EXCLUSIVE: Dems ‘Almost Certain’ to Bypass Conference  —  Now that both the House and Senate have passed health care reform bills, all Democrats have to do is work out a compromise between the two versions.  And it appears they're not about to let the Republicans gum up the works again.

Inside Obama's War on Terrorism  —  The evening before he was sworn into office, Barack Obama stepped out of Blair House, the government residence where he was staying across from the White House, and climbed into an armored limousine for the ride to a bipartisan dinner.

BRIT HUME SAID WHAT?.... As regular readers know, I've made no mention of Tiger Woods on this blog.  I don't care about golf; I don't care about golfers' private lives; I don't care about any aspect of this “story” at any level.  —  But I was taken aback when I saw that Fox News' Brit Hume …

That 1937 Feeling  —  Here's what's coming in economic news: The next employment report could show the economy adding jobs for the first time in two years.  The next G.D.P. report is likely to show solid growth in late 2009.  There will be lots of bullish commentary …

Staff walks out on party-switcher Griffith  —  Rep. Parker Griffith's (Ala.) staff has resigned en masse after his recent decision to switch parties and become a Republican.  —  In a sternly worded statement, Griffith Chief of Staff Sharon Wheeler announced the exit of herself …

U.S. Evangelicals' Role Seen in Uganda Anti-Gay Push  —  KAMPALA, Uganda — Last March, three American evangelical Christians, whose teachings about “curing” homosexuals have been widely discredited in the United States, arrived here in Uganda's capital to give a series of talks.

Republican retirements mount in House  —  The decision by South Carolina Rep. Henry Brown to retire brings Republican retirements to 14, a number that, if it continues to rise in the coming months, could curtail the expected GOP gains in the House in November.

Embassies in Yemen Remain Closed  —  SANA, Yemen — Yemeni government forces killed two suspected Qaeda militants on Monday and wounded others in a firefight 25 miles north of the capital, Yemeni officials said, tying the militants to the continuing threats directed against the United States and British Embassies here.

Jordanian double-agent killed CIA officers  —  Officials: Perpetrator of Afghan attack was supposed to infiltrate al-Qaida  —  The suicide bombing on a CIA base in Afghanistan last week was carried out by a Jordanian doctor who was an al-Qaida double agent, Western intelligence officials told NBC News.

Stimulus Funds Went to Nonexistent Zip Code Areas [Updated]  —  First it was phantom Congressional districts.  Now it's phantom zip codes.  —  Last month, we reported on federal stimulus money credited with creating jobs in nonexistent New Mexico Congressional districts.

U.S. Intensifies Screening for Travelers From 14 Nations  —  WASHINGTON — Citizens of 14 nations, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Nigeria, who are flying to the United States will be subjected indefinitely to the intense screening at airports worldwide that was imposed after the Christmas …

Rep. King rethinking Senate run  —  Rep. Pete King (R-N.Y.) signaled Monday that he is reconsidering his decision not to run for Senate in 2010.  —  King said he's actively looking at a run for statewide office this year after he'd ruled out such a campaign last summer.

Rarely does it ever feel like...  We can truly make a difference.  January 19th, here in Massachusetts, that can all change.  —  Scott Brown is going to provide this state with the once in a lifetime chance to change this country forever.  —  I won't get into specifics, since if this matters you already know them.

Israel's Worst Mistake: The Siege of Gaza  —  Bradley Burston calls the siege of Gaza the worst mistake Israel has made in a decade: … He lists nine more very compelling reasons why the siege is a miserable mistake.  For my money, the worst mistake Israel made was the mistake that led …

Marshals shot in downtown federal courthouse; suspect dead  —  Nearby school put on lockdown, Las Vegas Boulevard closed  —  Authorities are investigating shootings that occurred Monday morning at the Lloyd D. George Federal Courthouse, 333 Las Vegas Blvd.  —  By Sun Staff (contact)

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished as Banks Seek Profits From Bailout  —  Jan. 4 (Bloomberg) — To understand the meaning of no good deed goes unpunished, Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner can look no further than Wall Street where the banks that received the biggest taxpayer bailouts are seeking …

The Obama Disconnect: What Could Have Been?  —  One question that a number of people have raised in response to my post on The Obama Disconnect is essentially, “What's your alternative?  What should the Obama team have done to keep the new political movement it had spawned going as a force for change?

Choudary compares British troops to Nazi stormtroopers as 200,000 sign Facebook bid to stop his Islamic extremist march  —  The hate preacher organising a march of Islamic extremists through the streets of Wootton Bassett sparked outrage today by comparing British troops fighting in Afghanistan to Nazi stormtroopers.

Uncertainty and the Slow Recovery  —  A recession is a terrible time to make major changes in the economic rules of the game.  —  Printer  —  Friendly  —  In terms of U.S. output contractions, the so-called Great Recession was not much more severe than the recessions in 1973-75 and 1981-82.

Surge in casualties predicted in Afghanistan  —  Americans should prepare to accept hundreds of U.S. casualties each month in Afghanistan during spring offensives with enemy forces.  —  The dire forecast was made by retired Gen. Barry McCaffrey, an adjunct professor of international affairs …

President Obama Names Transgender Appointee to Commerce Department  —  President Obama recently named Amanda Simpson to be a Senior Technical Advisor to the Commerce Department.  —  In a statement, Simpson, a member of the National Center for Transgender Equality's board of directors …