Limbaugh Defends Jindal, Warns Conservatives They Are ‘Making A Real Mistake If They Go After’ Him  —  The response across the political spectrum to Gov. Bobby Jindal's (R-LA) speech last night has been overwhelmingly negative.  Even the most enthusiastic conservative talkers had harsh words …

What should government do?  A Jindal meditation  —  What is the appropriate role of government?  —  Traditionally, the division between conservatives and liberals has been over the role and size of the welfare state: liberals think that the government should play a large role in sanding off …

Michelle Obama: White House Dog Coming Soon!  —  Michelle and Barack Obama with daughters Malia, left, and Sasha  —  The whole world, it seems, wants to know: What kind of dog are the Obamas getting and, for goodness sake, when?  —  Speaking to PEOPLE at the White House recently …

Exclusive: Lawyer says Guantanamo abuse worse since Obama  —  LONDON (Reuters) - Abuse of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay has worsened sharply since President Barack Obama took office as prison guards “get their kicks in” before the camp is closed, according to a lawyer who represents detainees.

Reid: Congressional Budget Increased To Pay GOP Staffers  —  A ten percent increase in the budget for Congressional operations was needed because Senate Republicans wanted to retain previous staff levels despite having lost roughly 20 percent of their ranks in the 2008 elections, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said Wednesday.

Byrd: Obama in power grab  —  Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.), the longest serving Democratic senator, is criticizing President Obama's appointment of White House “czars” to oversee federal policy, saying these executive positions amount to a power grab by the executive branch.

“A Major Doctrinal Shift for Republicans”  —  Chief Political Correspondent  —  I just got off the phone with a very plugged-in Republican strategist who told me that Republican reaction to President Obama's speech, which the party will roll out in the next few days, will mark the beginning …

Will's “final thought” on Obama speech: “I don't know when men started to hug each other, but hug they do, and look at that”

Republicans' Day of Reckoning  —  After Tuesday night, no one should doubt Barack Obama's ambition.  His silent dismissal of the efforts of his immediate predecessors — he mentioned none of them — is only one indication of the extent to which he intends to be a new president breaking new ground in a new era.

Chas Freeman Is Bigoted And Out Of Touch  —  Here is the most stunning prospective appointment of the Obama administration as yet.  Not stunning as in “spectacular” or “distinguished” but stunning as in bigoted and completely out of synch with the deepest convictions of the American people.

Obama Budget Would Create $634 Billion Health-Care Fund  —  President Obama intends to release a budget tomorrow that creates a 10-year, $634 billion “reserve fund” to partially pay for a vast expansion of the U.S. health care system, an overhaul that many experts project will cost as much as $1 trillion over the next decade.

“Oh God” Book II: Chris Matthews Responds  —  MSNBC's Chris Matthews has responded to his uttering of the words “Oh God” just as Gov. Bobby Jindal emerged to deliver the GOP response last night.  TVNewser has obtained some of what Matthews will say on “Hardball” tonight:

Wurzelbacher laughs at Obama speech  —  In town to promote his new book, “Joe the Plumber: Fighting for the American Dream”, Samuel J. Wurzelbacher — aka “Joe the Plumber” — stopped by Americans for Tax Reform Wednesday to review President Barack Obama's Tuesday address before Congress …

America invented everything  —  Two of Obama's claims from the SOTU: … and … After a period of prolonged study and meditation (ie, I consulted Wikipedia for 45 minutes after the speech), I have concluded that these claims are questionable at best and false at worst.

Justices Rule Sect Cannot Force Placing of Monument  —  WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court ruled unanimously on Wednesday, in one of the most closely watched free speech decisions in years, that a tiny religious sect could not force a Utah city to let it erect a monument to its faith in a public park.

Schultheis: HIV testing for pregnant moms rewards ‘sexual promiscuity’  —  State Sen. Dave Schultheis, a Colorado Springs Republican (Photo/Bob Spencer, The Colorado Independent)  —  Democrats were outraged Wednesday morning when Republican state Sen. Dave Schultheis said he planned to vote …

Setbacks for Coleman grow at Senate recount trial  —  Attorneys for Norm Coleman conferred Tuesday during the recount trial in St. Paul.  Tony Trimble is at left, Ben Ginsberg is at right and Joe Friedberg has his back to the camera.  —  Judges allowed marks to be removed and heard other ballots were properly rejected.

All the President's zombies  —  Ben Bernanke's testimony over the past two days gives us our best clue yet about where the administration and the Fed are going with bank rescue.  And the answer seems to be ... nowhere.  —  Simon Johnson and James Kwak read it the same way I do:

I Ponied Up for Sheryl Crow?  —  Talk about being teed off.  —  The economy is croaking and bankers are still partying at a golf tournament here on our dime.  —  It's a good argument for nationalization, or better yet, internationalization.  Outsource the jobs of these perfidious …

Mayor is criticized for White House watermelon patch e-mail  —  Businesswoman receives e-mail with image showing watermelon patch in front of White House.  —  Recommend  —  LOS ALAMITOS - The mayor has sent an apology for an e-mail sent to a local businesswoman and community volunteer that she says is racist and offensive.

Coming back to Romney  —  The Republican Party is, understandably, extremely eager to put forward a new, new face, and so maybe it's no coincidence that of the three who have come to the fore post-election — Sarah Palin, Michael Steele, and Bobby Jindal, none are white men.

Obama Removes the Mask  —  The president's speech to Congress eliminated any doubt about the agenda he is promoting.  —  President Obama's speech Tuesday night should put to rest the argument as to who he really is.  He revealed plans so sweeping and so expensive that, if they came to pass …

The Deficit That Obama Didn't Quite Inherit But Will Almost Certainly Vastly Expand  —  Last night, President Barack Obama underscored that, despite being in the Senate for the past few years and his party being in charge of Congress since 2006, he's just mopping up for the bungler in chief who preceded him.