Justice Dept.'s second in command is stepping aside  —  Deputy Attorney General David W. Ogden, the Justice Department's second in command, is stepping aside to return to private law practice in Washington after less than a year of service, according to two sources familiar with the move.

Thomson Reuters poll: Most in US want public health option  —  Most Americans would like to see a “public option” in health insurance reform but doubt anything Congress does will lower costs or improve care in the short term, according to a poll released on Thursday.

Bill Ayers dumps Obama  —  To hear the right-wing crowd, you would think Bill Ayers and President Barack Obama were joined at the hip.  —  Who could forget Sarah Palin's charge that Obama was “palin' around with terrorists”?  —  Well, goodbye to all that.

Mr. President, here's how to lift our economy  —  Today's White House jobs summit comes too late for millions of Americans who through no fault of their own have lost their jobs, their homes, their savings and, in many cases, the self-esteem and self-respect that come from work.

Researcher: NASA hiding climate data  —  The fight over global warming science is about to cross the Atlantic with a U.S. researcher poised to sue NASA, demanding release of the same kind of climate data that has landed a leading British center in hot water over charges it skewed its data.

Senators question U.S. focus on Afghanistan  —  Washington (CNN) — Top Democrats and Republicans questioned Thursday whether President Obama is too narrowly focused on problems in Afghanistan at the expense of other national security priorities.  —  They also amped up a bipartisan chorus …

ABC offers morning show to Stephanopoulos, sources say  —  ABC has offered George Stephanopoulos the coveted job of co-hosting “Good Morning America,” and intensive negotiations are under way, sources familiar with the situation said Thursday.  —  While the network's chief Washington correspondent …

Climategate: Phil Jones accused of making error of judgment by colleague  —  Phil Jones, the professor at the centre of a row over climate change data has been accused of making an error of judgment by his US colleague.  —  Prof Jones, director of the University of East Anglia's Climatic Research Unit …

Election 2010: Arkansas Senate Race  —  Senator Blanche Lambert Lincoln has found herself right in the middle of the national debate over health care, and that's a tough spot as she prepares to face Arkansas voters in 2010.  —  As she did in September, Lincoln trails four possible Republican challengers …

Comcast Gets NBC From G.E. in Deal That Reshapes TV  —  After nearly nine months of negotiations, Comcast, the nation's largest cable operator, finally reached an agreement on Thursday to acquire NBC Universal from the General Electric Company.  —  The deal valued NBC Universal at about $30 billion.

U.S. Seen as Less Important, China as More Powerful  —  Isolationist Sentiment Surges to Four-Decade High  —  The general public and members of the Council on Foreign Relations are apprehensive and uncertain about America's place in the world.  Growing numbers in both groups …

Nelson will filibuster a bill without stronger anti-abortion language  —  Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) said Thursday that the need for stronger anti-abortion language in the Senate health care bill is “non-negotiable,” and he would filibuster the legislation without it.

Black Caucus Seeks to Ease Radio's Woes  —  WASHINGTON — The radio business has nothing to do with the plan to overhaul the nation's system for regulating banks and other financial institutions.  —  Except, it turns out, in Congress.  —  One of most intriguing mysteries here in recent weeks …

House to vote on new Iran sanctions  —  House Democratic leaders are planning to move forward with a bill imposing tough new sanctions on Iran before the holiday recess, according to Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.), the bill's author.  —  The legislation seeks to cut supplies of refined petroleum products …

So Much Gasbaggery, So Little Time  —  Why Obama is obsessed with summits.  —  Barack Obama convened his first official summit before he was even elected president.  In October 2008, then-candidate Obama gathered a gaggle of business and political heavyweights—Paul Volcker, Eric Schmidt …

Senate Passes Women's Health Amendment  —  WASHINGTON - Breaking a three-day stalemate, the Senate approved an amendment to its health care legislation that would require insurance companies to provide free mammograms and other preventive services for women.

It's Just a Texas-Governor Thing  —  “Now I think you're on to a better subject,” declared Gov. Rick Perry aboard a private plane as the topic turned to Texas.  With relish, the longest-serving governor in the state's history recounted its uninhabitable past.

Hostettler to challenge Bayh  —  Former Rep. John Hostettler (R-Ind.) announced Thursday that he will challenge Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh in 2010.  —  In a YouTube video, Hostettler repeatedly ties Bayh to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, blaming the pair for what he calls a failed economic stimulus package.

Barbara Boxer: “You call it ‘Climategate’; I call it ‘E-mail-theft-gate.’”  —  Political pundits have long considered California's junior Senator, Barbara Boxer, safe in her seat.  One of the more reliably and dogmatically liberal members of Congress' upper chamber, she represents a dark blue state …