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 …

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.

Lynch names Newman to Gregg's seat  —  J. Bonnie Newman knows a thing or two about short-term gigs.  —  In 2006, she was plucked from retirement and brought back to the University of New Hampshire, the school where she began her professional career, to serve as its interim president.

Did WH encourage defiance of Pelosi?  —  Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN) — one of the lead Blue Dogs — made a startling admission to lefty Liberadio today, suggesting the White House quietly encouraged him to buck House leadership on the stimulus.  —  Cooper was one of 11 Dems to vote no — joining every GOP House member.

Czar Mitt  —  President Obama could do worse.  Romney has a bad reputation among Congressional Democrats, so I can't imagine they'd cotton to this.  In fact, it's highly unlikely.  But what Romney, in a bipartisan fashion, was able to do in Massachusetts — even with caveats …

U.S. to Get the Boot from Central Asia Base?  —  Stunning news from Moscow: Russian news agencies are reporting that the government of Kyrgyzstan will close Manas Air Base, a vital conduit for U.S. troops in Afghanistan.  —  RIA-Novosti quotes Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev as saying that his government …

WHO KILLED DASCHLE?  —  I think Steve Clemons gets this wrong.  Daschle wasn't taken down by Republicans.  No senators, to my knowledge, came out against his appointment.  Major columnists didn't have time to attack his ethics.  Moreover, these revelations didn't come from Republican oppo researchers.

Vitter: GOP Senators are “scared to death” of Obama and his polling numbers  —  A quickie from this morning's chat with Laura Ingraham courtesy of her producer, Tom Elliott.  [...] Read the rest »

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.

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 …

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.

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 …

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 …

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 …

The Godless Stimulus  —  Bill Language Would Forbid Practice of Religion in College and University Buildings Given Renovation Money  —  Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...unless your institution of higher learning …

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.

Day 15 of Obama's honeymoon  —  One doesn't have to break a sweat searching for examples of the news media's ongoing love affair with our president.  In this, he is like FDR.  —  Barack Obama and his supporters have been relentlessly comparing the new president to Franklin Roosevelt.

Obama Justice Department Re-Hires Attorney Fired By Goodling Because Of Lesbian Rumor  —  In October 2006, Leslie Hagen, who was working as the liaison between the Justice Department and the U.S. attorneys' committee on Native American issues, was informed that despite her “outstanding” …

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.

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 …

Biden Fumbles Clinton Oath  —  Vice President Biden learned on Monday how hard it can be to deliver an oath of office, when he slipped during the mock swearing-in of Secretary of State Clinton.  —  FOXNews.com  —  Mockery of and apologies to the Supreme Court chief justice aside …

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 ...

A Leap for Teleporting, Between Ions Feet Apart  —  Without quite the drama of Alexander Graham Bell calling out, “Mr. Watson, come here!” or the charm of the original “Star Trek” television show, scientists have nonetheless achieved a milestone in communication: teleporting the quantum identity of one atom to another a few feet away.

STIMULUS BILL TO HELP HOLLYWOOD  —  WASHINGTON - Finally, Democrats have found a tax-cut they can support - one that puts even more money in the pockets of Barbara Streisand, Michael Moore and the rest of their pals in Tinseltown.  —  Big Hollywood opened its hearts - and fat wallets …