Coakley Takes Slap Shot At Fenway Fans  —  The Massachusetts special election continues to amaze.  Democratic candidate Martha Coakley has taken a swipe at Fenway Park fans: … Well yes, politicians go out to meet the voters even if it means standing out in the cold.

Reid, Lieberman clash over letter  —  For the second time in a week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) finds himself at the center of a political imbroglio stemming from something that he said in private that was subsequently broadcast to the outside world by unnamed sources.

Palin, Beck rail against ‘system’  —  Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin portrayed herself as a reluctant warrior for freedom on Tuesday during an hour-long interview with Fox News host Glenn Beck.  —  Despite having just signed a multi-year deal with Fox that will require her to spend time in New York …

Haiti, the devil and Pat Robertson  —  Pat Robertson is at it again.  The purported Christian minister who suggested assassinating Venezuela leader Hugo Chavez and nuking the U.S. State Department, the reputed follower of Jesus who blamed the 9/11 terrorist attacks and Hurricane Katrina on pagans …

Amid Untold Dead, Haiti's Devastation Hobbles Efforts to Reach Survivors  —  PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Foreign aid trickled into Haiti's devastated capital on Thursday morning as the victims of Tuesday's earthquake, many of them injured and homeless, began to wake from another night spent in makeshift accommodations or out in the open.

Obama's Bank Tax Seeks $90 Billion to Repay Bailout  —  WASHINGTON—President Obama plans to call on Thursday for taxing about 50 big banks and major financial institutions for at least the next decade to recoup all taxpayer losses from the bailout of Wall Street.

Nelson tries to repair damage at home  —  Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson and his wife were leaving dinner at a new pizza joint near their home in Omaha one night last week when a patron began complaining about Nelson's decisive vote in favor of the Senate's health care bill.  —  Other customers started booing.

Jobless Claims, Retail Sales Show Economy Still Weak  —  The number of newly laid-off workers requesting unemployment benefits rose last week as jobs remain scarce amid a sluggish economic recovery, while holiday retail sales were weaker than expected as well.

Discrimination on Trial, but Not on TV  —  The trial that started on Monday in San Francisco over the constitutionality of California's voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage could have been a moment for the entire nation to witness a calm, deliberative debate on a vitally important issue in the era of instant communications.

Mistakes a High School Newspaper Wouldn't Make  —  The New York Times—described by a reader earlier today as “the junk-bond issuing, Mexican-controlled New York Times”—continues to decline.  The paper's grasp of history is illustrated by these corrections, just a few days apart.

Why is Haiti so poor?  —  I'm not interested in talking about Greg Clark or making comparisons to the West; if need be compare it to other black Caribbean nations, such as Jamaica or Barbados.  It's much worse and in terms of social indicators it is also worse than many places in Africa.  Why?

Meet Mikey, 8: U.S. Has Him on Watch List  —  The Transportation Security Administration, under scrutiny after last month's bombing attempt, has on its Web site a “mythbuster” that tries to reassure the public. … “Meet Mikey Hicks,” said Najlah Feanny Hicks, introducing her 8-year-old son …

U.S. responds swiftly to help Haiti  —  The Obama administration scrambled to face its first overwhelming international disaster Wednesday — the devastating earthquake in Haiti — and emergency relief experts gave the White House high marks for its initial steps.

Doomsday clock to be moved by world's top scientists tomorrow  —  The minute hand of the famous Doomsday Clock will be moved at 3pm this afternoon, for the first time in two years.  —  The timepiece in New York conveys how close humanity is to catastrophic destruction, which is represented by midnight.

Gillibrand Responds to Ford's Challenge, Calling Him Out of Touch With New York  —  Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand, after days of ignoring the political threat posed by Harold E. Ford Jr., on Wednesday forcefully took him on, suggesting that his views “may be right for Tennessee,” but are out of step with the voters of New York.