Rahm Emanuel booted off ballot in 2-1 Appellate Court decision  —  Rahm Emanuel was thrown off the ballot for mayor of Chicago today by an appellate court panel, a stunning blow to the fund-raising leader in the race.  —  An appellate panel ruled 2-1 that Emanuel did not meet the residency standard to run for mayor.

Domodedovo blast: Explosion rocks Moscow's main airport  —  Moscow's Domodedovo airport - the busiest in the Russian capital - has been rocked by an explosion that has reportedly killed 31 people.  —  More than 100 more are thought to have been injured in the blast, which reports suggest may have been the work of a suicide bomber.

The West Wing, Season II  —  Almost overnight, Barack Obama overhauled his White House and rewrote much of the script.  Now all he needs is a happy ending.  —  David Axelrod awoke at three in the morning and checked his BlackBerry.  It was January 12, a few hours before Barack Obama …

19 days in, GOP leadership takes credit for job growth  —  It took less than three weeks for the new Republican Congressional leadership to claim credit for an apparent economic upturn.  —  An aide to House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, Brian Patrick, emailed reporters this morning:

Senator Rubio Questions Need for the Senate Tea Party Caucus (VIDEO)  —  During my recent interview with Senator Marco Rubio, he addressed the growing speculation concerning whether or not he would join the newly formed Senate Tea Party Caucus.  Many of Rubio's supporters and Tea Party leaders …

'America's lifeguard'  —  I had the privilege of coming of age during the era of Ronald Reagan.  I like to think of him as America's lifeguard.  As a teenager, Ronald Reagan saved 77 lives as a lifeguard on the Rock River, which ran through his hometown of Dixon, Ill. The day he was inaugurated in 1981 …

CNN Poll: Obama approval up to 55%, but still under 50% on economy  —  Washington (CNN) - On the eve of his State of the Union address, Barack Obama's approval rating is at its highest level in more than a year, according to a new national poll.  —  Full results (pdf)

CNN's Erick Erickson Suggests “Mass Bloodshed” May Be Necessary If Roe Isn't Overturned  —  CNN's Erick Erickson is also Editor-in-Chief and “Dear Leader” of the conservative blog Red State, so this charming passage posted by “The Directors” is presumably his doing:

Three SEIU Locals—Including Chicago Chapter—Waived From Obamacare Requirement  —  (CNSNews.com) - Three local chapters of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), whose political action committee spent $27 million supporting Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election …

Mortgage Giants Leave Legal Bills to the Taxpayers  —  Since the government took over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, taxpayers have spent more than $160 million defending the mortgage finance companies and their former top executives in civil lawsuits accusing them of fraud.

Bachmann: America Was Founded On Diversity (VIDEO)  —  Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) had an interesting take this weekend on America's first European settlers, who she said “had different cultures, different backgrounds, different traditions.”  —  “How unique in all of the world …

Olbermann Split Came After Years of Tension  —  MSNBC never had any doubt about what it was getting when it made Keith Olbermann the face of the network in 2003: a highly talented broadcaster, a distinctive and outspoken voice and a mercurial personality with a track record of attacking his superiors and making early exits.

Rendell to MSNBC, declares Casey “unassailable”  —  One of the country's most plain-spoken, media-friendly politicians is about to get paid for his punditry.  —  Former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell is close to signing a deal with MSNBC to become a regular political contributor for the 2012 campaign cycle, POLITICO has learned.