EXCLUSIVE: Transvestites, Mao And Obama Ornaments Decorate White House Christmas Tree  —  Why let a holiday season come between the White House and making some political statements?  The White House pegged controversial designer Simon Doonan to oversee the Christmas decorations for the White House.

Plan to Move Guantánamo Detainees Faces a New Delay  —  WASHINGTON — Rebuffed this month by skeptical lawmakers when it sought finances to buy a prison in rural Illinois, the Obama administration is struggling to come up with the money to replace the Guantánamo Bay prison.

THE PUBLIC OPTION'S HISTORY, REVISITED.... President Obama sat down with the Washington Post's Scott Wilson on Tuesday, and reflected on the successes of 2009.  The president pointed to accomplishments that “in a normal legislative year would be considered really big achievements” …

In praise of the Nelson deal  —  Ben Nelson is getting a lot of blowback for the deal he struck exempting Nebraska from paying for its Medicaid expansion.  But though it was his deal, it wasn't his preference.  It was Harry Reid's.  And Reid made the right decision.

After quiet first months, Franken's sharp tongue emerges in Senate  —  Al Franken, the Democrat from Minnesota who won election to the Senate after a successful career as a comic and author, has begun to show the sharp-tongued side of his personality by ripping into GOP staffers behind the scenes.

Schwarzenegger to seek federal help for California budget  —  Facing another huge deficit, the governor wants $8 billion or threatens massive cuts in social services.  He also plans to renew push for offshore oil drilling.  —  Reporting from Sacramento - Facing a budget deficit of more than $20 billion …

BANNED!!  Making it on Sarah Palin's enemies list.  Update!  —  Today was the last day of Sarah Palin's book tour.  —  And it was to be held in the “picturesque” town of Wasilla, at the Curtis C. Menard Memorial Sports Center.  —  How could I miss it?  —  So Dennis Zaki and I loaded …

Cornyn: Conservatives ‘have to yield’ to reality in upcoming Senate races  —  Conservative primary voters “have to yield” to reality, Senate Republicans' campaign chairman said Wednesday.  —  Sen. John Cornyn (Texas), the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) …

When legerdemain is used to pass an unpopular bill  —  Senior Political Analyst  —  It's time to blow the whistle on two erroneous statements that opponents and proponents of the health care legislation being jammed through Congress have been making.  Republicans have been saying that never …

Harry Reid Turns Insurance Into a Public Utility  —  The health bill creates a massive cash crunch and then bankruptcies for many insurers.  —  Printer  —  Friendly  —  As Harry Reid's 2,000 page health-care bill is being rammed through the Senate, most of the public debate has been focused …

New Home Sales Decrease Sharply in November  —  The Census Bureau reports New Home Sales in November were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 355 thousand.  This is a sharp decrease from the revised rate of 400 thousand in October (revised down from 430 thousand).

The Green Movement's People Problem  —  The once unstoppable green machine lost its mojo at the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.  After all its laboring and cajoling, the movement at the end resembled not a powerful juggernaut but a forlorn lover wondering why his date never showed up.

Robert Byrd back in form for Senate health-care vote  —  Since Robert C. Byrd arrived in the Senate in 1959, the senior senator from West Virginia has cast more than 18,500 votes.  —  Byrd has orchestrated and witnessed maneuvering.  He has presided over the shortest session in Senate history …

Gingrich: If GOP takes back the House, Bachmann would become a committee chair.  —  For much of the year, Newt Gingrich has helped to lead the Republican opposition to President Obama.  Gingrich talks regularly with House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA), sits in on GOP House caucus meetings …

How do I know China wrecked the climate deal?  I was in the room  —  As recriminations fly post-Copenhagen, one writer offers a fly-on-the-wall account of how talks failed  —  • Ed Miliband: China tried to hijack climate deal  —  • The key players and how they rated  —  Copenhagen was a disaster.

Americans Without Work  —  Putting Jobs First  —  The $154 billion jobs bill passed by the House last week will allow the 217 Democrats who voted for it to tell their constituents that they care about unemployment.  But it's unlikely to do much else.  The Senate will not address the issue until next year.