Gupta Steps Aside  —  Updated 7: 24 p.m.  —  Sanjay Gupta, CNN's chief medical correspondent, has told network officials will not leave his television career to become the U.S. Surgeon General, according to sources familiar with his decision.  —  Gupta, who had been described …

RNC-YA  —  Washington, DC — Two years ago I left a prominent technology company in Silicon Valley to join the Republican National Committee as e-campaign director to elect the next Republican president.  We lost, but there was more than a software glitch that contributed to our November 2008 defeat.

Obama's safety net: the TelePrompter  —  President Barack Obama doesn't go anywhere without his TelePrompter.  —  The textbook-sized panes of glass holding the president's prepared remarks follow him wherever he speaks.  —  Resting on top of a tall, narrow pole, they flank his podium during speeches …

My Response To The White House  —  When I come to work each day, whether as a commentator for TheStreet.com or a host of Mad Money With Jim Cramer, I have only one thought in mind: helping people with their money.  —  I fight to help viewers and readers make and preserve capital.

Dr. Gupta Withdraws Name for Surgeon General  —  CNN Doctor Prefers to Stay at the Network, Leaving Another Unexpected Vacancy for Obama Team  —  Sanjay Gupta says he is no longer in the running to be the nation's next surgeon general, CNN reported today, as President Obama brought health care to center stage.

First Lady Michelle Obama shows even she has a gift for the gaffe  —  It was all going so well.  The dresses, the brains, the Vogue cover shoot - everything so far about Michelle Obama has left us wide-mouthed in admiration.  It seemed there was no end to her fabulousness.  Then Mr and Mrs Brown came to stay.

California Supreme Court signals mixed response to Proposition 8  —  As foes and supporters of the gay-marriage ban argue before the court, the justices appear ready to uphold the ban, but they also sound reluctant to invalidate same-sex marriages already performed.

Bachmann: GOP Must ‘Do Everything We Can To Thwart’ Obama From Securing ‘A Power Base...For All Time’  —  Conservative talker Bill Bennett interviewed Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) on his radio show this morning.  During the interview, Bennett asked, “Why [is Obama siding] …

Top Treasury Candidates Pull Out  —  Nazareth, Atkinson Decline to Endure Vetting Process, Adding to Geithner's Strain  —  WASHINGTON — Two candidates for top jobs at the Treasury have withdrawn their names from consideration, complicating already troubled efforts by Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner …

Schumer Privately Tells White House He's Concerned About Freeman On Israel  —  Senator Charles Schumer has privately expressed concerns directly to White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel about Chas Freeman, the Obama administration's pick to head the group that prepares some of the intel community's …

Obama Preferred Over Reagan — In Fox News Poll  —  Are we still a center-right nation, as many Republicans continue to insist?  And can the GOP revive itself through a return to the spirit of Ronald Reagan, as Rush Limbaugh has said?  —  Check out this question from the new Fox News poll …

Military-Industrial Complex Planning to Use Taxpayer Dollars to Lobby for Waste  —  Spencer Ackerman reports on defense contractors gearing up for battle with the Obama administration: … Note that “the services' legislative outreach and public-affairs offices” are technically part of the United States government.

GM is toast  —  After today's annual report, I don't think there's any question of GM's staying out of bankruptcy.  The company's revenue fell from $180 billion in 2007 to $149 billion in 2008, with the worst crash in the fourth quarter.  Car sales have continued to plunge into the new year.

‘Israel seriously mulling Iran military action’  —  Israel is seriously considering taking unilateral military action to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, according to a report by top US political figures and experts released Wednesday.  —  The report also says Israel's time frame …

MoveOn.org Switches Its Role  —  Susan Davis reports on politics.  —  MoveOn.org is changing the way it does business.  For much of its decade-long existence the liberal activist group has defined itself by opposing certain elected officials, actions or legislation.

Thanks to All of Our Defenders  —  BEGIN TRANSCRIPT  —  RUSH: Rush Limbaugh, on a roll.  The Last Man Standing.  Defending conservatism against the onslaught — happily, by the way.  —  I want to take a moment here and thank some people who this week have come to my defense …