Sarah Palin Says She Could Beat Obama  —  In Interview With Barbara Walters, Palin Says She Is Seriously Considering Entering Race in 2012  —  Sarah Palin says she is seriously considering a run for the White House, and she believes she could beat President Obama in 2012, the former Alaska governor told ABC News' Barbara Walters.

Detainee Acquitted on Most Counts in '98 Bombings  —  The first former Guantánamo detainee to be tried in a civilian court was acquitted on Wednesday of all but one of more than 280 charges of conspiracy and murder in the 1998 terrorist bombings of the United States Embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Nancy Pelosi survives Democratic revolt  —  With the worst behind her, Speaker Nancy Pelosi must now find a way to unite a fractured House Democratic Caucus as the party prepares for the 112th Congress.  —  That may not be so easy.  —  In a nearly six-hour marathon, closed-door meeting …

Democrats Press GOP Lawmakers to Turn Down Government Health Care  —  A group of House Democrats has released a letter to Republican congressional leaders calling on them to announce which of their members will be forgoing their congressional benefit health insurance (which is subsidized by the government) …

White House backs ‘Four Loko’ ban  —  The White House on Wednesday threw its support behind a ban on beverages that infuse alcohol and caffeine.  —  Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske said he welcomed a ruling by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that would effectively ban drinks like Four Loko and Joost …

Man Shoots TV Over Bristol Palin Dancing  —  Suspect surrendered after 15-hour standoff with Wisconsin cops … Like most Americans, Steven Cowan has been perplexed by Bristol Palin's curious ability to keep advancing in TV's “Dancing with the Stars” competition.

Reid's new chief of staff is also his top donor  —  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's (D-Nev.) new chief of staff is a heavy-hitting Democratic donor, who's contributed at least $35,000 to Reid himself.  —  David Krone, a former Comcast executive and telecommunications lobbyist whom Reid tapped …

Leader of TSA offers pat-downs to senators  —  The head of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) offered on Wednesday to have airport screeners come to Capitol Hill to give senators a pat-down so they could fully understand the mechanics of the newly deployed, controversial technique.

GOProud on the Willow Palin “Controversy”  —  For Immediate Release  —  Statement of Tammy Bruce - Chair of the GOProud Advisory Council  —  (Los Angeles, CA) - “Willow Palin is a 16 year old girl who, like all 16 year olds is going to make mistakes and say things she shouldn't have.

Justices Are Long on Words but Short on Guidance  —  WASHINGTON — In June, the Supreme Court issued a decision on the privacy rights of a police officer whose sexually explicit text messages had been reviewed by his employer.  Ever since, lower court judges have struggled to figure out what the decision means.

GOP to force vote on NPR defunding  —  House Republicans announced Wednesday they plan to force a floor vote on defunding NPR in response to the firing of analyst Juan Williams last month.  —  House GOP Whip Eric Cantor (Va.) and Rep. Doug Lamborn (Colo.) said that cutting funds …

Obama: GOP successfully outplayed us on health reform  —  One last nugget from Richard Wolffe's new book on the Obama White House.  In an interview with Wolffe, the President seemed to acknowledge that in pursuing bipartisan support for health reform, he and Democrats got snookered …

Gibbs: DADT Still a Priority  —  White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Wednesday that passing “don't ask, don't tell” repeal as part of the National Defense Authorization Act before the end of the year is “a priority” for President Barack Obama.  But Gibbs added that the president …

Members of US Congress Get Richer Despite Sour Economy  —  Despite a long and deep recession, the collective personal wealth of congressional members increased by more than 16 percent between 2008 and 2009, according to a study released Wednesday by the Center for Responsive Politics.

Reed, Casey Seek One-Year Extension of Unemployment Benefits  —  Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Bob Casey (D-PA) want the Senate to take up and pass a one-year extension of unemployment insurance benefits from 26 to 99 weeks, but they did not sound hopeful on a conference call that this could get done …

Lugar rebukes own party for avoiding New START debate, wants to force vote now  —  In a stunning rebuke to members of his own caucus, Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking Republican Richard Lugar (R-IN) said on Wednesday that the GOP is intentionally trying to put off a vote …

The Washington Independent, signing off  —  Nearly three years ago, The Washington Independent was launched as a bold experiment in online journalism.  The idea was to combine hard-nosed investigative reporting with all the web had to offer: the nimbleness of real-time coverage …