Obama Defiant in Defending Tax-Cut Plan as ‘Good Deal’  —  WASHINGTON — President Obama, facing a Democratic revolt over his tax accord with Republicans, defended the package on Tuesday, saying his party's lawmakers ought to support it as a “good deal for the American people” …

The Deal  —  So the tax deal is out.  Obama extracted some concessions, with the big surprise being a payroll tax cut.  How much better do these concessions make the thing?  —  Well, for starters we have the two-year extension of the Bush tax cuts.  As I pointed out yesterday …

How the White House cut its deal and lost its base  —  If you look at the numbers alone, the tax cut deal looks to have robbed Republicans blind.  The GOP got around $95 billion in tax cuts for wealthy Americans and $30 billion in estate tax cuts.  Democrats got $120 billion in payroll-tax cuts …

Mary Landrieu: ‘Obama-McConnell’ Plan Is ‘Almost Morally Corrupt’  —  WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? … WASHINGTON — Sen. Mary Landrieu, a conservative Democratic from Louisiana, lashed out Tuesday at President Obama's deal with congressional Republicans that allows tax cuts for the wealthy to be extended for two years.

Pelosi escalates criticism of tax-cut deal  —  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) escalated the Democratic criticism of the tax cut deal President Obama struck with Republicans and singled out the GOP-favored estate tax proposal as “a bridge too far.”  —  Pelosi, speaking to reporters …

Sen. Durbin: Dems could ‘walk out’ on tax cut deal  —  A bloc of Senate Democrats could decide not to support a White House-brokered deal on tax cuts and unemployment benefits, thereby putting the plan in danger, according to the second-ranking Senate Democrat.

Senior White House Official: ‘We Wanted a Fight,’ too.  Congressional Dems 'Wouldn't Throw a Punch'  —  Vice President Biden heads to Capitol Hill today to lobby Senate Democrats to support the tax cut compromise, as President Obama faces criticism from congressional Democrats …

Poll: Obama supporters strongly opposed to deal extending Bush tax cuts  —  Okay, we now have our first poll measuring the impact on the Democratic base of Obama's support for a temporary extension of all the Bush tax cuts.  Suffice it to say this is a major, make-or-break issue …

Obama sells out the left: a Republican win on taxes  —  There really is no other way to say it: the Republicans won, the liberal Democrats lost, and the president sided with the Republicans.  The subject, of course, is an agreement to extend all the Bust tax cuts.

Elizabeth Edwards Dies of Cancer at 61  —  Elizabeth Edwards, who as the wife of former Senator John Edwards gave America an intimate look at a candidate's marriage by sharing his quest for the 2008 presidential nomination as she struggled with incurable cancer and, secretly, with his infidelity …

Elizabeth Edwards dies  —  (Reuters) - Elizabeth Edwards, a best-selling author and the driving force behind her husband John Edwards's political career before it was destroyed by his infidelity, died on Tuesday at age 61.  —  Edwards died of cancer on Tuesday morning at her home in Chapel Hill …

Elizabeth Edwards, 61, dies after long struggle with cancer  —  Read more on this story at CNN affiliate WRAL.  —  (CNN) — Elizabeth Edwards, the estranged wife of 2004 vice presidential candidate and former North Carolina senator John Edwards, died Tuesday after a lengthy battle with cancer.