Prognosis improves for public insurance  —  MOMENTUM SHIFT IS DRAMATIC Top Democrats push option in health-care legislation  —  Democratic leaders in the Senate and House have concluded that a government-run insurance plan is the cheapest way to expand health coverage …

President Obama's Feud with FOX News  —  After Months of Taking Heat from FOX News Stars, the White House is Firing Back  —  (CBS) After months of taking incoming fire from the prime-time stars of Fox News, the Obama White House is firing back, charging that FOX News is different from all other news.

George F. Will on GOP lightning rod Michele Bachmann  —  When Marcus Bachmann came home that Saturday evening in 2000, he checked the telephone answering machine and was mystified by the many messages congratulating his wife for something.  “Michele,” he said, “do you have something to tell me?”

So desperate they'll believe anything — the fake Obama thesis debunked  —  It really gets to be pretty pathetic sometimes, watching the conservatives grasp at every straw they can in order to attack and discredit a president they don't like.  —  If you listened to Rush Limbaugh today or visited Fox Nation …

Obama's Minions Are Ingrates  —  The Bush administration did leave a plan for Afghanistan.  —  On October 18, White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel appeared on the Sunday morning talk shows and, in the process of answering questions about Barack Obama's strategy on Afghanistan …

Troop-Boost Plan Gains Backing  —  WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is moving toward a hybrid strategy in Afghanistan that would combine elements of both the troop-heavy approach sought by its top military commander and a narrower option backed by Vice President Joe Biden …

THIS WEEK IN GOD.... First up from the God Machine this week is a column from Catholic League President Bill Donohue, published by the WashingtonPost.com's “On Faith” website, an influential and widely-read faith-based site.  (via TS)  —  While Donohue has a well-deserved reputation for publishing angry …

Entering digital age an expensive proposition for GOP  —  The Republican National Committee shelled out $1.4 million dollars over the last six months for Web sites and services, much of which was spent on GOP.com, the party's major Web presence that was unveiled this month, new Federal Election Commission expense reports show.

Dallas police ticketed 39 drivers in 3 years for not speaking English  —  sgoldstein@dallasnews.com  —  Dallas police wrongly ticketed at least 39 drivers for not speaking English over the last three years, Police Chief David Kunkle announced Friday while promising to investigate …