WashPost TV critic smears ABC's Amanpour as possible terrorist sympathizer  —  This is really just beyond the pale.  —  Everyone knows that Post critic Tom Shales can't stand Christiane Amanpour and has what is now officially a creepy obsession with belittling her work.

Challenge to Health Care Law Advances  —  This just in: Virginia federal judge Henry Hudson on Monday ruled that he'll let the state of Virginia's challenge to the landmark health care law passed in March go forward, at least for the time being.  Click here for the early Reuters story; here for the 32-page opinion.

Defining Prosperity Down  —  I'm starting to have a sick feeling about prospects for American workers — but not, or not entirely, for the reasons you might think.  —  Yes, growth is slowing, and the odds are that unemployment will rise, not fall, in the months ahead.  That's bad.

Rudy: GZ Mosque is a ‘desecration,’ ‘decent Muslims’ won't be offended  —  This went way under the radar three weeks ago, but Rudy Giuliani made what, as best as I can tell, were his first public comments about the planned mosque near Ground Zero on the Jeff Katz show on radio (someone will I'm sure correct me if I'm wrong).

THE EMPTY CHAMBER  —  Just how broken is the Senate?  —  “Sit and watch us for seven days,” one senator says of the deadlocked chamber.  “You know what you'll see happening?  Nothing.” … KEYWORDS … “This is just one of those days when you want to throw up your hands and say, ‘What in the world are we doing?’ ”

Obama Speech Begins Effort to Highlight Iraq Drawdown  —  WASHINGTON — Nearly eight years after he denounced what he called a “dumb war” in Iraq and nearly two years after he won the White House promising to end it, President Obama on Monday plans to mark the formal end of the combat mission there.

Even Fox News Can't Hide Sharron Angle's Wingnuttery in Their Special on the Mid-Term Elections  —  Well, it looks like Sharron Angle's favorite refuge Fox News can't manage to do a report on her without exposing just how extreme this woman really is.  The network aired a special Sunday night …

Arizona was once tolerant of illegal immigrants.  What happened?  —  Analysts suggest it was a perfect storm of demographic shifts, a scary criminal element, the recession and a new governor.  —  Reporting from Phoenix — Arizona has made a name for itself as the state with the harshest policies against illegal immigration.

Congressman at Town Hall: ‘The Federal Government Can Do Most Anything in This Country’  —  This website uses IntenseDebate comments, but they are not currently loaded because either your browser doesn't support JavaScript, or they didn't load fast enough.

48% Blame Obama for Bad Economy, 47% Blame Bush  —  For the first since President Obama took office, voters see his policies as equally to blame with those of President George W. Bush for the country's current economic problems.  —  A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds …

Arizona Sheriff: ‘Our Own Government Has Become Our Enemy’  —  (Correction: As initially posted, this story inaccurately said that Pinal County was contiguous with the Mexican border.  It is in southern Arizona, but not on the border.)  —  (CNSNews.com) - Pinal County (Ariz.) …

Plagiarism Lines Blur for Students in Digital Age  —  At Rhode Island College, a freshman copied and pasted from a Web site's frequently asked questions page about homelessness — and did not think he needed to credit a source in his assignment because the page did not include author information.

Ethics cases raise racial questions  —  The politically charged decisions by veteran Democratic Reps. Charles Rangel of New York and Maxine Waters of California to force public trials by the House ethics committee are raising questions about race and whether black lawmakers face more scrutiny …

A food bill we need  —  Last spring, a class of fifth-grade students from Bancroft Elementary School in the District descended on the South Lawn of the White House to help us dig, mulch, water and plant our very first kitchen garden.  In the months that followed, those same students came …

Rand Paul: Congress has no business protecting miners  —  Reform-minded lawmakers in both the House and Senate are pushing legislation to bolster the work-safety protections for miners working underground.  But don't try to convince Rand Paul.  —  The Republican running to replace outgoing Sen. Jim Bunning …

Clinton's Gown Spoke Beyond the Silence  —  The newlyweds Marc Mezvinsky and Chelsea Clinton.  Ms. Clinton wore a strapless beaded gown designed by Vera Wang.  More Photos »  —  Chelsea Clinton isn't the first presidential daughter who has tried to keep private the details of her wedding day.

Rep. Ryan pushes budget reform, and his party winces  —  Viewing him as a rising star in the party, Republicans in Congress often talk up Rep. Paul Ryan as a potential governor, senator or House leader.  The lanky, youthful-looking congressman from Wisconsin has begged off …

Other cities stuck with the tab for Bell officials' massive pensions  —  Under the state's arcane, convoluted public pension system, Bell will pay a fraction of the city manager and police chief's pensions.  Former employers and other cities will bear the brunt of the cost.

McCain places hold on Clapper nomination  —  Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has placed a hold on President Obama's nominee to serve as director of national intelligence (DNI), his spokeswoman said Monday.  —  Spokeswoman Brooke Buchanan confirmed a report that that the Arizona senator has requested …