Obama: ‘I screwed up’ in Daschle withdrawal  —  Insists 'there aren't two sets of rules' for elite and for other Americans  —  WASHINGTON - “I screwed up,” President Barack Obama told NBC's Brian Williams Tuesday in the wake of his nominee to be secretary of health and human services …

Recount trial: Judges rule thousands of ballots can be considered  —  The court order applies to about 4,800 rejected absentee ballots and indicates that any that complied with state law should be counted.  —  Nearly 4,800 rejected absentee ballots may be reconsidered in the U.S. Senate recount trial …

Gregg Voted to Kill Commerce Before He Agreed to Lead It  —  President Obama's new candidate to run the Commerce Department voted in favor of abolishing the agency as a member of the Budget Committee and on the Senate floor in 1995.  —  Sen. Judd Gregg , R-N.H., whose nomination was expected …

DASCHLE'S REPLACEMENT: NAMES.  —  First point: There are fewer of them than you'd expect.  Every advocacy group and think tank and political operative I've called has said the same thing.  “Well, who have you heard?”  There's no “B” team.  In part, that's because Daschle was of unique stature …

In 2010, Rep. Hodes will run for U.S. Senate  —  CONCORD - Democratic U.S. Rep. Paul Hodes will announce his candidacy for the U.S. Senate “within the week,” a source close to Hodes told UnionLeader.com this morning shortly before Judd Gregg's nomination as commerce secretary became official.

Ward Three Morality  —  I've become increasingly concerned about the rising number of rich people who are being caught unawares by shifts in the sumptuary code.  First, there were those auto executives who didn't realize that it is no longer socially acceptable to use private jets for lobbying trips to Washington.

U.S. Officials: Al-Qaida Leadership Cadre ‘Decimated’  —  Listen Now  —  · CIA-directed airstrikes against al-Qaida leaders and facilities in Pakistan over the past six to nine months have been so successful, according to senior U.S. officials, that it is now possible to foresee a …

Passengers stop flight after ‘drunk’ pilot sparks panic  —  It is normally a moment of cheery reassurance when an airline pilot greets passengers during preparations for take-off.  But Alexander Cheplevsky sparked panic on flight Aeroflot 315 when he began to speak.

Obama Wants “Buy American” Out Of Stimulus Bill  —  That's what I'm reading in the transcript of the President's interview with ABC News' Charles Gibson tonight.  Obama also concedes that the appearance of a double standard for his nominees is a valid complaint, and he says he takes full responsibility for it.

Senate votes to give a tax break to new car buyers  —  Featured Topics: - Barack Obama - Presidential Transition  —  WASHINGTON - The Senate voted Tuesday to give a tax break to new car buyers, setting aside bipartisan concerns over the size of an economic stimulus bill with a price tag approaching $900 billion.

GOP leaders list ‘waste’ in Senate stimulus bill  —  (CNN) — On Monday, House Republican leaders put out a list of what they call wasteful provisions in the Senate version of the nearly $900 billion stimulus bill that is being debated:  —  • $2 billion earmark to re-start FutureGen …

Naked Obama Unicorn-A-Rama  —  Via Boing Boing comes the single most disturbing Naked Obama/Unicorn pic yet.  In fact, it's so “right up against the line” that I'm actually going to stick it beneath the fold.  If you click through, don't say you weren't warned.

Dems warn leaders to resume regular order  —  A group of more than 50 House Democrats has penned a letter to Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) imploring him to “restore this institution” and see that the House returns to a “regular order” process of legislating.

PAINFULLY STUPID  —  Sen. Thune (R-SD) explains Republican thinking about the economic crisis ...  Country's on the precipice.  And idiots like this are holding the floor.  —  Late Update: A Hill staffer chimes in ...

GAFFNEY: S-U-B-M-I-S-S-I-O-N  —  How appropriate that Barack Obama featured Aretha Franklin in his Inaugural festivities since her signature song is “Respect.”  Literally from the moment she finished belting out “My Country 'Tis of Thee” on Jan. 20, the new president has been conveying his “respect” the Muslim world.

Connecticut attorney general eyes Lieberman challenge  —  Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who announced Monday he will seek a sixth term, is mulling a challenge against Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) in 2012.  —  Multiple Connecticut Democrats, speaking on condition of anonymity …