Obama's Hostage Deal  —  I've spent the past couple of days trying to make my peace with the Obama-McConnell tax-cut deal.  President Obama did, after all, extract more concessions than most of us expected.  —  Yet I remain deeply uneasy — not because I'm one of those “purists” …

Chuck Schumer vs. President Obama  —  It wasn't on the White House's official schedule, but on Nov. 22 Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) quietly slipped into the Oval Office on a self-appointed mission to steel Barack Obama for the tax cut fight.  —  Schumer, the newly anointed message guru …

Profanity, Anger Spill Over in House Democratic Caucus Meeting  —  The frustration with President Barack Obama over his tax cut compromise was palpable and even profane at Thursday's House Democratic Caucus meeting.  —  One unidentified lawmaker went so far as to mutter “f— the president” …

Why Harry Reid decided to move foward with DADT vote  —  Earlier this afternoon, just before Harry Reid went onto the Senate floor and gave a speech calling for a vote on repeal of don't ask don't tell — which has now failed — he turned to a Senate aide and shrugged his shoulders.

BELTWAY CONFIDENTIAL  —  Obama honors Nobel winner with statement about himself  —  There was an extraordinary scene at the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo Friday morning.  The prize went to imprisoned Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, who was barred by the Chinese government from attending the ceremony.

Big Patent Firm Sues Nine Tech Firms  —  Technology companies on Wednesday received troubling news that some had feared for years: Intellectual Ventures LLC has started suing.  —  The secretive firm co-founded by former Microsoft Corp. Chief Technology Officer Nathan Myhrvold has raised $5 billion …

Why I Support the Ryan Roadmap  —  Let's not settle for the big-government status quo, which is what the president's deficit commission offers.  —  The publication of the findings of the president's National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform was indeed, as the report was titled, “A Moment of Truth.”

Assange Lawyers Prepare for U.S. Spying Indictment  —  Attorney Says American Indictment Related to Espionage Act Imminent for Wikileaks Founder  —  Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, the man behind the publication of more than a 250,000 classified U.S. diplomatic cables …

Americans in Poll Want Deficit Cut With Entitlements Secured  —  Americans want Congress to bring down a federal budget deficit that many believe is “dangerously out of control,” only under two conditions: minimize the pain and make the rich pay.  —  The public wants Congress to keep …

Slim Majority of Americans Would Vote for DREAM Act Law  —  Fifty-four percent favor granting legal status to illegal immigrants brought to U.S. as children  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Americans are more likely to say they would vote for than against a law that would grant legal status …

The Number: $858 Billion  —  The Obama-McConnell tax compromise will cost $858 billion over the next 10 years, according to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office.  —  In other words, the Republican-backed tax plan will cost more than the stimulus bill, which priced out at $787 billion.

Defacing the Cenotaph, urinating on Churchill... how young thugs at student protest broke every taboo  —  In a grotesque insult to those who championed the very freedoms which allowed them to stage their protest, a baying rabble of masked and hooded troublemakers turned a student demonstration into anarchy yesterday.

Obama's Very Good Week  —  Over the past week we've seen the big differences between cluster liberals and network liberals.  Cluster liberals (like cluster conservatives) view politics as a battle between implacable opponents.  As a result, they believe victory is achieved through maximum unity.

Santorum: A 2012 long shot tests the water  —  GOFFSTOWN, N.H. - It was pushing 10 p.m., and Rick Santorum was sitting at the corner table in a near-empty Dunkin' Donuts.  The garishly lit scene might have been lifted straight from the movie “Primary Colors.”

Palin to make surprise trip to Haiti  —  (CNN) - It turns out that Sarah Palin's next overseas trip won't be to England or Israel, as was widely reported Thursday.  —  CNN has learned that the former Alaska governor will be traveling to Haiti this weekend with Franklin Graham and his relief organization Samaritan's Purse.

A New Year's wish for the community: Joe Solmonese's resignation  —  I'm sure you know that's been my position for some time, but in harmony with Autumn's post last night that summarized the complete Senate legislative fail yesterday, it's simply too easy to point the finger at just Harry Reid …

Companies Cling to Cash  —  Coffers Swell to 51-year high as Cautious Firms Put Off Investing in Growth  —  Corporate America's cash pile has hit its highest level in half a century.  —  Rather than pouring their money into building plants or hiring workers, nonfinancial companies in the U.S …

Manchin votes against 'Don't ask' repeal, then apologizes  —  Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) appeared to take a stand on the repeal of “Don't ask, don't tell” Thursday, becoming the only Senate Democrat to vote against a procedural motion to move the measure forward.