Cheney pushed Bush to grant Libby pardon  —  WASHINGTON - In the waning days of the Bush administration, Vice President Dick Cheney launched a last-ditch campaign to persuade his boss to pardon Lewis (Scooter) Libby - and was furious when President George W. Bush wouldn't budge.

A ‘fraud’ bigger than Madoff  —  Senior US soldiers investigated over missing Iraq reconstruction billions  —  In what could turn out to be the greatest fraud in US history, American authorities have started to investigate the alleged role of senior military officers in the misuse of $125bn …

Late Change in Course Hobbled Rollout of Geithner's Bank Plan  —  Just days before Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner was scheduled to lay out his much-anticipated plan to deal with the toxic assets imperiling the financial system, he and his team made a sudden about-face.

Legislature adjourns with no budget; governor prepares to lay off 10,000  —  In addition to shutting down public-works projects, Schwarzenegger administration moves toward massive state layoffs as legislators again fail to garner the final GOP vote needed to pass a budget.

For Obama, it's more about showmanship than sunlight  —  After rushing Congress to act, why did he wait for days to sign the “emergency” stimulus bill?  —  Back during the presidential campaign, Barack Obama promised something he called “Sunlight Before Signing.”

Going gray's just fine, man  —  Everyone seems to have an opinion about Howard Fineman's hair lately.  —  The Newsweek reporter and MSNBC commentator has let his hair go gray, and it's all anyone can talk about.  —  Perfect strangers, we hear, go up and talk to him about it.

Obama Gains Support From G.O.P. Governors  —  WASHINGTON — President Obama must wish governors could vote in Congress: While just three of the 219 Republican lawmakers backed the $787 billion economic recovery plan that he is signing into law on Tuesday, that trifling total …

Auto Maker Deadline Looms  —  GM, Chrysler Plans Due Today; U.S. Taps Car Adviser Known for Extracting Concessions  —  Troubled U.S. auto makers and union representatives dug in late Monday for all-night cost-cutting negotiations as the government advanced its point person on auto restructuring …

Police: TV station founder beheaded wife  —  From Deborah Brunswick and LaNeice Collins  —  NEW YORK (CNN) — The founder of an Islamic television station in upstate New York aimed at countering Muslim stereotypes has confessed to beheading his wife, authorities said.

Bristol Palin Speaks Out  —  ABC's Teddy Davis and Sara Just report: Bristol Palin, the 18-year-old daughter of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, told Fox News in her first interiew since giving birth that she would like to be an advocate against teen pregnancy.  —  “Everyone should wait 10 years,” Palin said.

Obama takes econ campaign to Denver  —  President Barack Obama has a busy week of travel ahead of him, including more campaign-style stops to boost his recently passed economic stimulus package, the rollout of his long-awaited housing plans and a quick hop over the border to Canada for his first foreign trip.

Japan's Finance Minister to Quit After G-7 Blunder  —  TOKYO — Japan's finance minister, facing ridicule and criticism for embarrassing behavior at the weekend Group of 7 meeting in Rome, said Tuesday he would resign.  —  Shoichi Nakagawa raised eyebrows for slurred speech …

Obama plots huge railroad expansion  —  Railroads made Chicago, and now a Chicago-rich White House wants to return the favor: remaking rail with a huge new federal investment in high-speed passenger trains.  —  The $787.2 billion economic recovery bill — to be signed by President Barack Obama on Tuesday …

Hoyer to Pelosi: Stand up to Senate  —  House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) is pushing Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to take a harder line with the Senate after a trio of Republican senators forced Congress to trim billions from the $787 billion economic stimulus package.

One Side to Every Story  —  Providence, R.I.  —  “THIS is not a time for partisanship,” declared Senator Judd Gregg, Republican of New Hampshire, when he accepted President Obama's invitation to serve as commerce secretary.  By last week, Mr. Gregg had changed his mind, citing “irreconcilable conflicts.”

Sure the Israeli right won?  Peace lost?  Look closer  —  To judge solely from the gloating, the right conclusively won last week's election.  Hawkish politicians were swift to crow triumph.  Hardline analysts and legions of talkbackers have positively glowed in pronouncing the end of the left …

Student sues L.A. City College district over gay-marriage speech  —  Weeks after Proposition 8 passed, student says, his public-speaking professor reacted inappropriately to his stance against same-sex unions.  His lawyer alleges religious discrimination.  —  A classroom dispute …

Protectionism Anew  —  Some think the New Deal rescued America from economic crisis in the 1930s.  Others argue the opposite.  But whatever their ideology, and whatever their credentials, most of the pundits, historians and economists who debate the Great Depression agree about one thing …

Don't Believe the Stimulus Scaremongers  —  Americans are losing faith in the fairness and wisdom of economic policy.  —  Our ignorance of what causes economic ailments — and how to treat them — is profound.  Downturns and financial crises are not regular occurrences …

After Stimulus Battle, Liberals Press Obama  —  President Urged to Compromise Less on the Rest of Agenda  —  As President Obama prepares to sign a $787 billion economic stimulus package today amid gales of Republican criticism of its cost, he is also facing quieter misgivings from liberal Democrats …

Congress Gets Punitive on Executive Pay  —  We want compensation tied to performance.  —  In a last-minute addition to the stimulus bill passed Friday, Congress imposed tight restrictions on pay arrangements in all financial firms that have or will receive funds from the federal government's Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP).

Revelations by Senator Are Raising Concerns  —  CHICAGO — Several Democratic lawmakers from Illinois said Monday that they were troubled by revelations about Roland W. Burris, the state's newest senator and a fellow Democrat.  And at least one called for Mr. Burris to come before the state legislature and explain himself.

Inside the Newsroom: Case for gun-permit listings trumps emotional opposition  —  Misunderstandings with people who carry guns can turn ugly.  —  This past week it has been ugly at the newspaper, after passionate gun owners latched onto three very wrong ideas about why The Commercial Appeal's Web site …