Murkowski: DeMint will have to make first move for ‘making up’  —  If Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) is interested in apologizing to Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R), he'll have to make the first move, Murkowski said Friday.  —  The Alaska senator, who appears poised to win reelection as a write …

One and done: To be a great president, Obama should not seek reelection in 2012  —  President Obama must decide now how he wants to govern in the two years leading up to the 2012 presidential election.  —  In recent days, he has offered differing visions of how he might approach the country's problems.

Olbermann, O'Reilly and the death of real news  —  To witness Keith Olbermann - the most opinionated among MSNBC's left-leaning, Fox-baiting, money-generating hosts - suspended even briefly last week for making financial contributions to Democratic political candidates seemed like a whimsical …

Pelosi backs Clyburn for new No. 3 post  —  Outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) says she intends to back Democratic Whip Rep. Jim Clyburn (S.C.) for a new third-ranking leadership post next week.  —  In a statement released late Friday night, Pelosi signaled an end …

At 52%, Palin's Unfavorable Score Hits a New High  —  Americans remain split in their reactions to Tea Party movement  —  PRINCETON, NJ — More than half of Americans, 52%, now view Sarah Palin unfavorably, the highest percentage holding a negative opinion of the former Alaska governor …

51 p.m.: Military gay ban intact  —  UPDATE 1:51 p.m. The Supreme Court, without noting any dissent, agreed on Friday to leave the military's “don't ask/don't tell” policy in full effect while its constitutionality is under review in a lower court.  Justice Anthony M. Kennedy referred the issue to the full Court.

Get Ready for the Great MERS Whitewash Bill  —  When Congress comes back into session next week, it may consider measures intended to bolster the legal status of a controversial bank owned electronic mortgage registration system that contains three out of every five mortgages in the country.

Olympia Snowe Is Getting a Challenger — And Soon  —  I have direct knowledge of a conservative in Maine who is preparing to challenge Olympia Snowe.  He has told me he is running but has asked me to keep things vague so as not to step on his announcement, which he plans to make early next year.

George Bush Book ‘Decision Points’ Lifted From Advisers' Books  —  When Crown Publishing inked a deal with George W. Bush for his memoirs, the publisher knew it wasn't getting Faulkner.  But the book, at least, promises “gripping, never-before-heard detail” about the former president's key decisions …

Robert Gates orders leak probe  —  Defense Secretary Robert Gates is opening an investigation to determine who in the Defense Department leaked information to The Washington Post that showed a majority of the military would not object if the “don't ask, don't tell” policy were lifted.

Facebook's Gmail Killer, Project Titan, Is Coming On Monday  —  Back in February we wrote about Facebook's secret Project Titan — a web-based email client that we hear is unofficially referred to internally as its “Gmail killer”.  Now we've heard from sources that this is indeed what's coming …

Obama miffed by questions on U.S.  —  President Obama faces a barrage of questions at the end of the G-20 summit.  —  AP Photo  —  SEOUL — In the homestretch of his nine-day, post-election foreign trip, a prickly President Barack Obama faced a barrage of questions about his domestic agenda …

Top Palin aide is on Soros' payroll  —  Glenn Beck spent the past week denouncing the liberal billionaire and philanthropist George Soros as a “puppet master” who is orchestrating a coup “to bring America to her knees.”  —  Given Soros' alleged role plotting to destroy the United States …

If You Want Liberals to Like a Deal, You Need to Invite Liberals to the Table  —  I'm not surprised that liberals don't like the Simpson-Bowles proposals and I'm not surprised that people who aren't liberal disagree with liberals about that.  But I am surprised that there are people …

Obama's Gifts to the GOP  —  Republicans own the political center for now.  Not because they deserve it.  —  Democrats are down, and sniping at each other.  That's the way it goes when parties lose.  What's interesting is the mood this week among Republicans on the ground.  It's not triumphal.

In An ‘Unusual’ Meeting, Cantor Tells Netanyahu The GOP Majority ‘Will Serve As A Check’ On Obama's Israel Policy  —  Earlier this week, President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sharply criticized the Israeli government after it announced plans to build more than 1,000 Jewish settlements in East Jerusalem.

HONEST CRITIQUE: JON STEWART CLASHES WITH RACHEL MADDOW  —  In a primetime interview with MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Thursday evening, comedian (and stomach flu patient) Jon Stewart gave a candid assessment of the 24-hour cable news “arms race” and how they've missed the point of his “Rally to Restore Sanity.”

Chris Christie, the Justin Bieber of Political Media  —  This might be an obvious point about New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, but I haven't seen anyone make it yet.  The man's political operation is extraordinary.  The legend of Christie as blunt-talking master of truth and invective …

School Makes Boy Take American Flag Off Bike  —  DENAIR -  —  13-year-old Cody Alicea rides with an American flag on the back of his bike.  He says he does this to be patriotic and to honor veterans, like his own grandfather, Robert.  He's had the flag on his bike for two months but Monday, was told to take it down.

IF IT'S SUNDAY.... Mark Halperin called the guest list for Sunday's “Meet the Press” an “all-star lineup.”  That's not quite the description I'd use.  —  We'll first see an interview with Senior White House Adviser David Axelrod.  That makes sense.  —  Then viewers will see an “exclusive!” interview with Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).

Korea: Too Green for Democrats  —  Obama discovers the downside of environmental regulation.  —  The Bush administration negotiated and signed a free-trade agreement with South Korea in 2007, but enough members of Congress found the deal unacceptable that it was never ratified.

Rick Perry to lead Republican Governors Association  —  Texas Gov. Rick Perry will be tapped as the new chairman of the Republican Governors Association when the organization meets next week in San Diego, GOP sources tell POLITICO.  —  Perry recently released a book taking aim …

Cindy McCain Breaks with Her Husband in Gay Rights Video  —  Speaking in a video for an ad campaign aimed at ending the bullying toward gay teenagers, Cindy McCain, the wife of Senator John McCain of Arizona, sounds like she's talking about her husband when she faces the camera and says …

Results, Not Words  —  Atrios, yesterday: … I think that where a lot of progressive political junkies go wrong is that they think “blame Republicans for failing to pass plan to fix the economy” is a close substitute for “fix the economy.”  In reality, the evidence that fixing the economy …

Maryland AG: ‘Relax’ Election Day Robocalls Violated Law  —  Maryland's Attorney General filed a complaint in federal court this week alleging that the company and two individuals behind election day robocalls that told mostly Democratic voters to “relax” and not bother voting violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).

HHS falls short of pre-existing coverage prediction by ... 97.8%  —  255 million: The number of Americans with existing health insurance coverage.  —  20 million: The number of Americans without any health coverage at all due to economic circumstances.  —  375,000: The number of Americans …