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.”

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.

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 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 …

Upper-Income Taxpayers Look for Ways to Sidestep Obama Tax-Hike Plan  —  President Would Slap More Taxes on Those Who Make Over $250K to Fund Health Care  —  President Barack Obama's tax proposal - which promises to increase taxes for those families with incomes of $250,000 or more …

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 …

A Dow Unworthy of FDR  —  Who knows?  Maybe the Dow will rally tomorrow, and here's hoping it does.  But so far the markets have greeted Obama's program with a resounding thud.  I have never thought that Obama's rhetorical tone was making much difference one way or the other, that he was “talking down the markets.”