Why Gregg Bailed  —  When he took the job, Republicans searched for a diplomatic way to ask: Are you crazy?  —  After 16 years as a Republican senator from New Hampshire, Judd Gregg has a lot of friends among GOP lawmakers, and in the past two weeks, many of them — perhaps most of them …

Stimulus Bill Passes in the House With No G.O.P. Support  —  WASHINGTON — The House approved a $787 billion economic stimulus package Friday afternoon, with Democrats successfully promoting it as a boost for middle-class Americans and Republicans countering in vain that it will only stimulate wasteful government spending.

Prominent Orchard Park man charged with beheading his wife  —  Orchard Park police are investigating a particularly gruesome killing, the beheading of a woman, after her husband — an influential member of the local Muslim community — reported her death to police Thursday.

Friday Senate Line: Gregg Adds to GOP Pain  —  The withdrawal of Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) as President Obama's commerce secretary nominee on Thursday was initially greeted with relief by Senate Republicans who believed that the incumbent might now stay on and seek reelection in 2010.

APNewsBreak: Blackwater dumps tarnished brand name  —  RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Blackwater Worldwide is abandoning its tarnished brand name as it tries to shake a reputation battered by oft-criticized work in Iraq, renaming its family of two dozen businesses under the name Xe.

End The Honeymoon  —  Why the left is to blame for the lackluster stimulus and bank bailout.  —  There are many good things to say about the stimulus bill.  But all in all, it wasn't as good as it could be: It's probably too small and too skewed toward tax cuts, and particularly cuts …

Predator drones flown from base in Pakistan, U.S. lawmaker says  —  Sen. Feinstein's surprise disclosure likely to complicate joint campaign against Taliban militants  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. - A senior U.S. lawmaker said Thursday that unmanned CIA Predator aircraft operating in Pakistan are flown …

The Stimulus Plan: A Detailed List of Spending  —  Congress released its compromise of the economic stimulus plan at 11 p.m. Thursday.  Debate began in the House at 9 a.m., with voting set for 1 p.m. Want to know what's in it?  You could read the 1,071-page gorilla they've posted.

Authoritarianism Just Around the Corner  —  It's possible you've also already been following the debate prompted by Damon Linker's attack on Andrew Bacevich's vision of conservatism; if not, go here and here and here; here for Linker's response to his critics; and here and here for more.

THE WHITE HOUSE BUBBLE  —  From NBC's Chuck Todd  —  Obviously, I'm one of the newbies here in the White House press corps, so maybe I'm unfamiliar with the ways of how this place works.  I have to say, nothing is more frustrating than covering an actual event here at the White House …

Bush Aide: Leahy Truth Commission Is ‘Terribly Dangerous’ Idea, Possibly ‘Deadly’  —  Last night on The O'Reilly Factor, Bill O'Reilly showed a clip of a Fox News producer ambushing Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) to accuse him of political hypocrisy for urging an investigation into Bush crimes after he had opposed the Clinton impeachment.

Judiciary Committee Members Call for Investigation of Sheriff Arpaio's Disregard for Rights of Hispanic Residents  —  WASHINGTON - House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.), and Immigration Subcommittee Chairwoman Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), Constitution Subcommittee Chairman Jerrold Nadler …

Will the stimulus actually stimulate?  Economists say no  —  WASHINGTON — The compromise economic stimulus plan agreed to by negotiators from the House of Representatives and the Senate is short on incentives to get consumers spending again and long on social goals that won't stimulate economic activity …

Dems target right-wing talk radio  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — More and More Democrats in Congress are calling for action that Republicans warn could muzzle right-wing talk radio.  —  Representative Maurice Hinchey, a Democrat from New York is the latest to say he wants to bring back the …

Addicted to fake outrage  —  I'm not sure if it's because we're strung out on “Lost” episodes, or if it's because we're still suffering from a post-9/11 stress disorder that makes us crave “breaking news” alerts, or if it's because the economy has turned us into distraction junkies.

The Audacity of Audaciousness  —  It takes a certain amount of nerve to have an event at the National Press Club and then ban the press from covering it.  —  It takes another level of chutzpah entirely to admit members of the general public to your event at the National Press Club …

Specter Vote For Stimulus Hurts Him Back Home  —  Senator Arlen Specter is one of only three Republicans to support the economic stimulus bill in Congress, and the latest Rasmussen Reports survey in Pennsylvania shows that his position is costing him support back home.

WH flies senator from wake to vote  —  Sarah Abruzzese reports:  —  A government plane will ferry Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) back to Washington from his mother's wake in Ohio in time to vote tonight, courtesy of the White House.  —  Brown won't even be leaving until viewing hours end …

If The Right Were Intellectually Honest ...  This Manzi post would be their argument going forward.  Here's why they are not being intellectually honest, and Manzi's post includes the relevant facts.  The GOP has passed what amounts to a spending and tax-cutting and borrowing stimulus package …