Robert Gibbs Scrawls Notes on Hand, Mocking Sarah Palin (Video)  —  Posted by Brian Montopoli Following President Obama's surprise appearance at the White House press briefing, press secretary Robert Gibbs garnered laughter from the press corps by holding up his hand to reveal that he had written notes on his palm in black marker.

In Albany, a Rumor of a Rumor Catches Fire  —  Albany — long a place of scandal, the rumor of scandal and the echoing talk about the rumor of scandal — has had a week a bit unlike any other.  Newspapers, blogs, reputable outfits and fringe gossip sites have worked themselves into a frenzy …

Something Much Darker  —  Andrew Sullivan has a serious problem.  —  I.  —  “Trying to explain the doctrine of the Trinity to readers of The New Republic is not easy.”  On June 2, 1944, W.H. Auden penned that sentence in a letter to Ursula Niebuhr.  On January 26, 2010 …

Wilder: Obama needs to fire DNC Chairman Kaine, W.H. advisers  —  During the 2008 campaign, I strongly endorsed Barack Obama for president.  I did so early, when many Democratic leaders — including many prominent African-American politicians — believed the safe bet was to back then-front-runner Hillary Clinton.

Lawmakers Expel N.Y. State Senator Over Assault  —  ALBANY — The New York State Senate on Tuesday night expelled a senator convicted of assaulting his companion, the first time a member of the Legislature was forced from office in nearly a century.  —  Hiram Monserrate, a Democrat from Queens …

Draft version of Senate Dems' jobs bill leaks  —  A draft version of the Senate jobs bill began circulating around Washington, offering a glimpse of the package of spending items and tax cuts Senate Democrats envision as the basis for legislation Majority Reid Harry Reid (D-Nev.) wants to begin debating within days.

Opposing view: ‘We need no lectures’  —  Administration disrupts terrorists' plots, takes fight to them abroad.  —  Politics should never get in the way of national security.  But too many in Washington are now misrepresenting the facts to score political points, instead of coming together to keep us safe.

Poll: Bipartisanship popular, compromise tricky  —  Americans spread the blame when it comes to the lack of cooperation in Washington, and, in a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, most want the two sides to keep working to pass comprehensive health-care reform.

Exclusive Pics: Lt. Dan Choi back in service?  —  This past weekend at the NGLTF Creating Change conference, there was a notable absence that many have already tweeted and remarked about.  Lt. Dan Choi was supposed to lead a Knights Out sponsored workshop on Friday morning about ending …

Unemployment taxes slam businesses  —  NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Employers are getting hit with a massive tax hike at a time when they can least afford it.  —  Companies in at least 35 states will have to fork over more in unemployment insurance taxes this year, according to the National Association of State Workforce Agencies.

The Obama Obesity Proposals: The Good, The Bad, The Missing  —  With a flourish of his pen, President Obama signed an executive order this morning creating yet another national anti-obesity strategy.  He was flanked by gaggle of usual suspects — and his wife, Michelle Obama, for whom combating childhood obesity is a cause.

China PLA officers urge economic punch against U.S.  —  BEIJING (Reuters) - Senior Chinese military officers have proposed that their country boost defense spending, adjust PLA deployments, and possibly sell some U.S. bonds to punish Washington for its latest round of arms sales to Taiwan.

Palin Advocates War With Iran After Apparently Misunderstanding Buchanan Column (VIDEO)  —  Citing a column by Pat Buchanan that clearly argues against conflict with Iran, Sarah Palin on Sunday suggested that a war with Iran would be good policy and a boon for President Obama's 2012 reelection hopes.

Blogging the Snowpocalypse  —  You will probably have noticed that I did not post this morning.  That's because sometime before 8 am, I decided that I should get to the grocery store and pick up my lung medicine in the hiatus between snows.  —  Four hours later, I returned with a trunk full …