Hoyer knew of Massa allegations  —  First-term Rep. Eric Massa announced Wednesday that he will not seek reelection, saying his doctors have told him that he can't continue to “run at 100 miles an hour.”  —  But several House aides told POLITICO that the House ethics committee has been informed …

A Death in the Blogging Family  —  The great Jon Swift has died.  That's the “blogging” angle to a personal tragedy.  In reality, the voice of Jon Swift - the hilarious faux conservative blogger whose talent and passion were evident in every post - belonged to Al Weisel …

Exclusive: RNC document mocks donors, plays on ‘fear’  —  The Republican National Committee plans to raise money this election cycle through an aggressive campaign capitalizing on “fear” of President Barack Obama and a promise to “save the country from trending toward socialism.”

Exclusive: Unknown DOJ Lawyers Identified  —  A day after a conservative group released a video condemning the Justice Department for refusing to identify seven lawyers who previously represented or advocated for terror suspects, Fox News has uncovered the identities of the seven lawyers.

Harkin: Reconciliation is a go  —  Sen. Tom Harkin told POLITICO that Senate Democratic leaders have decided to go the reconciliation route.  The House, he said, will first pass the Senate bill after Senate leaders demonstrate to House leaders that they have the votes to pass reconciliation in the Senate.

Obama Now Selling Judgeships for Health Care Votes?  —  Obama names brother of undecided House Dem to Appeals Court.  —  Tonight, Barack Obama will host ten House Democrats who voted against the health care bill in November at the White House; he's obviously trying to persuade them to switch their votes to yes.

Palin working on book about virtues and strengths  —  NEW YORK (AP) — Sarah Palin is ready for the next chapter of her publishing career.  —  Publisher HarperCollins announced Wednesday that the former Alaska governor and Republican vice presidential candidate is working on a “celebration of American virtues and strengths.”

Off the Track  —  In general, I'm not a big fan of right track/wrong track polling, even though some say that it is very useful in predicting election results, since the party perceived as being in power bears the brunt of the “wrong track” sentiment.  If that's true, this Rasmussen survey …

GRAND JURY TO INDICT EDWARDS  —  The ultimate fall from grace, a Federal grand jury is about to indict John Edwards, The ENQUIRER has learned exclusively.  —  In another shocker, close sources say Edwards' estranged wife Elizabeth could help send the former presidential candidate to jail!

Palin Does Stand-Up On Leno's “Tonight Show” (VIDEO)  —  AP / Huffington Post  —  What's Your Reaction:  —  BURBANK, Calif. — Sarah Palin says she's going to play Tina Fey in an upcoming Las Vegas show.  —  Just kidding.  —  The former Republican vice presidential nominee turned …

The fable of Emanuel the Great  —  In the space of 10 days, thanks in no small part to my own newspaper, the president of the United States has been portrayed as a weakling and a chronic screw-up who is wrecking his administration despite everything that his chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, can do to make things right.

Fringe Benefits — By: Mark Steyn  —  Gee, prosecuting Geert Wilders for “Islamophobia” in a politically rigged show trial seems to be working out just swell for the Dutch establishment.  Local election watch from EuroNews:  —  Attention is also on Geert Wilders' far-right Freedom Party …

Rove blames himself for administration's response to lack of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq  —  Former president George W. Bush did not mislead the nation about weapons of mass destruction as a way to “lie us” into war, his former top political aide, Karl Rove, asserts in a new memoir, “Courage and Consequence.”

Key House liberal may vote against healthcare bill  —  Rep. Raúl Grijalva, co-chairman of a progressive caucus, says he's “leaning toward” opposing the legislation  —  WASHINGTON — An influential House progressive says he's less likely to vote for the final healthcare reform bill …

Rep. McHenry Announces Legislation to Put President Reagan on the $50 Bill  —  “Every Generation Needs Its Own Heroes”  —  Congressman Patrick McHenry (R-NC) announced new legislation today, H.R. 4705, that would redesign the face of the $50 bill to include the likeness of our 40th President, Ronald Reagan.

Dobbs, Beck, Palin, Bachmann Share Blame For Rise in Right-Wing Extremism, Says Activist Group  —  Southern Poverty Law Center Cites Violent Incidents; Lou Dobbs Calls SPLC Director ‘Paranoid’  —  Anti-government sentiments in the U.S. have reached levels so high they could result …

Fed's Fisher: Too-Big-To-Fail Banks Should Be Dismantled  —  NEW YORK (Dow Jones)—Large, systemically important “too-big-to-fail” banks should be dismantled and broken up before regulators have to deal with another crisis, Richard Fisher, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, said Wednesday.

Same-sex couples line up as D.C. gay marriage law takes effect  —  Sitting at a desk in the marriage bureau of the D.C. Superior Court on Wednesday morning, Angelisa Young's eyes filled with so many tears, she eventually buried her face in her fiancee's chest.