FIRST THOUGHTS: STIMULUS WINNERS, LOSERS  —  From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, and Domenico Montanaro  —  *** Stimulus winners and losers: For the fourth-consecutive day, President Obama hits the road to sell his stimulus — this time visiting Caterpillar in Peoria, IL, before heading to Springfield …

No Mandate for Criminal Probes of Bush Administration  —  Most favor investigations into controversial terror techniques, possible abuse of Justice Dept.  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Earlier this week, Sen. Patrick Leahy called for a special commission to investigate possible government wrongdoing …

WSJ Editorial Page: Can a newspaper be more misleading than this?  —  Wall St. Journal Editorial Page, today: … Ari Fleischer, Tuesday night, The Bill O'Reilly Show: … Eric Boehlert, Lapdogs: … Michael Crowley, The New York Observer: … Deliberate deceit or complete editorial recklessness …

Banned Dutch MP to be sent home  —  A Dutch MP who called the Koran a “fascist book” is to be sent back to the Netherlands after attempting to defy a ban on entering the UK.  —  Freedom Party MP Geert Wilders was invited to show his controversial film - which links the Islamic holy book to terrorism - in the UK's House of Lords.

Rahm's fingerprints all over package, tactics  —  Rahm Emanuel may have moved his office down Pennsylvania Avenue, but to stand in the hallways of the Capitol lately, it seems he never left.  —  And if anyone's fingerprints are on the nearly $800 billion economic stimulus package being sorted …

John DiStaso's Granite Status: Nashua man's two cents worth $100,000  —  A GRASSROOTS EFFORT.  Fred Tausch of Nashua is a frustrated, well-to-do businessman who got tired of watching politicians of both parties spending taxpayers' money.  And so, spending $100,000 of his own money, he's trying to do something about it.

Obama Misreads His Mandate  —  Reagan didn't assume his landslide was a license for whatever he wanted.  —  President Barack Obama's honeymoon period seems to have ended quickly.  That's because Mr. Obama doesn't grasp the essentials of presidential leadership.

More Employers Fight Unemployment Benefits  —  In Record Numbers, Employers Move to Block Unemployment Payouts  —  It's hard enough to lose a job.  But for a growing proportion of U.S. workers, the troubles really set in when they apply for unemployment benefits.

Biden in The House  —  When Joe and Jill Biden moved to Washington on Jan. 20 as he took up his duties as vice president, they brought their bed down from the family home in Wilmington, Del. But unlike their predecessors, the Gores and the Cheneys, who already lived in the Washington suburbs …

Breaking News: Late-night comedy shows make fun of Pres. Obama  —  Of course, one night does not a trend make.  —  But — Jumpin' Jon Stewart, Batboy — was that seven minutes of jokes about Barack Obama on late-night TV?  The Barack Obama.  The One who's president right now?

US worried over prospect of right-wing gov't  —  US officials are publicly taking a wait-and-see approach to the formation of a new Israeli government, but privately many have expressed concern that Likud leader Binyamin Netanyahu might preside over a right-wing coalition.

True Cost of Stimulus: 3.27 Trillion  —  All of the major news outlets are reporting that the stimulus bill voted out of conference committee last night has a meager $789 billion price tag.  This number is pure fantasy.  No one believes that the increased funding for programs the left loves like Head Start …

Laid-Off Foreigners Flee as Dubai Spirals Down  —  DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Sofia, a 34-year-old Frenchwoman, moved here a year ago to take a job in advertising, so confident about Dubai's fast-growing economy that she bought an apartment for almost $300,000 with a 15-year mortgage.

Bush to give speech at private event in Canada  —  lstahl@dallasnews.com  —  Former President George W. Bush's first confirmed speaking engagement since leaving office will take him from Crawford to Canada.  —  Invitations to the event, billed as “a conversation with George W. Bush,” …

Runaway Stimulus  —  The president, convinced that the only thing America has to fear is an insufficiency of fear, has warned that “disaster” and “catastrophe” are the certain alternatives to swift passage of the stimulus legislation.  One marvels at his certitude more than one envies his custody of this adventure.

Judges will hear which absentee ballots should count today  —  In a reverse from the recount, DFLer Al Franken wants to restrict the number, while Republican Norm Coleman wants more counted.  —  In what could prove to be the most important day of the U.S. Senate election trial so far …

Court says measles vaccine not to blame for autism  —  Featured Topics: - Barack Obama - Presidential Transition  —  WASHINGTON - In a big blow to parents who believe vaccines caused their children's autism, a special court ruled Thursday that the shots are not to blame.

Meltdown 101: Highlights of economic stimulus plan  —  WASHINGTON - Now that there's a tentative agreement on the economic stimulus plan that President Barack Obama and other supporters hope will provide a considerable jolt to the economy, how long will it take to get infrastructure and other projects moving?

The Real Stimulus Burden  —  We'll be paying for this in many ways, for many years.  —  In 2003, amid debate about the Bush tax cuts and a budget deficit of merely $400 billion, Maine Senator Olympia Snowe demanded that any tax cuts be capped at $350 billion.

Following Mr. Murtha's Money  —  The mantra of criminal investigators — follow the money — often reveals a decidedly circular route when it comes to Capitol Hill politics.  Consider the recent raids by federal agents on the offices of a lobbyist and a Pentagon contractor …

Congress takes first step to impose limits on Obama's executive power  —  Earlier this week, I wrote about the State Secrets Protection Act of 2008, which was co-sponsored by numerous key Senators [including Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton, as well as the Senate Judiciary Committee's Chair …

Panel Calls U.S. Drug War a Failure  —  MEXICO CITY — As drug violence spirals out of control in Mexico, a commission led by three former Latin American heads of state blasted the U.S.-led drug war as a failure that is pushing Latin American societies to the breaking point.

Commerce Department Waives Syria Sanctions  —  Is an olive branch to Damascus really in U.S. interests?  —  “We will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.”  This was President Obama's inaugural offer last month to troublesome tyrants around the world.

Source: Collins Strips Stim Bill Of Whistleblower Protections  —  Another great coup for the centrists!  —  Sen. Susan Collins, the Maine GOP dealmaker who's been in the limelight this week for helping to pass a watered down stimulus, has been talking a good game about the need to avoid wasting taxpayer money.