Secret Joint Raid Captures Taliban's Top Commander  —  WASHINGTON — The Taliban's top military commander was captured several days ago in Karachi, Pakistan, in a secret joint operation by Pakistani and American intelligence forces, according to American government officials.

Evan Bayh's Retirement Leaves Democrats Scarred And Demanding Aggression  —  WHAT'S YOUR REACTION?  —  Senator Evan Bayh's abrupt announcement on Monday that he will retire at the end of his term has further united disparate voices within the Democratic Party behind the idea that legislative action …

Tea Party Movement Lights Fuse for Rebellion on Right  —  Less than a year ago, Pam Stout was new to protest politics.  Now she runs a Tea Party group in Sandpoint, Idaho.  More Photos >  —  SANDPOINT, Idaho — Pam Stout has not always lived in fear of her government.

Does Dick Cheney Want to Be Prosecuted?  —  After he was indicted for the murder of Alexander Hamilton, vice president Aaron Burr fled to South Carolina, to hide out with his daughter.  Another vice president, Spiro Agnew, kept completely silent before pleading nolo contendere on corruption charges.

Romney threatened on flight out of Vancouver  —  Republican politician Mitt Romney was physically threatened by a violent passenger on an Air Canada flight leaving Vancouver this morning.  —  Mr. Romney, who has been in Vancouver since Friday for the Olympic Winter Games, did not respond to the attack.

Now IPCC hurricane data is questioned  —  Open science: Got Excel?  Debunk this  —  More trouble looms for the IPCC.  The body may need to revise statements made in its Fourth Assessment Report on hurricanes and global warming.  A statistical analysis of the raw data shows that the claims …

FAIL... Just 6% of Americans Believe Obama's $787 Billion Stimulus Created Jobs  —  In December the Obama Administration announced they had “saved or created” 1.1 million jobs.  —  In January the Obama Administration announced they had “saved or created” 2 million jobs.

Blumenthal speaks to Yale Dems  —  NEW HAVEN — Richard Blumenthal, the state's Democratic attorney general, who is running for the U.S. Senate, Monday said it was “an open question,” whether he would ask President Barack Obama to campaign on his behalf.  —  Asked if the president's appearance …

Conference on Muslims in the media too hot for some of its speakers  —  Stouffville, Ont.  — Western media have a “spiteful policy” toward Iran of inventing “fraudulent” news to “increase false national expectation” and “encourage disturbance,” according to the cultural attaché in the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

In California, Exhibit A in Debate on Insurance  —  LOS ANGELES — When Bernhard Punzet opened the dreaded envelope from Anthem Blue Cross one recent Saturday, it ruined his weekend.  —  Although he had no known medical problems, the company was raising the premium on his individual health insurance policy …

Wisconsin Billboard Calls for Obama's Ouster  —  Billboard will remain until June  —  Somebody in Wisconsin doesn't like President Barack Obama all that much.  —  An unnamed company has paid for a billboard along Highway 41 in Oshkosh that reads, “Impeach Obama.”

Republicans Spurn Once-Favored Health Mandate  —  For Republicans, the idea of requiring every American to have health insurance is one of the most abhorrent provisions of the Democrats' health overhaul bills.  —  “Congress has never crossed the line between regulating what people choose …

Milbank writing Beck book: ‘Tears of a Clown’  —  Dana Milbank recently wrote how a Fox News star has really “captured the moment,” before posing the question: “Is Glenn Beck America?”  —  Milbank, who only had about 750 words to tackle that question in his Washington Post column …

Beware fear's racist temptation  —  Don't blame your fear of the future on Obama's skin color  —  SPECIAL COMMENT  —  Finally tonight, as promised, a Special Comment on this Presidents' Day celebrating George Washington, and the Founding Fathers he represents and Abraham Lincoln, and the Emancipation he represents.

New poll: Now, signs of real vulnerability for California's Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer  —  So, is California's brittle Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer about to become the next Harry Reid?  Which is to say, embattled at home.  —  As Reid worked the wallets of San Francisco on Presidents …

Obama to announce loan help for U.S. nuclear power  —  * Two nuclear reactors could be in service in 2016, 2017  —  * Obama asks Congress to triple nuclear loan guarantee fund  —  The Obama administration, advancing nuclear power use to help cut greenhouse gas emissions …

All you ever wanted to know about the research on health insurance and health — and more  —  I think I've said quite enough on the question of whether health-care insurance reduces the risk of death.  But one of the first things I did when looking into the subject was call Stan Dorn …

Excise Tax Loses Support Amid White House Push  —  WASHINGTON — An agreement to tax high-cost, employer-sponsored health insurance plans, announced with fanfare by the White House and labor unions last month, is losing support from labor leaders, who say the proposal is too high a price …