Protocol is abandoned as Michelle Obama cosies up to Queen  —  Protocol seems to be dispensed with when the Obamas come to town.  —  When the President and his wife, Michelle, attended a reception at Buckingham Palace, the First Lady and the Queen slipped their arms around each other towards the end of the evening.

The President Is ‘Keeping Score’  —  Chicago politics has moved into the White House.  —  “Don't think we're not keeping score, brother.”  That's what President Barack Obama said to Rep. Peter DeFazio in a closed-door meeting of the House Democratic Caucus last week, according to the Associated Press.

Dodd Falls Way Behind As Approval Drops To Lowest Ever, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Voters Are Angry At AIG Bonuses And Blame Dodd  —  Connecticut Sen. Christopher Dodd trails former U.S. Rep. Rob Simmons, a possible Republican challenger, 50 - 34 percent in the 2010 Senate race …

Former AIG chief says bailout ‘failed’  —  Former AIG CEO Maurice “Hank” Greenberg says the bailout has “failed” and he's proposing a 10-point alternative focused on saving, not breaking apart, the mega-insurer.  —  Greenberg will reveal his plan during a hearing before the House Oversight …

Romney breaks with GOP on the issue of deregulation  —  Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) said Wednesday that his party needs to take a fresh approach to government regulations in the wake of the economic crisis that has rattled the U.S. and world economies.

Sen. Stevens ‘got screwed’ by Justice  —  The Justice Department's stunning decision to drop all charges against former Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) had GOP senators hailing the news as a vindication while government watchdogs fretted over the impact on other corruption cases against public officials.

Brown Details G-20 Pact on Stimulus and Banking Rules  —  LONDON — Attempting to bridge deep divides in policy and financial philosophy, the leaders of nearly two dozen of the world's largest economies agreed Thursday to a broad array of new fiscal and regulatory steps, in a desperate effort to revive the paralyzed global economy.

Franken puts Pawlenty in a jam  —  The legal fight between Al Franken and Norm Coleman is headed to the desk of Gov. Tim Pawlenty — a no-win predicament for a Minnesota Republican with his eye on a White House run in 2012.  —  Franken won big Tuesday when a three-judge panel allowed …

Cantor: Dems ‘overreacting’ to crisis  —  GOP Whip Eric Cantor thinks his party can retake the House in next year's midterm elections — and accused Democrats of “overreacting” to the economic crisis by embarking on a federal spending spree.  —  UPDATED: I cleaned up the transcript and transcribed his full quote from the tape.

Colbert weeps for Glenn Beck's sanity  —  Glenn Beck of Fox News astonished many viewers recently when he repeatedly reduced himself to tears while announcing his “9.12 Project” to save the nation.  —  However, Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert expressed only pleasure with Beck's performance.

Senate rejects controversial fast-track budget procedure  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) - The Senate overwhelmingly voted Wednesday not to use a fast-track budget procedure to pass President Obama's “cap and trade” plan to combat global warming.  —  The vote was a victory for Republicans …

The Words Have Changed, but Have the Policies?  —  WASHINGTON — When President Obama briefed Congressional leaders at the White House last week on his plans to send more troops to Afghanistan, Senator Harry Reid offered some advice: Whatever you do, he told the president, don't call it a “surge.”

Earmarks of Scandal  —  Speaker Nancy Pelosi should listen to the wise Democrats who are pushing for an ethics inquiry into the far-too-cozy relationship between lawmakers and the PMA Group of superlobbyists.  —  The Justice Department is investigating whether PMA used illegal straw donors …

THE OPPOSITE OF NO NUMBERS IS NOT IMAGINARY NUMBERS.  —  About a week ago, House Republicans emerged with a budget that was widely mocked because it contained no numbers and made no sense.  This week, Representative Paul Ryan is proposing a budget that will be widely mocked because the numbers it contains make no sense.

Put country first  —  Yesterday, I observed that “in most MSM precincts you can't read about [Israel's] new Prime Minister without also reading, within a sentence or two, that he does not favor a “two-state” solution — that is, a Palestinian state next to Israel.

Dodd's numbers  —  Chris Dodd's plummeting numbers — he's now way behind in a head-to-head — reflect an interlocking set of problems, from his home in Ireland to his home in Des Moines, his ties to AIG to his role in the bail-out.  —  This threatens to turn a safe Democratic seat …

Gregg says he definitely won't run again  —  Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) has closed the door on seeking reelection next year.  —  Gregg, the ranking Republican on the Budget Committee, said he hasn't changed his mind about not seeking a fourth term in 2010, despite “good-natured” …