Eric Holder won Senate confirmation Monday as the nation's first African-American attorney general, after supporters from both parties touted his dream resume …

The LA Times takes a cheap shot at Dr. Jill Biden.  —  In an article portraying Jill Biden - who is teaching at a community college in Virginia, though she could doubtless land a gig at Georgetown or GW if she chose - as pompous, the Los Angeles Times falsely suggests her use of the title “Doctor” is fraudulent.

US-IRAQ: Generals Seek to Reverse Obama Withdrawal Decision  —  CENTCOM commander Gen. David Petraeus, supported by Defence Secretary Robert Gates, tried to convince President Barack Obama that he had to back down from his campaign pledge to withdraw all U.S. combat troops from Iraq within 16 months at an Oval Office meeting Jan. 21.

STRAIGHT OUTTA HOOVERVILLE  —  It gets better.  The latest from RNC Chair Michael Steele: “Not in the history of mankind has the government ever created a job.”  —  This is such transparent nonsense it's hard to know where to start; but I guess it builds on the DeMint nonsense.

Poll: Republicans Want Party To Be Like Palin  —  A new Rasmussen poll further demonstrates that the GOP could be in for a long stretch in the wilderness: A majority of GOP voters now say that the party should be more like Sarah Palin.  —  The numbers: 55% of Republicans say the party should be like Palin …

Did POTUS diss Jessica Simpson?  —  A comment at the end of Matt Lauer's interview has left people wondering whether Obama called pop singer Jessica Simpson fat:  —  “Mr. President: Didn't Michelle teach you to never, ever comment on a woman's weight - even if you are just reading a headline off an entertainment magazine?”

Daschle — And Solis, Too  —  While everyone is looking at Tom Daschle's tax problems (I am too, working on a story for tomorrow morning), a new issue has arisen concerning another Obama cabinet nomination, that of Rep. Hilda Solis to be Secretary of Labor.  —  Solis had a rough hearing …

Ashley Judd: Palin's new foe  —  From Alex Isenstadt:  —  Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has a new foe — Ashley Judd.  —  Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund, with a hand from the actress, has launched a Web-based campaign targeting Palin over her environmental record.

Is Coleman Aiming for a Do-Over Election?  —  The Coleman team appears to be laying out a continued strategy of casting doubt on the legitimacy of the Minnesota election result by pointing to a fundamental underlying idea of this dispute: The margin of error is simply too big in a race this close.

Bailed Out Bank of America Sponsors Super Bowl Fun Fest  —  Morgan Stanley Hosts Conference at 5-Star Resort in Palm Beach  —  Despite a near collapse that required $45 billion in federal taxpayer bailout funds, Bank of America sponsored a five day carnival-like affair just outside …

35 years later, Jerry Brown runs for governor again  —  The ‘reformed reformer’ wants to be governor again — 35 years after first winning the post.  —  It was 1974 when Jerry Brown ran for governor as a dashing 36-year-old reformer, the embodiment of change in Watergate's aftermath.

How Quickly Will the Stimulus Kick In?  —  You may recall how, the week before last, Republicans were up in arms over a CBO report showing that under 40 percent of the estimated $350 billion in stimulus spending projects would hit the economy in the first two years.

HAMAS RALLIES AT MINNESOTA STATE CAPITOL  —  On January 5, representatives of Hamas and Fatah rallied on the steps of the Minnesota state capitol in St. Paul.  Their purpose was to condemn Israel, and an Israeli flag was burned.  Mostly, though, the rally turned into a confrontation between …

Bailed Out Bankers To Be Hauled Before Congress  —  Rep. Barney Frank plans to call the heads of major bailed-out banks to testify before his committee next week, two aides to the House Financial Services Committee chairman said.  —  Frank, a Massachusetts Democrat, has been a vocal proponent …

Obama and a Key Democrat Voice Support for Daschle  —  WASHINGTON — President Obama and a key Democratic senator voiced unqualified support on Monday for Tom Daschle to become the head of the Health and Human Services Department, giving the contrite nominee a big boost toward confirmation.

OMB Draws Line on Defense Budget  —  The Obama administration has given the Pentagon a $527 billion limit, excluding war costs, for its fiscal 2010 defense budget, an Office of Management and Budget official said Monday.  —  If enacted, that would be an 8 percent increase from the $487.7 billion allocated …

Deadly Force  —  What a SWAT team did to Cheye Calvo's family may seem extreme.  But decades into America's war on drugs, it's business as usual.  —  Payton swung his big, goofy head onto the bed, worked his snout under a pillow and gave a gentle bump.  The mayor's wife, nudged awake, opened her eyes and smiled.

The Man Who Made Obama  —  Campaign manager David Plouffe got the first black president elected.  Now he's moving on to something even more difficult, and potentially more important.  —  Plouffe with Obama at the second presidential debate last October.  The prep was serious, he says, “but we had fun.

Obama Financial Team to Taxpayers: You'll Get Nothing, and Like It  —  As a business person, Warren Buffet quite rightly wanted something for his money when he bought up failed banks that couldn't get help anywhere else.  In fact, he wanted a lot.  He expected to have the ability to make sure the same …

Dodd: I'll move my Friends of Angelo loans  —  Chris Dodd has decided that the best way to put his sweetheart deals with Countrywide Mortgage behind him is to make them disappear.  Dodd announced today that he will have those mortgages refinanced, and managed by a third party to protect against allegations of influence peddling:

CIA Director: Al Qaeda is Job 1 of Top 10 Security Challenges in 2009  —  Iran, North Korea and Al Qaeda are still top concerns for the intelligence community, but Iraq is out of the top 10 list of national security threats facing the U.S. this year, says the outgoing CIA chief.  —  FOXNews.com

ADDING IT UP  —  As I mentioned over the weekend, I've seen a lot of Republicans on TV complaining that spending programs that demonstrably do create jobs do not create jobs, like buying new and more energy efficient vehicles for government workforces, etc.  But where I've really seen …

Wells Fargo — A Dividend In Our Favor  —  Good news out of the failing financial sector, finally.  Wells Fargo Bank reports it will pay back the federal government $371.5 million in its first quarterly bailout installment.  —  Wells Fargo is believed to be the first major bank receiving TARP …

Richard Shelby wants Senate to filibuster stimulus bill  —  U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Tuscaloosa, said he is prepared to filibuster the proposed economic stimulus bill, but fears enough Republicans will side with Senate Democrats to override any attempt to block the bill's passage.