Cables Obtained by WikiLeaks Shine Light Into Secret Diplomatic Channels  —  WASHINGTON — A cache of a quarter-million confidential American diplomatic cables, most of them from the past three years, provides an unprecedented look at backroom bargaining by embassies around the world …

The FBI successfully thwarts its own Terrorist plot  —  The FBI is obviously quite pleased with itself over its arrest of a 19-year-old Somali-American, Mohamed Osman Mohamud, who — with months of encouragement, support and money from the FBI's own undercover agents — allegedly attempted …

McCain compares Sarah Palin to Ronald Reagan  —  Sunday Rundown: A quick wrap-up of the Sunday talk shows.  —  CNN: STATE OF THE UNION - McCain compares Sarah Palin to Reagan  —  Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said China is not doing its part to avert a conflict between North Korea and South Korea …

Presidential historian curses, calls Americans ‘lazy and obese’  —  Presidential biographer Edmund Morris delivered one of the more, well, colorful lines on this week's Sunday morning shows.  —  On CBS's “Face the Nation,” host Bob Schieffer, anchoring an authors roundtable discussion …

US Diplomats Told to Spy on Other Countries at United Nations  —  The US State Department gave its diplomats instructions to spy on other countries' representatives at the United Nations, according to a directive signed by Hillary Clinton.  Diplomats were told to collect information about e-mail accounts …

US embassy cables: Saudi king's advice for Barack Obama  —  NSC FOR JBRENNAN AND JDUNCAN; STATE FOR S/WCI  —  Classified By: Pol Counselor Lisa Carle, 1.4(b),(d)  — (S) Saudi King Abdullah welcomed White House counterterrorism adviser John Brennan, S/WCI Ambassador Williamson …

Blue Dog survivor blames Obama, Pelosi for losses  —  WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler said last week he partially blames the Obama administration and U.S. House leadership for Democrats' election losses and his extremely narrow re-election.  —  “If not there, where else does the responsibility lie? …

The Country's Wealthiest Men: No, Really, Tax Us More!  —  Not that this will matter to the congressional Republicans, whose agenda is not actually improving the economy nor listening to economists, the wealthiest 2%, or any other American, come to that.  But the country's wealthiest men …

A Bully Finds a Pulpit on the Web  —  SHOPPING online in late July, Clarabelle Rodriguez typed the name of her favorite eyeglass brand into Google's search bar.  —  In moments, she found the perfect frames — made by a French company called Lafont — on a Web site that looked snazzy and stood at the top of the search results.

Why the TSA pat-downs and body scans are unconstitutional  —  The protest on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving was called National Opt-Out Day, and its organizers urged air travelers to refuse the Transportation Security Administration's full-body scanning machines.  —  But many appeared to have opted out of opting out.