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.

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.

Obama calls Levin to urge lame-duck 'don't ask, don't tell' repeal  —  President Barack Obama took steps on Wednesday to force a Senate vote on legislation that would begin to dismantle the military's “don't ask, don't tell” policy banning openly gay service members during …

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.

Ohhh, America, you're so strong  —  Oooh, you're so strong, baby, so handsome.  You're the greatest.  —  I'm talking about you, America.  You're . . . why, you're exceptional!  —  Does anyone else think there's something a little insecure about a country that requires its politicians to constantly declare how exceptional it is?

George Soros Tells Progressive Donors Obama Might Not Be The Best Investment  —  WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? … WASHINGTON — At a private meeting on Tuesday afternoon, George Soros, a longtime supporter of progressive causes, voiced blunt criticism of the Obama administration …

First Thoughts: Unity at last  —  NBC/WSJ poll shows the country is united at last — against the deficit-reduction proposals... Other findings in the poll: The country is pleased by the midterm results, but doesn't think they'll produce real change... Obama's standing and attitudes …

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.

Meg Whitman's former maid gets $5,500 in back wages  —  Ending an ordeal that may have doomed her race for governor, Meg Whitman on Wednesday agreed to pay her former maid back wages of $5,500, an amount dwarfed by the political fallout created when the illegal-immigrant housekeeper came …

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 …

Irish Republic to get bail-out loan, says central bank  —  International officials are meeting in Dublin to discuss the Irish debt crisis  —  Irish Central Bank governor Patrick Honohan has said he expects the Irish Republic to accept a “very substantial loan” as part of an EU-backed bail-out.

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 …

Don't Get Cocky, GOP  —  Obama is weak, but it is always difficult to defeat a sitting president.  —  It has been a brutal month for President Obama.  The historic electoral rebuke delivered to his party was followed at the G-20 meeting by a public rebuff of the Federal Reserve's QE2 program …

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 …

National Book Award for Patti Smith  —  The rock musician Patti Smith won the National Book Award for nonfiction on Wednesday night for “Just Kids,” a sweetly evocative memoir of her relationship with the artist Robert Mapplethorpe and the romantic days of bohemian New York.

Top governors turn against Michael Steele  —  SAN DIEGO - Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele's prospects for a second term dimmed Wednesday as Republicans went public with their concerns about the committee's fundraising and two prominent governors indicated a preference for new leadership atop the party.

A Hedge Fund Republic?  —  Earlier this month, I offended a number of readers with a column suggesting that if you want to see rapacious income inequality, you no longer need to visit a banana republic.  You can just look around.  —  My point was that the wealthiest plutocrats now actually control …

U.S. appears ready to acknowledge a long haul in Afghanistan  —  As NATO leaders meet in Lisbon this weekend, the U.S. is expected to endorse a plan for slow withdrawal and gradually handing over security responsibility by 2014.  —  Reporting from Washington — President Obama built …

Dem Senators Want Major Changes to HAMP  —  So here's a major breakthrough in the foreclosure crisis and in particular the failed HAMP program.  It doesn't mean anything's going to happen, but it means a significant chunk of the majority caucus in the Senate wants a radical overhaul of HAMP.

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) …

Maffei picks up votes in Onondaga County absentee count, leaving Buerkle ahead by 642 … SYRACUSE, NY — Republican Ann Marie Buerkle's lead in the 25th Congressional District narrowed this afternoon as the Onondaga County Board of Elections began counting its absentee ballots …