The Wizard of Beck  —  Let us take a trip back into history.  Not ancient history.  Recent history.  It is the winter of 2007.  The presidential primaries are approaching.  The talk jocks like Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity and the rest are over the moon about Fred Thompson.

Letterman reveals extortion attempt  —  ‘Late Show’ host also admits sex with staffers  —  In an uncharacteristically personal revelation for David Letterman, the host took to his “Late Show” stage Thursday to admit that he was the victim of an extortion attempt — and acknowledge …

White House Considers Narrower War Effort in Afghanistan  —  Top Officials Challenge General's Assessment  —  Senior White House officials have begun to make the case for a policy shift in Afghanistan that would send few, if any, new combat troops to the country and instead focus …

Jobless Report Is Worse Than Expected; Rate Rises to 9.8%  —  The American economy lost 263,000 jobs in September and the unemployment rate rose to 9.8 percent, the government reported on Friday, dimming the prospect of any meaningful job growth by the end of the year.

Is Conservatism Brain-Dead?  —  Over his decades as a columnist, lecturer, TV host and debater, William F. Buckley Jr. lost his cool in public only once — when he threatened to sock Gore Vidal “in your goddamn face” on the third night of their joint appearances on ABC during the ill-fated 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

Unemployment Increases Modestly To 9.8%  —  Unemployment continued to climb in September, bringing the official number to 9.8% (seasonally adjusted), according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  In September 263,000 jobs were lost.  That failed to meet consensus expectations, which predicted only 175,000.

Senate Committee Passes Quasi-Public Option Amendment  —  WHAT'S YOUR REACTION?  —  The Senate Finance Committee narrowly passed an amendment Thursday from Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) that moves the conservative panel as close as it will likely get to a public health insurance option.

Washington Sketch  —  Helen Thomas is 89 years old and requires some assistance to get to and from the daily White House briefing.  Yet her backbone has proved stronger than that of the president she covers.  —  On Thursday afternoon, Thomas gave a clinic in fortitude to President Obama's spokesman, Robert Gibbs, during the briefing.

FIRST THOUGHTS: POWER OF PRESIDENCY  —  From Chuck Todd, Domenico Montanaro, Ali Weinberg and Kelly Paice  —  *** Power Of The Presidency: Two moments that have already taken place, only serve to underscore the power of the office.  While most of America slept, the president was in Copenhagen making …

Senator's Aid After Affair Raises Flags Over Ethics  —  WASHINGTON — Early last year, Senator John Ensign contacted a small circle of political and corporate supporters back home in Nevada — a casino designer, an airline executive, the head of a utility and several political consultants …

Kerry blocks DeMint trip to Honduras  —  Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has blocked Sen. Jim DeMint's (R-S.C.) trip to Honduras slated to begin Friday, according to DeMint's office.  —  DeMint's office informed The Hill of Kerry's decision Thursday afternoon.

Reid: Final health bill will have a ‘public option’  —  U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., said today there will be a “public option” in whatever health insurance reform bill comes out of Congress.  —  “We are going to have a public option before this bill goes to the president's desk,” …

Politics as religion in America  —  Conservatism has been converted into a religious belief, and now compromise doesn't have a prayer.  —  For decades now, liberals have been agonizing because conservatives seem to win even when polls show that the public generally disagrees with them.

The New Right-Wing Hit Job: Kevin Jennings  —  Is the right-wing hit squad going cruel?  —  After chasing both Van Jones, a White House green jobs adviser, and Yosi Sergant, the communications director of the National Endowment for the Arts, out of their jobs, they have a new target in the crosshairs …