New chairman: Unemployment ‘going to stay high’ in near term  —  President Obama's new chairman of the Council of Economic Affairs (CEA) said Sunday that the national unemployment rate will not decrease significantly anytime soon.  —  Austan Goolsbee, who Obama announced on Friday …

A Harsh Thing I Should Have Said (Martin Peretz Dept)  —  Usually you regret the harsh things you say more than the harsh things you decide not to say.  At least, that's how it usually turns out for me.  —  Here's an exception.  Earlier this week I wrote an item about an incredible instance …

Gingrich: Obama's ‘Kenyan, anti-colonial’ worldview  —  Citing a recent Forbes article by Dinesh D'Souza, former House speaker Newt Gingrich tells National Review Online that President Obama may follow a “Kenyan, anti-colonial” worldview.  —  Gingrich says that D'Souza has made a …

When Peggy Left Barry  —  How did the first president of color become so colorless?  —  And how can Obamicans can Obama?  —  The president is everywhere, trying to get more aggressive and recapture some of his “Yes we can” mojo in an effort to fend off the rebuke that's barreling toward him from voters this fall.

Hoyer: Dems won't lose the House  —  House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) acknowledged Sunday that Democrats will lose seats in the midterm elections but said they will keep their majority.  —  “We are going to hold the House,” said Hoyer, appearing on CNN's State of the Union.

Palin Welcomes Murkowski to Alaskan Election Race, Calls Effort ‘Futile’  —  Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin said she would welcome a write-in ballot bid by Senator Lisa Murkowski, while predicting it would be a “futile” effort.  —  “Joe Miller is going to win the general,” …

Citing “Mental Anguish,” Christine O'Donnell Sought $6.9 Million in Gender Discrimination Lawsuit Against Conservative Group  —  Court documents obtained Saturday by THE WEEKLY STANDARD reveal surprising new details about the gender discrimination and wrongful termination lawsuit filed …

Imam: Palin on mosque was ‘disingenuous’; controversy exploited  —  The imam behind a mosque project near Ground Zero said in an interview that “certain politicians” were exploiting the controversy.  —  The imam behind a mosque project near Ground Zero said in an interview aired Sunday that …

US poverty on track to post record gain in 2009  —  WASHINGTON - The number of people in the U.S. who are in poverty is on track for a record increase on President Barack Obama's watch, with the ranks of working-age poor approaching 1960s levels that led to the national war on poverty.