Is the Senate majority now in play?  —  The victories in Illinois by Rep. Mark Kirk (R) and state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias (D) coupled with former Indiana Sen. Dan Coats' (R) decision to challenge Evan Bayh (D) in the fall is likely to stir chatter about the possibility that Republicans …

Official Says Terrorism Suspect Is Cooperating  —  WASHINGTON — Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the Nigerian man accused of trying to blow up a jetliner bound for Detroit on Dec. 25, started talking to investigators after two of his family members arrived in the United States and helped earn his cooperation …

GOP finds loophole in reconciliation ploy  —  As it turns out, Senate Democrats may not be able to force healthcare legislation through the chamber on a simple majority vote.  —  Republicans say they have found a loophole in the budget reconciliation process that could allow them to offer an indefinite number of amendments.

D-Day at CBS News  —  On the evening of Monday, Feb. 1, Katie Couric, anchor of the CBS Evening News, was wearing red.  For the next half-hour, she tore through the headlines.  There were allegations of bigotry among the federal air marshals in the U.S., an American church group accused …

Why I'm speaking at Tea Party convention  —  Later this week I'll head to Nashville, where I'll have the honor of speaking with members of the Tea Party movement.  I look forward to meeting many Americans who share a commitment to limited government, common sense and personal responsibility.

Our licence fees pay for climate denial  —  The BBC spouts rightwing bias while ignoring environmental science.  So why not give other conspiracies a platform too?  —  After watching last night's Newsnight, I can only come to one conclusion: the BBC has become this country's …

'YOU DON'T BLOW A BUNCH OF CASH IN VEGAS ...': Obama remark reopens wound  —  Public officials scold president  —  Add people saving for college to the list of folks President Barack Obama says shouldn't spend money in Las Vegas.  —  On Tuesday Obama told an audience in Nashua, N.H. …

Obama Acts to Engage G.O.P., Testing Party's Intentions  —  WASHINGTON — Emboldened by the response to President Obama's face-off with House Republicans last week, the White House is intensifying its push to engage Congressional Republicans in policy negotiations as a way to share the burden …

Countdown begins for end of Keith Olbermann's ‘Countdown’?  —  Remember Keith Olbermann?  —  He was the one-time must-see anti-Bush ranter who helped rescue MSNBC (yes, it's still on at night) from even worse oblivion years ago.  —  Well, quietly last month while no one was looking …

Quinn says primary over; votes still being counted this morning  —  UPDATED at 9:26 a.m. by Monique Garcia  —  Gov. Pat Quinn this morning called on Democrats to get behind his campaign for governor, but stopped short of calling on rival state Comptroller Dan Hynes to give up while votes …

Rush Limbaugh: 'I love the women's movement — especially when walking behind it.'  —  Last week, hate radio host Rush Limbaugh judged the Miss America pageant.  Today he went on Fox and Friends and spoke to host — and former Miss America winner — Gretchen Carlson to respond to the criticism he has been receiving.

Conservative Blogger Faces Criticism Over Protege … text sizeAAA  —  The conservative online news entrepreneur Andrew Breitbart is, for the moment, doing little to dispel stereotypes about bloggers.  During a recent visit to his home on the west side of Los Angeles, Breitbart, 41, is working from his own basement.

Warning sign in Illinois  —  I think last night's Illinois primary results indicate some difficulties ahead in the state for Democrats that have nothing to do with who the winners and losers were.  —  Based on the current numbers 885,268 voters were cast in the Democratic primary for Senate compared to 736,137 on the Republican side.

Facts and Data Be Damned  —  I was pulling my hair out this morning reading this Washington Post piece.  Titled “Despite his roots, Obama struggles to show he's connected to middle class,” it's one of those classics of Washington political journalism where the thesis is unsupported …

Left-right want Obama ‘question time’  —  A politically diverse group of bloggers, commentators, techies and politicos on Wednesday will launch an online campaign, Demand Question Time, urging President Barack Obama and GOP congressional leaders to hold regular, televised conversations …

Traitors to the Cause — By: Mark Steyn  —  Twenty-four hours ago, I wrote here that the Warmergate scandal is also a media scandal.  Chris Wood, of something called “the Canadian Journalism Project,” agrees: … But, in his case, the journalistic scandal is that I and a tiny proportion …

No Help in Sight, More Homeowners Walk Away  —  In 2006, Benjamin Koellmann bought a condominium in Miami Beach.  By his calculation, it will be about the year 2025 before he can sell his modest home for what he paid.  Or maybe 2040.  —  “People like me are beginning to feel like suckers,” Mr. Koellmann said.