Dem Senator: Negotiating with Republicans “Almost” like Negotiating with “Terrorists”  —  ABC News' Jonathan Karl reports: Did Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) just compare Republicans to terrorists?  —  Well, not really.  But he did compare negotiating with Republicans to negotiating with terrorists.

The top ten pundits among Republican activists  —  1,152 Republican activists, as identified by YouGov America and polled by ConservativeHome.com, have chosen their favorite pundits.  —  These pundits, more than any other, will be the talking heads who will influence the choice of the GOP's nominee for 2012.

Scott Brown comes out in favor of DADT repeal  —  This is potentially important.  The statement just out from Senator Scott Brown's office: … A few quick points on this.  First, it shows beyond doubt — as I thought would happen — that Robert Gates's handling of this whole affair …

Defiant Helen Thomas defends remarks that led to exit  —  Striking a defiant tone, journalist Helen Thomas, 90, said today she absolutely stands by her controversial comments about Israel made earlier this year that led to her resignation.  But she stoked additional controversy with new remarks …

Hardball  —  From First Read: … Maybe a reluctance to play hardball is the issue here.  But there are at least two other things involved.  The first is simply that Republicans believe their own PR more than Democrats do.  When Republicans get hysterical about something, it's genuine.

Julian Assange answers your questions  —  The founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, answers readers' questions about the release of more than 250,000 US diplomatic cables  —  Fwoggie … Julian Assange:  —  I am an Australian citizen and I miss my country a great deal.

What's in those free-trade agreements—and do they really boost exports?  —  On its face, trade policy may seem like pretty stodgy stuff, but don't be fooled.  Since this administration hopes to reduce the deficit and increase employment by growing our exports, the policies that shape that flow of goods and services play a key role.

Karl Rove Slams Sarah Palin, Mike Huckabee Over Bush-Bashing Comments  —  On Laura Ingraham's radio show, Karl Rove defended the Bushes against a series of comments, including Sarah Palin's reference to the Bushes as “blue-bloods” and Mike Huckabee saying the Bushes “weren't for me.”

After Catfood Commission Fails to Meet Mandate, Dem Senators Rally for Austerity  —  Fourteen Democratic Senators have asked Harry Reid for action on reining in the budget deficit, on the same day that the Catfood Commission failed to reach the threshold to deliver an official report.

Viacom Says YouTube Ruling Will ‘Completely Destroy’ Copyright  —  Viacom appealed Friday its unsuccessful $1 billion copyright lawsuit against Google's YouTube in a case testing the depths of copyright-infringement protection under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998.

The sight of women's breasts won't deter Islamists - they're obsessed with sex  —  Denmark's government is being called upon to employ a lethal new weapon in the fight against Islamist extremism: bare breasts.  —  No, I'm not making this up - and also deny outrageous suggestions that I'm looking …

Durbin: DREAM Act will come to the Senate floor next week  —  Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) on Friday predicted a Senate vote on the DREAM Act will be held next week.  —  “Sen. Reid is going to call it,” Durbin told The Hill shortly after the chamber adjourned at 3:30 p.m. Friday.

Obama Using Unemployed as an Excuse to Get What He Wanted All Along  —  It's been clear for some time that President Obama made the political calculation that he does not want any of the Bush tax cuts to expire.  He doesn't have to be the guy in 2012 running for President on having “raised taxes during a time of recession.”

Harkin: If Obama Caves On Taxes, He Better Pray For Palin In 2012  —  WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? … WASHINGTON — The sense of frustration among Senate Democrats over the White House's handling of the tax cut debate has grown throughout the week, culminating in a series of articles …

Disappointing Job Growth in U.S. as Jobless Rate Hits 9.8%  —  In a significant setback to the recovery and market expectations, the United States economy added just 39,000 jobs in November, and the unemployment rate rose to 9.8 percent, according to the Department of Labor.

Hold the brownies!  Bill could limit bake sales … WASHINGTON (AP) — Don't touch my brownies!  —  A child nutrition bill on its way to President Barack Obama — and championed by the first lady — gives the government power to limit school bake sales and other fundraisers that health advocates …

UN Climate Summit Leader Prays to Mayan Moon Goddess  —  Watch out, Al Gore, your moonbat congregation is starting to direct their prayers elsewhere: … It just makes sense: When you're pushing a myth, there's no more appropriate entity to pray to than a mythical goddess.  Why be inconsistent?

The November Employment Report: A Wake-up Call  —  Awful.  That's the best one can say about the November employment report.  The headline — that unemployment jumped to 9.8 percent — is not really the bad news.  If and when the economy does catch fire, droves of discouraged workers …

Arizona Cuts Financing for Transplant Patients  —  PHOENIX — Even physicians with decades of experience telling patients that their lives are nearing an end are having difficulty discussing a potentially fatal condition that has arisen in Arizona: Death by budget cut.

The mortgage interest deduction: winners and losers  —  The debate on tax reform is starting to heat up with various proposals being debated, and many policies are being considered for the chopping block.  One of them is the mortgage interest deduction (MID).

Groupon Annual Revenues Actually $2 Billion  —  According to sources close to the situation, Groupon's actual run rate for this year is clocking in at $2 billion in revenue, rather than the widely quoted $500 million.  —  Who knew hawking spas treatments and stripper pole lessons could be so lucrative?

Montana Republican Numbers  —  On the Montana poll that we released a couple weeks ago we also had some numbers on who Republicans in the state wanted as their candidates for President and Senate in 2012 and we just never got around to releasing them.  So here goes:

Hillary Clinton: State is ‘last’ public post  —  Hillary Clinton says, ‘I think I will serve as secretary of state as my last public position.’  —  Secretary of state will be Hillary Clinton's “last public position,” she said Friday, yet again tamping down speculation that she's plotting …

Ireland's rescue package: Disaster for Ireland, bad omen for the Eurozone  —  Irish interest spreads did not fall and contagion continues.  Here one of the world's leading international economists explains why.  Short-sighted, wishful thinking by EU and German leadership designed a package …

Obama issues first pardons of presidency, four in cocaine cases  —  President Obama issued the first pardons of his presidency, excusing the convicts of crimes, many of which were drug-related.  —  Obama made nine pardons, four of which were in cases related to cocaine convictions.