New York State Senate Votes Down Gay Marriage Bill  —  ALBANY — The State Senate defeated a bill on Wednesday that would legalize same-sex marriage, after an emotional debate that touched on civil rights, family and history.  The vote means that the bill, pushed by Gov. David A. Paterson …

Searching in Vain for the Obama Magic  —  Never before has a speech by President Barack Obama felt as false as his Tuesday address announcing America's new strategy for Afghanistan.  It seemed like a campaign speech combined with Bush rhetoric — and left both dreamers and realists feeling distraught.

Tiger comments on current events  —  I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart.  I have not been true to my values and the behavior my family deserves.  I am not without faults and I am far short of perfect.  I am dealing with my behavior and personal failings behind closed doors with my family.

McCain challenges Obama in private meeting  —  Washington (CNN) - Hours before he was set to address the nation on his new Afghanistan strategy, President Obama and members of his war council spent about an hour briefing senior members of Congress at a White House meeting that multiple sources described as businesslike and sobering.

Rogers's unwanted new guest: Scrutiny  —  Social secretary's managerial style faces criticism in wake of her first state dinner  —  On the night of the Obamas' first state dinner, White House social secretary Desirée Rogers glided past the rope line of press and photographers at 6:53 p.m. …

Lou Dobbs Explodes: ‘Who The Hell Does This President Think He Is!?!’  —  Birther Lou Dobbs and climate denier Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) are concerned that President Barack Obama is trying to turn America into a monarchy.  Appearing on Dobbs' radio show on Tuesday, Inhofe argued President Obama …

HuckPAC Resignation  —  As I mentioned this morning, I resigned my position as Arkansas coordinator for HuckPAC today where I served in a volunteer capacity.  My departure was with a heavy heart but was done after serious prayer and consideration.  Some have asked about the timing.

Decline of the West  —  Ten years ago, in the final pages of a collection of his selected writings, Cornel West gave readers a look at the work he had in progress, or at least in mind, for the years ahead.  One would be “a major treatment of African-American literature and modern Greek literature.”

‘Family Ties’ mom: ‘I am a lesbian’  —  Meredith Baxter says she has been dating women for the past seven years  —  For seven years, actress Meredith Baxter has been hiding a secret.  —  Now Baxter, who played the devoted hippie mom constantly butting heads with her conservative kids on “Family Ties,” is making a public admission.

CLIMATE CHANGE ‘FRAUD’  —  THE scientific consensus that mankind has caused climate change was rocked yesterday as a leading academic called it a “load of hot air underpinned by fraud”.  —  Professor Ian Plimer condemned the climate change lobby as “climate comrades” keeping the “gravy train” going.

Watch Out, Times!  Murdoch Plans $15 M. N.Y.C. Edition  —  “Good journalism is an expensive commodity,” said Rupert Murdoch at a Federal Trade Commission conference in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Dec. 1.  —  We'll say!  —  Mr. Murdoch is ready to roll out a budget of $15 million …

This I Believe  —  Let me start with the bottom line and then tell you how I got there: I can't agree with President Obama's decision to escalate in Afghanistan.  I'd prefer a minimalist approach, working with tribal leaders the way we did to overthrow the Taliban regime in the first place.

THERE ARE 39 OTHER GOP SENATORS.... NBC News announced the line-up for this week's “Meet the Press.”  Take a wild guess who'll be on. … I especially loved the “Exclusive!” with the exclamation point, as if this were a rare, special occurrence.  —  For those keeping score at home …

WashTimes cutting staff up to 40 percent  —  Jonathan Slevin, acting publisher and president of the Washington Times, outlined a new plan for the beleaguered newspaper and spoke of “significant staff reductions” at a meeting this afternoon.  —  Staff are receiving notices at the meeting …

If you give away the public option, what do you get?  —  Most of the energy in the Senate right now is being directed into a mad rush for compromise proposals on the public option.  This reflects the sense that the right compromise on the public option is a compromised public option.

The Morning After  —  I think this strategy is doomed.  But then I think any strategy that does not pledge to colonize Afghanistan, pour trillions of dollars into it and stay for a century is doomed.  So why do I end up this morning feeling rather similar to my colleague, Jim Fallows, who simply sighs: 'Well, I hope he's right"?

An Open Letter from Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg  —  It has been a great year for making the world more open and connected.  Thanks to your help, more than 350 million people around the world are using Facebook to share their lives online.  —  To make this possible …

Obama Passed His Test, Now Republicans Face Ours  —  Reviews of the president's speech vary from Republican tepid to Democratic anxious.  —  I disagree.  —  President Obama's speech at West Point was not eloquent.  Good.  What's needed now are not oratorical flights, but clear plans that give assurance of success.