Steele to Rush: I'm sorry  —  Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele says he has reached out to Rush Limbaugh to tell him he meant no offense when he referred to the popular conservative radio host as an “entertainer” whose show can be “incendiary.”

Panel Says Ron Kirk Underpaid Taxes  —  (Credit: Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images)  —  Leaders of the Senate Finance Committee this afternoon revealed that another of President Obama's nominees — U.S. Trade Representative-designate Ron Kirk — has tax problems.

Obama ‘ready to drop shield plans for Russian help on Iran’  —  Washington has told Moscow that Russian help in resolving Iran's nuclear program would make its missile shield plans for Europe unnecessary, a Russian daily said on Monday, citing White House sources.

Obama releases secret Bush anti-terror memos  —  Featured Topics: - Barack Obama - Presidential Transition  —  WASHINGTON - The Obama administration threw open the curtain on years of Bush-era secrets Monday, revealing anti-terror memos that claimed exceptional search-and-seizure powers …

THE DOW-JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE since the passage of the stimulus bill.  Looks like a vote of “no confidence” to me.  —  UPDATE: Can you say “going John Galt?”  Upper-Income Taxpayers Look for Ways to Sidestep Obama Tax-Hike Plan.  “A 63-year-old attorney based in Lafayette, La. …

Is Obama embracing the lawless, omnipotent executive?  —  (updated below - Update II)  —  As I detailed over the weekend, the Obama administration — in the case brought by two American lawyers and their charity-client claiming that their conversations were illegally intercepted …

Pelosi Snowed-Out of Global Warming Rally  —  (CNSNews.com) - Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) had to cancel an appearance Monday at a global warming rally in Washington, D.C., that was hit by a snowstorm because her flight was delayed, her office told CNSNews.com.

Dow Falls Below 6,800; Lowest Close Since '97  —  Fears that the world's economies are even weaker than had been thought ricocheted around the globe on Monday as investors from Hong Kong to London to New York bailed out of stocks.  —  Losses cascaded from one market to the next as concern spread …

U.S. rescue efforts may risk double-dip recession  —  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. companies, consumers and communities may grow so addicted to government financial help that cutting them off could trigger another recession soon after the current one ends.  —  Between the U.S. Federal Reserve's …

Facebook Reddit Digg Print this article  —  Here's the database you all have been waiting for - the FY 2009 Omnibus with 8,570 earmarks worth $7.7 billion.  Since the Senate started debate on the bill today, we tabulated the Senate recipients of earmarks - from top to bottom.

Department of Justice Releases Nine Office of Legal Counsel Memoranda and Opinions  —  WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice today released two previously undisclosed Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) memoranda and seven previously undisclosed opinions.  —  “Americans deserve a government …

‘Bad Bank’ Funding Plan Gets Fleshed Out  —  WASHINGTON — The Obama administration, filling in some of the blanks in its bank bailout, is considering creating multiple investment funds to purchase the bad loans and other distressed assets that lie at the heart of the financial crisis, according to people familiar with the matter.

CNBC's Kudlow mulls Senate bid  —  The political blogosphere has been abuzz with rumors that CNBC anchor and syndicated columnist Larry Kudlow is considering running for the Senate against Chris Dodd (D-Conn.)  —  Kudlow confirmed his interest in an interview with POLITICO this afternoon …