Obama Attacks Docs and Cops  —  President Obama spent most of his press conference tonight denying what President Kennedy famously affirmed — that to govern is to choose.  Obama promised us health care this is at once better and cheaper, with both more regulation and more freedom to choose …

Obama's Fifth News Conference  —  Following is a transcript of President Obama's fifth news conference, the fourth given in prime-time, as provided by Federal News Service.  —  PRESIDENT OBAMA: Good evening.  Please be seated.  —  Before I take your questions, I want to talk for a few minutes …

N.J. officials, N.Y. rabbis caught in federal money laundering, corruption sweep  —  NEWARK — A New Jersey assemblyman and the mayors of Hoboken and Secaucus were among public officials arrested this morning by FBI agents in an international money laundering and corruption probe that includes rabbis …

Inside Bush and Cheney's Final Days  —  Hours before they were to leave office after eight troubled years, George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney had one final and painful piece of business to conclude.  For over a month Cheney had been pleading, cajoling, even pestering Bush to pardon …

North Korea launches attack on Clinton  —  BANGKOK, Thailand (CNN) — North Korea launched a scathing personal attack on U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday after she likened the leadership in Pyongyang to “small children and unruly teenagers and people who are demanding attention.”

Conservative Activist Forwards Racist Pic Showing Obama As Witch Doctor  —  The election of our first black president has brought with it a strange proliferation of online racism among conservatives.  —  And we've got the latest example.  —  On Sunday night, Dr. David McKalip forwarded …

Dodd In Slump In Connecticut Reelection Bid, Quinnipiac University Connecticut Poll Finds; Obama Approval Down 8 Points  —  Connecticut Sen. Christopher Dodd trails former U.S. Rep. Rob Simmons, a likely Republican challenger 48 - 39 percent in the 2010 Senate race, but he is inching …

Democrats Tire of Baucus Talks  —  Members Feel Out of the Loop  —  Senate Democrats are increasingly frustrated by the secrecy and duration of Finance Chairman Max Baucus' (D-Mont.) bipartisan talks on health care reform, with some saying it could undermine Democratic support for the bill.

Mother Knows Best  —  A Commentary By Susan Estrich  —  The president is “not familiar” with the bill.  No one can explain how it will work yet, as Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., told a contentious town meeting.  There are various plans, and negotiations are still in the early stages.

Democrats Block GOP Health Care Mailing  —  Democrats are preventing Republican House Members from sending their constituents a mailing that is critical of the majority's health care reform plan, blocking the mailing by alleging that it is inaccurate.  —  House Republicans are crying foul …

Blue Dogs fill campaign-cash bowls  —  Whether the subject is health care reform, climate change or pay-as-you-go budgeting rules, almost everyone, it seems, suddenly wants to talk with the Blue Dogs.  —  And they're willing to pay handsomely for the opportunity.