Cheney's Excuse For Economic Failures Under His Watch: ‘Stuff Happens’  —  During an interview with Dick Cheney this morning, CNN host John King asked the former vice president why “we should listen to you” for economic advice.  To make his case, King noted the following statistical changes …

Administration Is Open to Taxing Health Benefits  —  WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is signaling to Congress that the president could support taxing some employee health benefits, as several influential lawmakers and many economists favor, to help pay for overhauling the health care system.

Summers: AIG Bonus Bombshell ‘Outrageous’  —  President Barack Obama's top economics adviser, Lawrence Summers, said that insurance giant American International Group's plan to award senior executives hundreds of millions of dollars in bonuses and retention pay is “outrageous.”

Pakistan ex-PM ignores ‘arrest’  —  Pakistan opposition leader Nawaz Sharif has defied an apparent house arrest order to head for a protest in Lahore.  —  Describing the order - denied by the government - as “illegal” he left his Lahore home urging people to join him.

WITH REPUBLICAN FRIENDS LIKE THESE ...  THE MEDIA LOVES CONSERVATIVES, BUT ONLY IF THEY HATE REPUBLICANS  —  Dear Mainstream Media:  —  I'm a conservative who believes that other conservatives are fat, drug-stuffed, money-grubbing warthogs like Rush Limbaugh, or scary inbred backwoods retards like Sarah Palin.

Some strings attached  —  Is the stimulus law constitutional?  —  Last month, Congress enacted the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, popularly called “the stimulus plan.”  It gives billions of dollars to the states, but the gift has strings attached.  One of its unique provisions changes state constitutions!

Petraeus Planning 2010 Visit To Iowa  —  “THE WEEKLY STANDARD has learned that General Petraeus is planning on delivering the commencement address at the University of Iowa in 2010.”  —  So reports Michael Goldfarb, late of the McCain campaign, on the magazine's blog.

CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS NOT DUE.... Wall Street had a nice little rally this week, but former White House Press Secretary Dana Perino hopes President Obama doesn't get too much credit. … I see.  Just so we're clear, here's a helpful guide to the rules of market watching, as they relate to partisan politics:

Mideast Publications Question Obama Over Top Intelligence Pick's Withdrawal  —  Top Intelligence Pick's Pullout Blamed on ‘Pro-Israel Hawks’  —  The Middle East press has questioned President Obama's authority over Arab-Israeli issues since Charles W. Freeman Jr.'s withdrawal from his appointment to a senior intelligence position.

Start smoking: It just may save a child's life!  —  I do realize that most people don't smoke and so they ignore all of the attacks on smokers.  It's not you, and you hate those pesky smokers, anyway.  They're always polluting your lungs!  —  I'm a smoker, I guess.

Post-Rush: Obama's message war  —  Featured Topics: - Barack Obama - Presidential Transition  —  Beginning Sunday, the White House will harness every part of the Democratic Party's machinery to defend President Obama's budget and portray Republicans as reflexively political, according to party strategists.