Geithner Said to Have Prevailed on the Bailout  —  WASHINGTON— The Obama administration's new plan to bail out the nation's banks was fashioned after a spirited internal debate that pitted the Treasury secretary, Timothy F. Geithner, against some of the president's top political hands.

At His First Prime-Time News Conference, Obama Is Serious and Expansive  —  In a prime-time debut for the new Oval Office occupant and a press corps often accused of being too enamored of him, President Obama faced journalistic skepticism from the opening question.

Taking on Critics, Obama Puts Aside Talk of Unity  —  WASHINGTON — President Obama has made a show of reaching across the aisle since taking office, inviting three Republicans into his cabinet and wining and dining other opposition leaders.  But by Monday, he sounded like a candidate back on the trail …

Harvard Dean, Chosen as Solicitor General, Goes Before Senators  —  When Harvard Law School hosted a huge dinner a few years ago for the conservative Federalist Society, the school's dean, Elena Kagan, received such long and enthusiastic applause that she felt compelled to hold up her arms in mock protest.

Transcript: Obama takes questions on economy  —  (CNN) — President Obama held the first evening press conference of his presidency Monday, with the financial crisis as the main topic.  Before taking questions, he gave a brief speech.  Here is a transcript of the speech and news conference:

Obama snubs black press  —  After the first black president completed his first prime-time press conference, the black press was red hot.  —  “We were window dressing,” said Hazel Edney, a reporter with the National Newspaper Publishers Association, also known as the Black Press of America.

Obama Backs Off a Reversal on Secrets  —  SAN FRANCISCO — In a closely watched case involving rendition and torture, a lawyer for the Obama administration seemed to surprise a panel of federal appeals judges on Monday by pressing ahead with an argument for preserving state secrets originally developed by the Bush administration.

Why Obama Wants Control of the Census  —  Counting citizens is a powerful political tool.  —  President Obama said in his inaugural address that he planned to “restore science to its rightful place” in government.  That's a worthy goal.  But statisticians at the Commerce Department …

The Chess Master  —  It was just a week ago that the bad-mouthing of Barack Obama seemed to be reaching a fever pitch.  —  The president was taking heat for the tax problems of Tom Daschle, Timothy Geithner and other appointees and nominees.  Liberal supporters of the president were upset …

Iran Offers ‘Dialogue With Respect’ With U.S.  —  TEHRAN — After the icy mutual hostility of the Bush era, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran on Tuesday made a conditional offer of dialogue to the Obama administration, saying Tehran was ready for “talks based on mutual respect and in a fair atmosphere.”

Amnesty accuses Hamas of eliminating opponents  —  ‘Islamist group forces in Gaza engaged in campaign of abductions, deliberate and unlawful killings, torture and death threats against those they accuse of collaborating with Israel,’ human rights group says  —  The human rights group …

Roll Over the Republicans  —  Bipartisanship is safe and effective when used as directed.  In the present circumstance, however — dire economic crisis, hardheaded Republicans, time running out — bipartisanship is doing more harm than good.  President Obama and the Democratic majorities …

Connecticut's Rell Is Queen Of The Hill At Midterm, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Dodd Has Worst Approval Ever  —  Halfway through her first elected term as Connecticut Governor and one week after a grim budget message, Jodi Rell has a 75 - 19 percent approval rating and tops …

Bush Faithful Rewarded With Jobs  —  On the Way Out, He Placed Aides and Big-Money GOP Donors  —  Fred F. Fielding, Emmet T. Flood, William A. Burck and Daniel M. Price worked together at the White House under George W. Bush.  Less than two weeks before leaving office …

Prosecutors Want Barry Jailed Over Tax Returns  —  For the second time in two years, frustrated federal prosecutors took aim at Marion Barry's chronic failure to file his tax returns and urged a judge to put him in jail.  —  The move by authorities is the latest act in a long-running tug …

Court Orders California to Cut Prison Population  —  The California prison system must reduce overcrowding by as many as 55,000 inmates within three years to provide a constitutional level of medical and mental health care, a federal three-judge panel tentatively ruled Monday.

FACT CHECK: Obama has it both ways on pork  —  WASHINGTON (AP) - At least Route 31 is a road to somewhere.  —  President Barack Obama had it both ways Monday when he promoted his stimulus plan in Indiana.  He bragged about getting Congress to produce a package with no pork …

Left silent on Social Security, Medicare  —  President Barack Obama plans a busy February.  The new administration hopes to have a stimulus package passed by Congress, a new plan in place to shore up ailing banks and, by month's end, to hold a “fiscal responsibility” summit.

Va. House Approves Ban on Smoking  —  The Virginia House of Delegates approved a plan for a ban on smoking covering most of the state's restaurants and many of its bars Monday, marking a significant political and cultural shift for a state whose history has been intertwined with tobacco for centuries.