ACORN gotcha man among four arrested for attempting to tamper with Mary Landrieu's office phones … Alleging a plot to tamper with phones in Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu's office in the Hale Boggs Federal Building in downtown New Orleans, the FBI arrested four people Monday, including James O'Keefe …

Obama Liquidates Himself  —  A spending freeze?  That's the brilliant response of the Obama team to their first serious political setback?  —  It's appalling on every level.  —  It's bad economics, depressing demand when the economy is still suffering from mass unemployment.

Lincoln, Bayh Won't Support Passing Health Care Fixes Via Reconciliation  —  Two Democratic senators, Evan Bayh of Indiana and Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, have declared that they won't support a plan to have the House pass the Senate health care bill whole, then pass fixes to the bill through the reconciliation process.

BREAKING: Mike Pence Will Not Run for Senate  —  Sources are confirming for me this morning that Congressman Mike Pence (R-IN) will not run for the United States Senate.  —  In fact, later today the Congressman will send out a letter to supporters outlining his reasons.  In it he will write:

Ellie Light revealed: I'm Barbara Brooks, a nurse, says Pro-Obama letter writer … WASHINGTON — Ellie Light, the ubiquitous letter writer arousing blogosphere suspicions that she is a White House operative spreading the gospel of Barack Obama, is actually a registered nurse.

Ellison, McCollum and Oberstar urge Obama to lift Gaza blockade  —  Democratic U.S. Reps. Keith Ellison, Betty McCollum, and James Oberstar sent a letter urging President Obama late last week urging him to use diplomatic pressure to resolve the blockade affecting Gaza.

The Populist Addiction  —  Politics, some believe, is the organization of hatreds.  The people who try to divide society on the basis of ethnicity we call racists.  The people who try to divide it on the basis of religion we call sectarians.  The people who try to divide it on the basis …

Double Standard For Bernanke: Only 50 Votes Needed In Senate  —  WHAT'S YOUR REACTION?  —  When it comes to progressive priorities in the Senate, there's one standard: 60 votes are needed.  But for Ben Bernanke, there's a second standard: 50 will be just fine, thank you.

Fox leads for trust  —  Americans do not trust the major tv news operations in the country- except for Fox News.  —  Our newest survey looking at perceptions of ABC News, CBS News, CNN, Fox News, and NBC News finds Fox as the only one that more people say they trust than distrust.

Rubio Edges Crist In Florida Gop Senate Race, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; President Obama Under Water As Voters Disapprove  —  Former State House Speaker Marco Rubio has squeaked past Gov. Charlie Crist in the race for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination, leading 47 …

After Three Months, Only 35 Subscriptions for Newsday's Web Site  —  In late October, Newsday, the Long Island daily that the Dolans bought for $650 million, put its web site, newsday.com, behind a pay wall.  The paper was one of the first non-business newspapers to take the plunge by putting up a pay wall …

CBO Releases the Budget and Economic Outlook: Fiscal Years 2010-2020  —  CBO projects, that if current laws and policies remained unchanged, the federal budget would show a deficit of $1.3 trillion for fiscal year 2010.  At 9.2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), that deficit …

Rahm Emanuel Draws Fire From Left  —  WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama's liberal backers have a long list of grievances.  The Guantanamo Bay prison is still open.  Health care hasn't been transformed.  And Wall Street banks are still paying huge bonuses.

Obama Spending Freeze Lands on Hill with Thud  —  ABC News' Jonathan Karl reports:  —  The president's proposed discretionary spending freeze has hit Capitol Hill with a thud.  —  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said, simply, that she looks forward to “examining the details” of the proposed freeze.

Koop raises specter of rationing  —  The 60 Plus Association, a conservative seniors' group, is airing a new ad featuring former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop telling seniors that Congress is drafting reform legislation behind-closed doors.  In the spot, Koop, who served under former …

Book: John Paul II used belt to whip himself  —  Buzz up!  —  VATICAN CITY - Pope John Paul II whipped himself with a belt, even on vacation, and slept on the floor as acts of penitence and to bring him closer to Christian perfection, according to a new book by the Polish prelate spearheading his sainthood case.