Why Democrats Will Keep The House  —  House Republicans are measuring the drapes in preparation for big gains in the lower chamber, convinced that Minority Leader John Boehner is going to become the next Speaker of the House.  On a macro level, that wouldn't be a bad guess …

How Ken Mehlman's ‘open secret’ stayed hidden  —  Ken Mehlman says he only recently concluded that he's gay.  The media seems to have reached that conclusion years ago.  —  The Washington Post's Howard Kurtz is one of several journalists to quickly follow up on Mehlman's announcement Wednesday …

Eggs and Issues: Bright's Comments about Pelosi Draw Laughter  —  U.S. Congressman Bobby Bright, the first-term Democrat and former mayor of Montgomery, was heard having a little fun at U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's expense during his recent participation in the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce's Eggs and Issues.

Miller's lead slims; Murkowski awaits absentees  —  Joe Miller's lead over U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski slightly narrowed to 1,668 votes with all the election precincts counted Wednesday.  A stunned Murkowski said she is not giving up hope until absentee ballots are counted starting next week.

MSNBC's Ed Schultz goes bonkers  —  MSNBC talk show screamer Ed Schultz had a meltdown in the network's 30 Rock newsroom, shouting at staff, “I'm going to torch this [bleep]ing place.”  —  The hot-tempered anchor of “The Ed Show” lost it during a phone call in the packed studio and slammed down the phone before exploding.

Drunk shouts ‘terrorists,’ urinates on mosque rugs  —  Some worry NYC mosque controversy could lead to more attacks  —  msnbc.com staff and news service reports  —  NEW YORK — In the latest in a spate of anti-Muslim incidents over the last two days, an intoxicated man entered a mosque …

How the Stimulus Is Changing America  —  New juice Obama, right, tours a huge solar array in Nevada.  Catching rays is easy; storing and shipping solar energy is harder.  —  John Locher / Getty Images  —  The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 — President Obama's $787 billion stimulus …

WATCH: Glenn Beck's egomania reaching comical proportions  —  At long last, Glenn Beck's “Restoring Honor” self-aggrandizement festival is almost upon us.  In Beck's words, the rally will mark a “turning point” in American history, where “miracles” will happen.

President Obama, It's Time to Can the Catfood Commission … Pete Peterson, the hedge fund billionaire who made his money by not paying his fair share of taxes, has pursued a decades-long quest to destroy Social Security and has pledged $1 billion to achieve that goal.

Trumka: Palin will ‘go down in history like McCarthy’  —  AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, speaking to the Alaska AFL-CIO in Anchorage today, will take a swipe at Palin for her employment of the term “union thugs,” according to prepared remarks.  —  Palin, he said, has come …

Far From Ground Zero, Obscure Pastor Is Ignored No Longer  —  GAINESVILLE, Fla. — If building an Islamic center near ground zero amounts to the epitome of Muslim insensitivity, as critics of the project have claimed, what should the world make of Terry Jones, the evangelical pastor here who plans …

Party-less Charlie Crist faces harsh reality  —  WEST MIAMI, Fla. — First, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist was supposed to be the Republican nominee for Senate.  Then he seemed on track to be the de facto Democratic candidate.  Now, following Rep. Kendrick Meek's victory in Tuesday's Democratic primary …

Barbour hits speaking circuit for RGA [UPDATED]  —  It's quite unusual for sitting elected officials to give paid speeches, and even a party official, Michael Steele, raised eyebrows for cashing in on his position.  —  But Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour is on the speaking circuit …

Obama in the Swing States  —  Barack Obama expanded the map in 2008 but for the most part you're still going to find Ohio, Florida, and Pennsylvania as the most important states at the Presidential level because of their size and competitiveness and Obama's numbers in those places right now are brutal.

Exclusive: Bristol Palin Is Coming to Dancing With the Stars  —  It's the Dancing With the Stars casting that no one saw coming!  —  We can report to you exclusively that Sarah Palin's 19-year-old daughter Bristol Palin has been cast on the 11th season of DWTS, set to premiere Sept. 20, according to sources.

Dead wrestler's father blasts McMahon, WWE  —  ‘Lance Cade’ saga underscores issue of wrestling empire  —  Harley McNaught was planning to stay silent and grieve.  Then he saw what Linda McMahon said about his dead son.  —  McMahon, the former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment …

Third terror suspect was ‘Canadian Idol’ contestant … OTTAWA— Two people were arrested Wednesday afternoon and a third terrorism suspect- one who moonwalked across a Montreal stage during an audition for Canadian Idol - was detained early Thursday, the Star has learned.

New Reid ad: Sharron Angle is a dangerous maniac  —  Okay, that headline is an exaggeration, but not much of one.  Harry Reid's latest ad strings together a host of Angle-isms to paint her as, well, a dangerous psychopath:  —  What's interesting is that even though Angle did say all these things …