Justice Official Clears Bush Lawyers in Torture Memo Probe  —  For weeks, the right has heckled Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. for his plans to try the alleged 9/11 conspirators in New York City and his handling of the Christmas bombing plot suspect.  Now the left is going to be upset …

Cossack Rahm Works For The Czar  —  Ezra Klein finds Rahm Emanuel's apparent willingness to let health reform slide into the indefinite future very depressing.  So do I. And it's not just health reform that will die under this approach — it's the road to a caretaker presidency.

Deficit of Trust: Most Voters Don't Believe President's Assertions About Economy  —  During his State-of-the-Union address Wednesday night, President Obama spoke about a deficit of trust between the American people and political leaders.  New Rasmussen Reports polling on the president's speech shows …

World hunger and the locavores  —  Every so often at Davos you have a short, startling conversation which completely changes the way you think about a subject — and I just had one of those standing next to Dan Barber, the chef of Blue Hill Farm.  He's a very smart, very funny guy …

Justice Dept.: Obama administration may take action on BCS  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration is considering several steps that would review the legality of the controversial Bowl Championship Series, the Justice Department said in a letter Friday to a senator who had asked for an antitrust review.

Obama's Stunning Admission  —  There's been a remarkable amount of coverage of President Obama's appearance at the House Republican retreat today, but I haven't seen anyone focus on the President's rather stunning admission about the Democrats' health care legislation (Video):

Scott Brown: 'People Aren't Stupid'  —  'And leaders should figure out they're better informed now than ever.'  —  When I arrived at his cramped state senate offices, Scott Brown had just opened one of the many packages he's received since his stunning U.S. Senate victory 11 days ago.

Climate chief was told of false glacier claims before Copenhagen  —  The chairman of the leading climate change watchdog was informed that claims about melting Himalayan glaciers were false before the Copenhagen summit, The Times has learnt.  —  Rajendra Pachauri was told that the Intergovernmental Panel …

WILLING TO TAKE THE RISK.... Congressional Republicans decided quite a while ago to reject compromise at all costs and block the Democratic majority from governing.  Sam Stein reported yesterday that some in the GOP are starting to second guess the strategy. … Well, sort of.

LIMBAUGH LETS LOOSE  —  Rush Limbaugh is already creating buzz as a judge at the Miss America pageant: Seems the man knows how to bust a move.  —  On Thursday night, in between rounds of competition, the judges competed for their own crown: “Judge of the Night.”

Duncan: Katrina Was The “Best Thing” for New Orleans School System  —  ABC News' Mary Bruce Reports: Education Secretary Arne Duncan said today that Hurricane Katrina was “the best thing that happened to the education system in New Orleans” because it gave the city a chance to rebuild and improve its failing public schools.

Make me poorer  —  Americans voicing their anger at the healthcare proposals at a “town hall meeting”  —  The Republicans' shock victory in the election for the US Senate seat in Massachusetts meant the Democrats lost their supermajority in the Senate.  This makes it even harder …

Obama tries hand at color commentary during interview at Duke-GU game  —  President Barack Obama said he can't catch as much college hoops as he'd like, but relies on ESPN to keep him up to date.  —  In a mid-game interview on CBS during today's Duke-Georgetown game at the Verizon Center in D.C. …

Off Script, Obama and the G.O.P. Vent Politely  —  BALTIMORE — President Obama denied he was a Bolshevik, the Republicans denied they were obstructionists and both sides denied they were to blame for the toxic atmosphere clouding the nation's political leadership.

SNOWE ACKNOWLEDGES HEALTH CARE TALKS.... There were reports this week that some Senate Democrats had once again decided to reach out to Maine's Republican senators, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, about health care reform.  Yesterday, Snowe acknowledged some talks had, in fact, already occurred.

Un-frickin-believable: U.S. Military Serving as Chauffeurs, Babysitters for the Pelosi Kids: Receipts That Will Blow Your Mind  —  Meet the Pelosi family!  Using Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, Judicial Watch uncovered thousands of pages of travel documents related to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's use of military aircraft.

Pentagon to investigate possible 'Don't ask, don't tell' repeal  —  The Pentagon plans to take the first step in ending the federal ban on gays from serving in the military next Tuesday, when it announces a special investigation into how and when to repeal the long-standing 1993 law.