Netanyahu to Obama: Stop Iran—Or I Will  —  In an interview conducted shortly before he was sworn in today as prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu laid down a challenge for Barack Obama.  The American president, he said, must stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons—and quickly …

Detroit plan has GOP all over the map  —  President Barack Obama may or may not be able to save the U.S. auto industry, but his dramatic restricting plan is already having some effect: It's sent the highly disciplined GOP message machine careening out of control.

Text message to wrong district  —  Democratic candidate Scott Murphy got an unexpected volunteer today, in the form of woman fuming about a text message she received this morning from Republican challenger Jim Tedisco's camp.  —  Niskayuna resident Clara Mehserle says she received a text message …

Most Americans Don't Blame Obama for Economy, Poll Finds  —  The number of Americans who believe that the nation is headed in the right direction has roughly tripled since Barack Obama's election, and the public overwhelmingly blames the excesses of the financial industry, rather than the new president …

Beyond AIG: A Bill to let Big Government Set Your Salary  —  It was nearly two weeks ago that the House of Representatives, acting in a near-frenzy after the disclosure of bonuses paid to executives of AIG, passed a bill that would impose a 90 percent retroactive tax on those bonuses.

Nicolas Sarkozy's threat to walk out of global summit  —  Anglo-Saxon gibe strains relations with Obama  —  Charles Bremner in Paris and Philip Webster  —  President Sarkozy yesterday threatened to wreck the London summit if France's demands for tougher financial regulation are not met.

Beware the cult of Obama  —  You've met them.  They may be friends of yours, or family members.  You may even be one of them (in which case you'll hate this column).  I'm referring to those who've heard the Call of Obama.  —  Tucker Carlson compares it to a dog whistle: Inaudible to most, but irresistible to those who can hear it.

Home Prices in 20 U.S. Cities Fell by a Record 19%  —  Home prices in 20 U.S. cities fell 19 percent in January from a year earlier, the fastest drop on record, as demand plummeted and foreclosures rose.  —  The S&P/Case-Shiller index's decrease was more than forecast and compares with an 18.6 percent decrease in December.

Obama's new GM CEO: You know, bankruptcy looks really good now  —  The man now running General Motors after Barack Obama demanded the resignation of former CEO Rick Wagoner wants to thank America for all the cash.  Really, he does.  Fritz Henderson just doesn't think it will help …

Life in Mendota, Calif., where the jobless rate is 41 percent  —  MENDOTA, Calif. — The customer seemed interested in a black blouse offered for $1 at the thrift store.  But instead of buying it, she set it on the front counter.  —  Maybe tomorrow, she told the cashier, she would have the money.

Financial Rescue Approaches GDP as U.S. Pledges $12.8 Trillion  —  The U.S. government and the Federal Reserve have spent, lent or guaranteed $12.8 trillion, an amount that approaches the value of everything produced in the country last year, to stem the longest recession since the 1930s.

Rangel dropped $777 a month from office account for lease on Cadillac … Best Of NYDN.com

Afghan leader accused of bid to ‘legalise rape’  —  UN and women MPs say Karzai bowed to Islamic fundamentalists before poll  —  Afghanistan's President, Hamid Karzai, has signed a law which “legalises” rape, women's groups and the United Nations warn.  Critics claim the president helped rush …

Commentary: War on drugs is insane  —  Editor's note: Jack Cafferty is the author of a new book, “Now or Never: Getting Down to the Business of Saving Our American Dream.”  He provides commentary on CNN's “The Situation Room” daily from 4 to 7 p.m. ET.  You can also visit Jack's Cafferty File blog.

El Rushbo to New York: Drop Dead  —  BEGIN TRANSCRIPT  —  RUSH: Now, let's see.  In New York, they've been going back and forth at the state level on budgets.  They are over-budget.  They have a deficit in the double-digit billions, and they've been going back and forth in the State Assembly in New York over whether to raise taxes.

Hodes/Sununu 2010 US Senate Ballot  —  The following results are based on 535 completed telephone interviews among a statewide random sample of adults registered to vote in New Hampshire.  Of the 535 interviews, 155 were among Republicans, 161 were among Democrats, and 219 were among undeclared voters.

Join The Debate!  —  View in ascending order View in descending order  —  More to the List  — “Wishes of the American people”.  If the Liberal can find a poll that sides with him if only by 1%...that becomes: “The wishes of the American people” and we must abide by it.

ANGELA MERKEL EXPLAINS WHY GERMANY WON'T COOPERATE ON STIMULUS.  —  The New York Times scored a useful interview where German Chancellor Angela Merkel lays out her opposition to increased stimulus spending at greater length.  In America, the consensus has been that Germans are simply irrationally afraid …

Microsoft bridge slammed as waste of stimulus  —  REDMOND, Washington (CNN) — Should a bridge that would connect two campuses at Microsoft's headquarters be funded with $11 million from the federal stimulus package?  —  Critics of using stimulus money for the bridge say it would give the software giant a break on a pet project.

No Place to Hide  —  The new Obama Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy redefines counter-terrorism—but it doesn't go far enough.  —  When the Obama administration announced the results of its review of Afghanistan and Pakistan policies on Friday, reporters quizzing the review's authors seemed confused.

Crumb to publish Bible satire  —  Cartoonist Crumb's vision of the first book of the Bible said to be a ‘complex, even subversive narrative that calls for a re-examination of its role in our culture’  —  The famously subversive US cartoonist Robert Crumb has announced the completion of his long-awaited take on the Book of Genesis.

88% Say It's Important To Keep The Dollar As America's Currency  —  Eighty-eight percent (88%) of Americans say it is important for the dollar to remain the currency of the United States, including 70% who say it is Very Important.  —  Only three percent (3%) say it is not at all important …

Chairmen Waxman, Markey Release Discussion Draft of New Clean Energy Legislation  —  Chairman Henry A. Waxman of the Energy and Commerce Committee and Chairman Edward J. Markey of the Energy and Environment Subcommittee today released a draft of clean energy legislation that will create jobs …

Nominee For Treasury's Number Two Helped Draft Legislation Deregulating Banks  —  Hmmm.  This isn't exactly confidence inspiring.  —  Tim Geithner's new nominee for number two at the Treasury Department, Neal Wolin, played a key role in drafting legislation in the late 1990s deregulating …

Partying like it's 1931  —  I'm detecting a trend in commentary that I find slightly ominous.  Some of the economic news lately has been slightly better than expected, which was bound to happen at some point (on average, after all, half the news should be better than expected).

Bank Bailouts on the Cheap  —  Via Noam Scheiber, an Adam Posen piece that I think accurately sums up the appeal of the Geithner Plan while being harshly critical of it: … The question here is what would Adam Posen have done if he had Tim Geithner's job?

‘Toilet row’ lowers morale on space station  —  The International Space Station, once a place where astronauts would share food and facilities, is said to be embroiled in a Cold War-like stand-off.  —  A Russian cosmonaut has complained he is no longer allowed to use a US toilet as well as a US exercise bike.

Matthews: Palin like a “mail-order bride”  —  Remember when Hillary Clinton supporters accused Chris Matthews and MS-NBC of sexism in their coverage of the Democratic primaries, as the network became the Barack Obama Channel in 2007?  Matthews has apparently decided to pick an easier target …