The Limits of Rahmism  —  AS A DOZEN or so top White House officials gathered in Rahm Emanuel's corner West Wing office one morning in early January, the president's political director, Patrick Gaspard, reported on the latest poll numbers in Massachusetts.  With less than two weeks until …

Sarah Palin heads north.  Er, south.  Er, to Calgary.  - UPDATED  —  It was little surprise that Sarah Palin's first visit to our home and native land (of public health care and gay marriage) would be in Calgary.  It also shouldn't be surprising that she was able to curry favour …

Obama-Bush Same Mistakes: President Repeats Stumbles  —  Who would have thought that one of Barack Obama's biggest missteps as President would be repeating some of the bad habits of George W. Bush?  No single factor was more instrumental in Obama's 2008 victory than his pledge to completely reverse …

Conservative California state senator comes out  —  California State Sen. Roy Ashburn, a conservative Republican with a solidly anti-gay voting record, came out as gay today on a Bakersfield radio station talk show.  Ashburn's sexual orientation had been the talk of Sacramento since …

The story behind Oscar's “Kanye moment”  —  We talk to the two filmmakers whose personal fight became one of the ceremony's weirdest moments … People are already saying you “pulled a Kanye.”  What happened?  —  BURKETT: What happened was the director and I had a bad difference …

Obama To Dems: Reform Will Kick In This Year.  This Year.  This Year.  —  One striking thing about the speech Obama just gave at the big health care rally in Pennsylvania is how many times he stressed that if reform passes, voters will begin enjoying the benefits this year.

Republicans scold Liz Cheney  —  A group that includes leading conservative lawyers and policy experts, former Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr and several senior officials of the last Bush Administration, is denouncing as “shameful” Republican attacks on lawyers who came to the Obama Justice Department …

Obama warns staff: Ignore palace intrigue  —  The spate of news stories delving into West Wing palace intrigue has become so relentless that President Barack Obama warned his team against fueling the blaze.  —  “Don't get absorbed in the Washington finger-pointing and intrigue,” …

Where are Obama's foreign confidants?  —  I recently asked several senior administration officials, separately, to name a foreign leader with whom Barack Obama has forged a strong personal relationship during his first year in office.  A lot of hemming and hawing ensued.

Business Lobbyists Push to Revive Estate Tax They Tried to Kill  —  Lobbyists for small businesses, construction companies, manufacturers and other trade groups are racing the clock to convince Congress to reinstate the federal estate tax they've fought for years to abolish.

Updated: Dan Rather Said that Obama 'couldn't sell watermelons'?  UPDATED, Video with Audio UPDATED Again: Transcript, Dan Rather/Watermelon Statement  —  Rush Limbaugh just mentioned that he has audio of Dan Rather saying that Obama is 'couldn't sell watermelons' or some such thing.

Health-care reform is progressive  —  Reading Chris Bowers's excellent list of the progressive priorities fulfilled or partially fulfilled by the health-care bill's sidecar amendments is a reminder of how peculiar the framing of this debate has been.  There's no doubt that progressives …

Alabama Dem lawmaker will break from campaign trail to oppose health reform  —  Rep. Artur Davis (D-Ala.), who opposed the House version of the healthcare reform bill last year, will make sure to take a break from his campaign for governor to travel to Washington to vote against the final version of the bill.

Illinois Democrat Lipinski Will Switch from Yes to No if Health Bill Lacks Stupak Amendment  —  Add Congressman Dan Lipinski of Illinois to the coalition of pro-life Democrats standing firmly with Bart Stupak in the fight over taxpayer-funding of abortion in the health care bill.

THE GOP STILL JUST DOESN'T LIKE THE UNEMPLOYED.... It's astounding, but in the midst of an unemployment crisis, prominent Republicans continue to castigate those struggling to find jobs.  —  Yesterday, for example, disgraced former Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) argued that unemployment benefits …

CONCERN TROLLING GONE AWRY (AGAIN).... You know who's really looking out for congressional Democrats' electoral fortunes?  Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).  While you and I might think, “Wait, isn't that the guy trying to destroy Democrats as part of his drive for power?” …

Mass-Market Epiphany  —  Mysticism is dying, and taking true religion with it.  Monasteries have dwindled.  Contemplative orders have declined.  Our religious leaders no longer preach the renunciation of the world; our culture scoffs at the idea.  The closest most Americans come …