BREAKING: Wisconsin Dems Hiding At Best Western in Rockford, IL ...Update: TEA PARTY WINS!  Chases WI Dems Out of Rockford ...Update: WI Dem Says They're Still in IL (Video)  —  The Wisconsin senate democrats fled the state today rather than vote on a budget repair bill.

Palin talks 2012, mocks Michelle Obama  —  Woodbury, New York (CNN) - Sarah Palin addressed a variety of issues Thursday at a gathering of business officials in Long Island, New York including her 2012 plans, first lady Michelle Obama, President Obama's proposed budget, the crisis in Egypt, and her feelings on the media.

Rove: Confront birthers now  —  Savvy GOP strategist Karl Rove says a poll signaling that a majority of likely GOP primary voters have questions about Barack Obama's birthplace is “lousy”.  —  But last night, he urged prominent conservatives to stand up forcefully (and quickly) to kill birther talk.

Computer Wins on ‘Jeopardy!’:  Trivial, It's Not  —  YORKTOWN HEIGHTS, N.Y. — In the end, the humans on “Jeopardy!” surrendered meekly.  —  Facing certain defeat at the hands of a room-size I.B.M. computer on Wednesday evening, Ken Jennings, famous for winning 74 games in a row on the TV quiz show, acknowledged the obvious.

Out of Control in the House  —  Are there any adults in charge of the House?  Watching this week's frenzied slash-and-burn budget contest, we had to conclude the answer to that is no.  —  First Speaker John Boehner's Republican leadership proposed cutting the rest of the 2011 budget by $32 billion.

Jihadist attorney takes aim at the Jawa Report, the Jawas go to federal court seeking protective order  —  ***Sticky until Saturday.  Please scroll down for more recent updates.  Back in September we reported that blogger Pamela Geller of Atlas Shrugs and attorney John Stemberger had been sued …

Dem Rep Receives Threat Over NASCAR Proposal (DOCUMENT)  —  Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) alerted Capitol Police Thursday after a threatening fax arrived at her office attacking her proposal to strip Pentagon sponsorship from NASCAR teams.  —  McCollum's staff tells TPM this is the first time they've alerted …

Chris Christie's Idea of “Doing Big Things”  —  I continue to be baffled by all the love New Jersey's Republican governor Chris Christie's getting among the chattering class.  Here's a typically fawning piece about his speech at AEI yesterday. … “Big things” to Christie simply means less money …

Alaska gov. refusing to enact health care law  —  Parnell says Fla. judge's decision to strike down overhaul extends to Alaska  —  Below:  —  updated less than 1 minute ago  —  JUNEAU, Alaska — Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell said Thursday that he will not implement the federal health care overhaul passed …

Shy U.S. Intellectual Created Playbook Used in a Revolution  —  BOSTON — Halfway around the world from Tahrir Square in Cairo, an aging American intellectual shuffles about his cluttered brick row house in a working-class neighborhood here.  His name is Gene Sharp.