What we're seeing in Massachusetts  —  Because of the heavy interest we'll try to get our Massachusetts numbers out over the weekend.  But because we've already conducted most of the interviews for it here are some of the major storylines we're seeing:  —At this point a plurality …

Palin's tea party raises eyebrows  —  Sarah Palin's plan to deliver the keynote address — for a fee — at next month's first-ever National Tea Party Convention is getting renewed attention in light of her rejection Thursday of an invitation to speak at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference.

Giuliani Update  —  Through his spokesman, Rudy Giuliani has clarified the remarks he made this morning on GMA regarding terrorist attacks on the United States under Presidents Bush and Obama.  —  The Mayor's spokesman says that the remark “didn't come across as it was intended” …

Steele: ‘I Wrote This Book Before I Became Chairman’ (Um, Really?)  —  Appearing today on Laura Ingraham's radio show, RNC chairman Michael Steele said that he wrote his book Right Now before he became chairman.  The problem is, the book itself doesn't read like it could have possibly …

Judge tosses out most evidence on Gitmo detainee  —  Buzz up!  —  WASHINGTON - A federal judge has tossed out most of the government's evidence against a tarrorism detainee on grounds his confessions were coerced, allegedly by U.S. forces, before he became a prisoner at Guantanamo Bay.

Ford Says He Won't Be Bullied by Allies of Gillibrand  —  Under assault from allies of Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand, former Congressman Harold E. Ford Jr. fired back on Friday afternoon, saying he would be not be “bullied or intimidated” by “party bosses” as he considers challenging her in this fall's Democratic primary.

Carville: Airport scanners can ‘measure my penis’  —  The debate over full body security scans just got a lot more graphic, thanks to Democratic political strategist and frequent flyer James Carville.  —  Speaking on The Tony Kornheiser Show Friday, Carville laid out, or unzipped, his vision for airport security.

9 reasons why the Dec. jobs report is bad news for Dems  —  Talk about one last gasp from the horrible year that was 2009.  On the political front, the December jobs numbers were terrible news for the White House and congressional Democrats in a midterm election year.  Here's how it plays out:

Gruber responds: ‘Completely consistent’  —  One of the key voices for Congressional health care legislation, MIT economist Jon Gruber, is taking fire from the precincts of the left that oppose the Senate plan over the fact that he is on contract with Department of Health and Human Services.

Dems plot to protect Napolitano  —  Democrats worried about protecting the homeland in wake of the Christmas Day terror plot are also working to protect one of their own: Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.  —  With at least seven congressional committees investigating the failures behind …

What the GOP Can Learn from a Pizza Chain  —  America is about second acts.  We love contrition and redemption.  —  This is one of those rare moments when the conventional wisdom in Washington is right.  The Democrats are poised to have a bad year; the only argument is over how bad it will be.

Democrats Trapped In A Vicious Circle  —  FROM RETIREMENTS TO PARTY DEFECTIONS, THE BAD NEWS FOR 2010 KEEPS COMING.  —  In the world of economics, a virtuous circle is created when a series of positive events triggers a self-perpetuating pattern of other good occurrences — a positive feedback loop, in other words.

Taliban's Siraj Haqqani: Rape, Murder & Videotape By Brad Thor (*Sticky*)  —  Combine Hustler's Larry Flynt with Coppola's Don Corleone and what do you get?  Siraj Haqqani, the Taliban's Godfather of Porn.  —  Allow me to set the stage for one of jihad's bravest, most pious Muslim warriors.

British woman ‘arrested in Dubai after being raped’  —  A 23-year-old British woman on holiday in Dubai told police she had been raped, only to be arrested herself for having illegal sexual intercourse.  —  The woman, a Muslim of Pakistani descent, was celebrating her engagement …

The Secret History of Kubrick, the Blog Theme That Changed the Internet  —  Kubrick, the template that launched millions of beautiful blogs and helped transform the Internet, is expected to be retired mid-year as the default theme for the popular WordPress blogging platform.

A blogger's parting with the right  —  (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times / January 7, 2009)  —  Charles Johnson's Little Green Footballs website once was devoted to writing about the ‘Loony Left.’ Now he prefers to focus on his liberal social views and disagreeing conservatives.

The Risk of Catastrophic Victory  —  Obama is in the midst of one.  Can the GOP avert one of their own?  —  Printer  —  Friendly  —  Passage of the health-care bill will be, for the administration, a catastrophic victory.  If it is voted through in time for the State of the Union Address …

Scheuer: Obama Terror Czar Nixed Killing bin Laden  —  Maggie has a lengthy post connecting the many times we could have killed Osama bin Laden during the 1990s to the recent attack in Afghanistan that killed several CIA agents, including the top al Qaeda expert on the ground. .

Catherine E. F. Biden, Mother of the Vice President, Is Dead at 92  —  WASHINGTON — Catherine Biden, the mother of Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and a presence on the campaign trail with him in 2008, died Friday at the Biden home in Wilmington, Del. She was 92.  —  Her death was announced by Mr. Biden.