Obama Has Upper Hand in Stimulus Fight  —  Obama's 67% approval rating on the stimulus is more than twice that of Republicans  — USA - Congress - Democrats - Government and Politics - Leadership - Republicans - The Presidency - Americas - Northern America

Senate Clears Path for Vote on $838 Billion Stimulus  —  WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats on Monday advanced the $838 billion economic stimulus bill, clearing a major procedural hurdle by a razor thin margin with the help of just three Republicans.  A vote on final passage of the bill is expected on Tuesday.

Obama Administration Maintains Bush Position on ‘Extraordinary Rendition’ Lawsuit  —  From Jake Tapper and Ariane de Vogue:  —  The Obama Administration today announced that it would keep the same position as the Bush Administration in the lawsuit Mohamed et al v Jeppesen Dataplan, Inc.

Manley sacks Shuler  —  Harry Reid spokesman Jim Manley on Heath Shuler's comment that Reid and Nancy Pelosi “failed” on bipartisanship.  —  It's a good one: … In four years as an NFL QB — three with the Redskins, one with the Saints — Shuler threw 32 INTs while tallying only 15 TDs.

Obama Stumps for Stimulus in a City Hit Hard by Downturn  —  ELKHART, Ind. — President Obama took his case for an $800 billion economic recovery package to one of the most distressed places in America on Monday as he opened a series of campaign-style events intended to press Congress to approve the plan by week's end.

Coleman Says ‘God Wants Me to Serve’  —  While Al Franken remains fairly elusive, Norm Coleman is keeping a high profile these days as his court challenge of the Minnesota U.S. Senate recount plods along.  —  Coleman is adept, somewhat too adept, his critics might say …

U.S. Taxpayers Risk $9.7 Trillion on Bailouts as Senate Votes  —  Feb. 9 (Bloomberg) — The stimulus package the U.S. Congress is completing would raise the government's commitment to solving the financial crisis to $9.7 trillion, enough to pay off more than 90 percent of the nation's home mortgages.

Comparing this recession to the last five  —  The dramatic chart Nancy Pelosi's office put out comparing job losses so far in the current recession with those in 2001 and 1990-1991 has gotten a lot of play in the Internets.  As well it should-it paints a dramatic picture (job losses in the current recession have been much more severe).

Obama's Unscreened Town Hall Audience Is Clean Break From Bush's Supporters-Only Public Events  —  Today, President Obama hosted a town hall meeting in Elkhart, IN — which faces the nation's fastest-rising unemployment rate — to promote his recovery and reinvestment plan.

EXCLUSIVE: Partisan dirt-digger joins WH office  —  Resume lacks legal training  —  Amid the furor over controversies regarding Cabinet-nominee tax problems and the seismic battle over a nearly trillion-dollar economic rescue bill, President Obama made a little-noticed appointment that is now generating intrigue.

Leahy: Investigate Bush Now  —  Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy insisted on Monday in firm and passionate terms that a comprehensive investigation be launched into the conduct of the Bush administration, saying anything less would prevent the country from moving forward.

Newsweek Plans Makeover to Fit a Smaller Audience  —  When US Airways Flight 1549 glided safely onto the Hudson River last month, Newsweek did what news organizations have done for more than a century — it sent reporters and photographers to the scene.  Considerable effort yielded …

High-ranking Foreign Office diplomat arrested over anti-Semitic gym tirade … A high-ranking diplomat at the Foreign Office has been arrested after allegations that he launched a foul-mouthed anti-Semitic tirade.  —  Middle East expert Rowan Laxton, 47, was watching TV reports of the Israeli attack …

The Trouble With Centrism  —  The liberals are angry, and not without reason.  You can imagine a world in which “centrist” Senators used their awesome deal-making powers to forge compromises that incorporate ideas from the left and right alike.  A world in which moderate “gangs,” …

Climate change takes a mental toll  —  Last year, an anxious, depressed 17-year-old boy was admitted to the psychiatric unit at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne.  He was refusing to drink water.  Worried about drought related to climate change, the young man was convinced that if he drank, millions of people would die.

Ruin Your Health With the Obama Stimulus Plan: Betsy McCaughey  —  Feb. 9 (Bloomberg) — Republican Senators are questioning whether President Barack Obama's stimulus bill contains the right mix of tax breaks and cash infusions to jump-start the economy.  —  Tragically, no one from either party …

Meet the Press  —  What were JFK's fabled press conferences really like?  —  With Barack Obama's first news conference slated for tonight at 8 p.m. eastern, it is a safe bet that—like on Inauguration Day—the most over-used word in the English language Monday will be “Kennedy-esque.”

Gitmo Detainee's ‘Genitals Were Sliced With A Scalpel,’ Waterboarding ‘Far Down The List Of Things They Did’  —  Last week, two British High Court judges ruled against releasing documents describing the treatment of Binyam Mohamed, a British resident who is currently being held at Guantanamo Bay.

Porn Star for Senate  —  An Interview with the Porn Star Running Against Sen. David Vitter by Max Blumenthal  —  Blogs and Stories  —  Sen. David Vitter's phone number was found in the records of the notorious D.C. madam.  Now he faces re-election (and massive karmic payback) against a sultry adult entertainer named Stormy.

How Government Created the Financial Crisis  —  Research shows the failure to rescue Lehman did not trigger the fall panic.  —  Many are calling for a 9/11-type commission to investigate the financial crisis.  Any such investigation should not rule out government itself as a major culprit.

Barnes: Global Warming Isn't Man Made — But I Won't Tell You How I Know That  —  Paging Obama's new environmental team: Fred Barnes has some crucial new information about global warming — it's not man-made, apparently!  —  Problem is, Barnes won't tell us how he knows that — but maybe he'll tell you.

Obama's insipid emails are annoying Leon Wieseltier.  —  I was going to do a blog post a week or so ago titled Barack Obama is spamming me — you could sing it to this tune — but it was clear enough on the face of the email that a simple click would unsubscribe me from his email list …

16 illegals sue Arizona rancher  —  Claim violation of rights as they crossed his land  —  An Arizona man who has waged a 10-year campaign to stop a flood of illegal immigrants from crossing his property is being sued by 16 Mexican nationals who accuse him of conspiring to violate …

F.D.A. Finds ‘Natural’ Diet Pills Spiked With Drugs  —  Grady Jackson, a defensive tackle with the Atlanta Falcons, said he used the weight-loss capsules.  Kathie Lee Gifford was enthusiastic about them on the “Today” show.  Retailers like GNC and the Vitamin Shoppe sold them, no prescription required.

Senate advances stimulus package  —  Spurred on by President Barack Obama, an $827 billion economic recovery plan advanced in the Senate Monday, clearing a last procedural hurdle with the help of three Republicans and the return of Sen. Edward Kennedy, ill with cancer.

“Take a moment... take an hour... to try to revive and savor the antiquated pleasure of writing someone a letter.”  —  “And then come back and say what it was like.  Did you feel fidgety and impatient?  Did writing feel too slow for your thoughts, or did it slow them down in a pleasurable and even fruitful way?