An Open Letter to President Obama from Michael Moore  —  Do you really want to be the new “war president”?  If you go to West Point tomorrow night (Tuesday, 8pm) and announce that you are increasing, rather than withdrawing, the troops in Afghanistan, you are the new war president.  Pure and simple.

Maurice Clemmons, man wanted for questioning, has troubling criminal history  —  Maurice Clemmons, the 37-year-old Tacoma man being sought for questioning in the killing this morning of four Lakewood police officers, has a long criminal record punctuated by violence, erratic behavior and concerns about his mental health.

Today's GOP is both united and divided  —  Opposition to Obama is strong, but Republicans are split on GOP's direction and leaders  —  The Republican rank and file is largely in sync with GOP lawmakers in their staunch opposition to efforts by President Obama and Democrats …

7 stories Obama doesn't want told  —  Presidential politics is about storytelling.  Presented with a vivid storyline, voters naturally tend to fit every new event or piece of information into a picture that is already neatly framed in their minds.  —  No one understands this better …

CBO report predicts hike in insurance costs  —  Individual insurance premiums would increase by an average of 10 percent or more, according to an analysis of the Senate healthcare bill.  —  The long-awaited report by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the Joint Committee on Taxation …

Palin's Latest Rogue Gaffe  —  There have been so many lies and distortions pointed out in Sarah Palin's Going Rogue since it was released last week that her memoir has already become something of a gag line.  —  But perhaps the most embarrassing gaffe so far is her mis-attributed quote to UCLA basketball legend John Wooden.

Americans Still Leaning Against Healthcare Legislation  —  Majority disapprove of Obama's handling of the issue  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Americans currently tilt against Congress' passing healthcare legislation, with 49% saying they would advise their member to vote against a bill …

Rick Warren, Silent Enabler Of Hatred  —  One of Rick Warren's (and president George W. Bush's) longtime allies in Uganda, Martin Ssempe, is the author of a classic piece of minority-baiting legislation.  Its details belong in the history of genocidal hatred:

The Jobs Imperative  —  If you're looking for a job right now, your prospects are terrible.  There are six times as many Americans seeking work as there are job openings, and the average duration of unemployment — the time the average job-seeker has spent looking for work — is more than six months, the highest level since the 1930s.

We Know How this Debate Ends.  Or Do We?  —  On Monday, the full Senate will begin deliberations over the bill Majority Leader Harry Reid introduced before Thanksgiving.  And the ultimate resolution of that process wouldn't seem to be in much doubt.  —  Republicans will do whatever they can to drag out the debate.

A surprisingly dark day for gay rights in New Jersey … Support for gay marriage in Trenton is draining away like water from a tub as nervous legislators scurry towards safer political ground.  —  “I can't say I'm confident now,” says Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen), a lead sponsor.

Chelsea Clinton Engaged  —  ABC News has learned that Chelsea Clinton is engaged to her longtime boyfriend Marc Mezvinsky, a spokesman for former President Clinton confirmed to ABC News.  —  Clinton, 29, is the only child of the former president and current Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

My mixed feelings about the war in Afghanistan.  —  Columnists are supposed to have firm views and express them with steadfast certainty.  Since I write a column called “War Stories,” the least a reader might expect from me is a clear opinion on whether the United States should escalate or pull out of the war in Afghanistan.

PBS, changing ‘NewsHour’ to preserve it  —  F or the first time since Gerald Ford was president, Jim Lehrer will not have his name on next week's PBS newscast.  —  He is giving up television's biggest perk, making way for a dual-anchor format with a rotating set of correspondents that will change …

More on Climategate  —  In my previous post on Climategate I blithely said that nothing in the climate science email dump surprised me much.  Having waded more deeply over the weekend I take that back.  —  The closed-mindedness of these supposed men of science, their willingness …

Elections Have Consequences?  —  John Meachem offers us an example of the problems with a journalism model in which it's more important for pundits to be interesting and buzzworthy than to say something true and informative: … There are a ton of problems with this, especially the odd description …

SCOTUS upholds gov't position in detainee photo battle  —  The Supreme Court on Monday tossed a lower court's decision to release photos depicting soldiers abusing enemy combatants in foriegn prisons.  —  That ruling — which also means the 2nd U.S. Court of Appeals must re-examine the case …