House Democrat blames Pelosi, leaders for switch  —  Democratic Rep. Parker Griffith announced Tuesday that he's switching parties - saying he can no longer align himself “with a party that continues to pursue legislation that is bad for our country, hurts our economy and drives us further and further into debt.”

U.S. Voters Oppose Health Care Plan By Wide Margin, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Voters Say 3-1, Plan Should Not Pay For Abortions  —  As the Senate prepares to vote on health care reform, American voters “mostly disapprove” of the plan 53 - 36 percent and disapprove 56 …

Obama rejects criticism on health-care reform legislation  —  President Obama rejected in an interview Tuesday the criticism that he has compromised too much in order to secure health-care reform legislation, challenging his critics to identify any “gap” between what he campaigned on last year …

Obama makes ‘surprise’ call to Gov. Kaine  —  WASHINGTON - Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine received an unusual phone call while taking calls on WTOP's Ask the Governor program Tuesday.  —  It was President Barack Obama.  —  Kaine, unaware that caller “Barry from D.C.” would be Obama, reacted with surprise when the president said who he was.

Michele Bachmann: Welfare Queen  —  Michele Bachmann has become well known for her anti-government tea-bagger antics, protesting health care reform and every other government “handout” as socialism.  What her followers probably don't know is that Rep. Bachmann is, to use that anti-government slur, something of a welfare queen.

BREAKING: Mitch McConnell Surrenders  —  An ice storm is coming.  Some of the Republicans don't want to get stuck in D.C. for Christmas fighting for freedom.  —  So Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid have agreed not just to vote on the health care package on Thursday morning, but also to lift the debt ceiling.

Why I Went on Fox and Friends  —  I notice there is a diary up on Daily Kos attacking me for going on Fox & Friends.  Unsurprisingly, it doesn't say what I actually said:  —  In 2000, the Republicans passed Medicare Part D, and it had no negotiation for prescription drug prices.

Nelson Says More Senators Seeking Special Treatment in Light of Nebraska Deal  —  Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson, who has faced a heap of criticism for appearing to trade his vote on health care for millions in federal Medicaid money, said he's considering asking that the Nebraska deal be stripped from the bill.

Build-A-Climate-Scare: Why You Should Boycott Build-A-Bear  —  Attention Santas:  —  This missive is directed at the guardians of, and donors to, tiny humans.  If you fall into that category you likely are already familiar with Build-A-Bear, a world-wide corporation that provides the most innocent of services.

Sorry, Vegans: Brussels Sprouts Like to Live, Too  —  I stopped eating pork about eight years ago, after a scientist happened to mention that the animal whose teeth most closely resemble our own is the pig.  Unable to shake the image of a perky little pig flashing me a brilliant George Clooney smile …

The Myth of the Anti-Muslim Backlash  —  Hysteria hasn't swept the country since the Ft. Hood terrorist attack.  —  Backlash: a strong or violent reaction, as to some social or political change.  —  It has been more than a month since U.S. Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan allegedly murdered 14 people …

EXCLUSIVE: Ex-RNC chiefs rip Steele speaking fees  —  Party chairman charging $8,000 to $20,000  —  Michael S. Steele, Republican National Committee chairman, is using his title to market himself for paid appearances nationwide, personally profiting from speeches with fees of up to $20,000 at colleges …

WaPo Sits on Eyewitness Account on Snowball Gun Incident  —  Washington Post editorial aide Stephen Lowman was at 14th and U on Saturday when the controversial snowball-fight-cum-police-indiscretion went down.  He wasn't there on assignment—he was just taking it all in.  —  And take it all in he did.

After Coburn Asked Americans To Pray ‘Somebody’ Misses Health Care Vote, Inhofe Skips Today's Roll Call  —  Just before the Senate vote on the first of three procedural motions to move its health care reform bill toward final passage, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) appeared to urge Americans to pray …

Top House Liberal Suggests He Could Accept Deal On Senate Bill  —  In a sign that House liberals may be bracing to swallow much of the Senate bill with minimal changes, a key House progressive suggested in an interview with me that he might be able to support a bill without a public component …

Ensign, DeMint to Force Vote on Health Care Bill Unconstitutionality  —  Today, U.S. Senators Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina) and John Ensign (R-Nevada), raised a Constitutional Point of Order on the Senate floor against the Democrat health care takeover bill on behalf of the Steering Committee, a caucus of conservative senators.

Dems Lose Key Recruit  —  Businessman Jack McDonald (D) will drop out of the race against Rep. Mike McCaul (R-TX) today, robbing Dems of a wealthy recruit in the race against what could be a vulnerable GOPer.  —  McDonald, the former CEO of information technology firm Perficient Inc., will cite business reasons in a statement.

Libertarians Need to Rethink Support for Drug Legalization  —  Does a man's death from swallowing a bag of pot during an arrest illustrate the evil of outlawing drugs?  No, just the opposite.  —  A truly sad story about a 23-year-old Panama City man dying while being subdued …

New York Ranks Last in Happiness Rating  —  In this season given to tidings of comfort and joy, word has come that we New Yorkers are the sad sacks of the United States.  This is something of a surprise.  Sure, we complain a lot.  Grumbling could qualify as the official state sport.