Afghanistan review shows progress but terror concerns remain  —  President Obama's annual review of the Afghanistan war strategy paints a mixed picture of “reversible” U.S. and NATO gains in a hostile region that still poses a threat to the U.S. homeland.  —  An unclassified review …

U.S. Tries to Build Case for Conspiracy by WikiLeaks  —  WASHINGTON — Federal prosecutors, seeking to build a case against the WikiLeaks leader Julian Assange for his role in a huge dissemination of classified government documents, are looking for evidence of any collusion in his early contacts …

Obama tells lawmakers not passing tax deal could end presidency, Dem says  —  In urging lawmakers to vote for his tax deal, President Obama is using one of his go-to lines from the healthcare debate, according to a Democratic lawmaker.  —  Obama is telling members of Congress that failure …

Poll: Obama down but not out  —  NBC/WSJ survey shows president leading in 2012 match-ups  —  Below:  —  Deputy Political Director  —  After his party's midterm losses and with the unemployment rate still hovering around 10 percent, President Barack Obama might be down.

Jim DeMint backs down on demand to read START  —  South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint backed off his demand Wednesday to force a full reading of the New START treaty, a move that may ease a legislative logjam amid a flurry of activity in the waning days of the congressional session.

Poll: Assessment of Afghanistan War Sours  —  ABC News/Washington Post Poll: Record Six in 10 Say it's ‘Not Worth Fighting’  —  A record 60 percent of Americans say the war in Afghanistan has not been worth fighting, a grim assessment — and a politically hazardous one …

America's Most Walkable Cities  —  The great economic reset we are in the midst of extends even to Americans' choices of places to live.  The popularity of sprawling auto-dependent suburbs is waning.  A majority of Americans—six in 10—say they would prefer to live in walkable neighborhoods, in both cities and suburbs, if they could.

Updating Hotline's RNC Chairman's Race Whip Count  —  Republican National Committee members now have a total of six candidates from which to choose as they contemplate their next chairman.  And, slowly, the 168 members of the committee are making their decisions public.

U.S. Rethinks Strategy for the Unthinkable  —  Suppose the unthinkable happened, and terrorists struck New York or another big city with an atom bomb.  What should people there do?  The government has a surprising new message: Do not flee.  Get inside any stable building and don't come out till officials say it's safe.

BP blowout on Azerbaijan gas platform revealed  —  Embassy cables reveal energy firm ‘fortunate’ to have evacuated workers safely after blast similar to Deepwater Horizon disaster  —  Striking resemblances between BP's Gulf of Mexico disaster and a little-reported giant gas leak …

Michael Moore's Comments on Julian Assange Rape Allegations Spark Outrage  —  Filmmaker Michael Moore is in hot water over comments he made during Tuesday night's Countdown with Keith Olbermann.  In discussing rape allegations against Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, Moore appeared to dismiss …

Manhunt continues in Border Patrol agent's slaying  —  RIO RICO - The call came shortly after 11 p.m.: a U.S. Border Patrol agent had been shot near Peck Canyon north of Nogales and urgent help was needed.  —  But it was too late for Santa Cruz County sheriff's deputies and emergency medical responders …

Two Californias  —  The last three weeks I have traveled about, taking the pulse of the more forgotten areas of central California.  I wanted to witness, even if superficially, what is happening to a state that has the highest sales and income taxes, the most lavish entitlements …

Sarah Palin goes ‘lamestream’  —  After making attacks on what she memorably labeled “the lamestream media” one of her signature issues, Sarah Palin has begun to experiment with a new strategy toward the press - engaging it.  —  The former Alaska governor has started cautiously cooperating …

Exclusive: Twitter Raises $200 Million at a $3.7 Billion Valuation; Adds McCue and Rosenblatt to Board  —  Twitter has completed its latest round of funding-$200 million at a $3.7 billion valuation-with Kleiner Perkins as the lead investor, according to sources familiar with the situation.

Liberals to take last stab at estate tax rate before Thursday vote  —  The House will vote on President Obama's tax proposal Thursday after first giving liberal Democrats one last chance to force a change to the Senate-passed agreement.  —  The key question is whether the House will send …

Casey Gets Ok Marks From Pennsylvania Voters, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Voters Back Tax Deal, Split On Health Care Repeal  —  Pennsylvania voters give Sen. Robert Casey Jr. a 39 - 29 percent job approval rating; by 43 - 35 percent they favor him over an unnamed Republican for re-election …

Servicers Downgraded Credit Score of Man Who Asked for His Note  —  (Graphic via SEIU's WheresTheNote.com site)  —  Many homeowners have taken advantage of SEIU's Where's the Note website.  It helps you generate letters to your bank to ask for evidence that they hold the mortgage note, or the IOU on the property.

We've Only Got America A  —  Former President José María Figueres of Costa Rica has a saying I like: “There is no Planet B” — so we'd better make Plan A work to preserve a stable environment.  I feel the same way about America these days.  There is no America B …

Redistribution on steroids  —  Rep. Cleaver has proposed a $48 billion earmark  —  When absurdity gives way to hilarity, you must be talking about politics.  —  In the midst of a colossal global concern for the economic stability of our great nation, Emanuel Cleaver …

Tea Party leader slams John Boehner for Michele Bachmann snub  —  A leader of the Tea Party Patriots questioned the judgment of House GOP leadership Wednesday for passing over Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) for a spot on the Ways and Means Committee.  —  The conflict is evidence …