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 Offered Deal to Russia in Secret Letter  —  WASHINGTON — President Obama sent a secret letter to Russia's president last month suggesting that he would back off deploying a new missile defense system in Eastern Europe if Moscow would help stop Iran from developing long-range weapons, American officials said Monday.

Obama kicks up White House entertaining  —  WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House is the place to be on Wednesdays.  —  Since the presidency changed hands less than six weeks ago, a burst of entertaining has taken hold of the iconic, white-columned home of America's head of state.  Much of it comes on Wednesdays.

More on earmarks: Obama's chief of staff has some in bill  —  WASHINGTON — Even though President Barack Obama has repeatedly pledged to ban congressional earmarks, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel has 16 such projects, worth about $8.5 million, in the bill the Senate is scheduled to begin debating Tuesday.

A Moderate Manifesto  —  You wouldn't know it some days, but there are moderates in this country — moderate conservatives, moderate liberals, just plain moderates.  We sympathize with a lot of the things that President Obama is trying to do.  We like his investments in education and energy innovation.

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. …

How low will the stock market go  —  According to Henry Blodget, probably a lot farther: … Incidentally, if you think that people still have a vestigial view of housing as an investment asset rather than a consumption good with residual value, this implies that housing will substantially undershoot as well.

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 …

U.S. Likely to Keep the Reins on Fannie and Freddie  —  Despite assurances that the takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would be temporary, the giant mortgage companies will most likely never fully return to private hands, lawmakers and company executives are beginning to quietly acknowledge.

Taliban rivals unite to fight US surge  —  • Taliban rivals unite to fight US troop surge  —  • Move by Pakistani militants prompts fears of escalation in Afghan violence  —  Three rival Pakistani Taliban groups have agreed to form a united front against international forces …

5TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES  —  Frank Annunzio's name—if not his record of public service—should be familiar to Chicago voters.  He is the great-nephew and namesake of the 13-term congressman from Illinois who died in 2001.