Weiner's Wife Is Pregnant  —  Their marriage has become the subject of intense speculation and scrutiny amid an embarrassing online sex scandal.  —  Now, Representative Anthony D. Weiner and Huma Abedin are about to make news of a different kind: they are expecting their first child.

Obama Team Eyes Payroll Tax Break for Employers  —  President Barack Obama's advisers have discussed seeking a temporary cut in the payroll taxes businesses pay on wages as they debate ways to spur hiring amid signs that the recovery is slowing, according to people familiar with the matter.

New jobless claims unexpectedly rise  —  A woman browses job openings at a job fair in Los Angeles, California, October 12, 2010.  REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson  —  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly rose last week …

U.S. Is Intensifying a Secret Campaign of Yemen Airstrikes  —  WASHINGTON — The Obama administration has intensified the American covert war in Yemen, exploiting a growing power vacuum in the country to strike at militant suspects with armed drones and fighter jets, according to American officials.

You Left Out the Part About ...  Last weekend, like seemingly half the country, I took my son to see “X-Men: First Class,” the latest, and best, big-screen incarnation of the popular comic book franchise.  —  My son and I represent two generations of X-fans.

Romney draws early fire from conservatives over views on climate change  —  It seemed like a straightforward question on a second-tier issue: Would Mitt Romney disavow the science behind global warming?  —  The putative Republican presidential front-runner, eager to prove his conservative bona fides …

Jon Huntsman's no-names strategy  —  Jon Huntsman is trying out a novel strategy: running for president without criticizing the incumbent by name.  —  Since returning from his post as ambassador to China last month, Huntsman has made scant mention of the man who appointed him in May 2009—President Barack Obama.

ExxonMobil Announces Three Discoveries in Deepwater Gulf of Mexico  —  IRVING, Texas—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) today announced two major oil discoveries and a gas discovery in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico after drilling the company's first post-moratorium deepwater exploration well.

Rudy's Running  —  I'm told by two reliable sources that Rudy Giuliani intends to run for the GOP nomination for president in 2012.  He may throw his hat in the ring soon.  —  Rudy's theory of the race: In the fall of 2007, he decided he couldn't compete with both Mitt Romney and John McCain …

Citizens United's Outrageous Offspring  —  Judge James Cacheris gave the impression last week that he was considering putting right what he got wrong when he ruled in May that corporations are free to make direct donations to federal candidates.  That first judgment directly contravened …

Ann Coulter's book gets Matt Drudge's touch  —  Coulter is promoting her book ‘Demonic: How the LIberal Mob is Endangering America.’  —  There's a flattering photo of Ann Coulter in a form-fitting white dress and pointy red shoes on the cover of her new book — the back cover, that is.

Obama approval rating falls below 50 percent  —  CBS News Poll analysis by the CBS News Polling Unit: Sarah Dutton, Jennifer De Pinto, Fred Backus and Anthony Salvanto.  —  Updated 8 p.m. ET  —  President Obama's approval ratings fell to below 50 percent for the first time since …

Joe Wilson endorses Pawlenty in South Carolina  —  Washington (CNN) - Republican presidential hopeful Tim Pawlenty secured a major endorsement in the early primary state of South Carolina on Wednesday, picking up the support of U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson.  —  Wilson will serve as co-chairman …

Leona Helmsley's pampered Maltese ‘Trouble,’ one of the world's richest dogs, dies at age 12  —  Leona Helmsley's pampered pooch “Trouble,” who inherited $12 million from the real estate mogul, has died at the age of 12.  —  That's 84 in dog years.  —  Like many Americans …

President Obama's campaign expands its 2012 map  —  CHICAGO — President Barack Obama's campaign team is gaming out complex state-by-state scenarios for 2012 that anticipate uphill battles in recession-ravaged blue states — and new opportunities in Arizona and Georgia.

Congress has declared war on the environment  —  It is now more than ten years since I left public office.  I am returning to the public stage today because I believe that this Congress, in its assaults on our environment, has embarked on the most radical course in our history.

Is The Phony War Ending?  —  It's not clear whether the recent bad economic numbers signal an ominous trend or a blip in a generally anemic recovery.  But they have focused opinion-makers attention on a signal fact: the US economy, while improved from the near catastrophic state of the winter of 2008-09 …

Time to Make Professors Teach  —  My new study suggests a simple way to cut college tuition in half.  —  No sooner do parents proudly watch their children graduate high school than they must begin paying for college.  As they write checks for upwards of $40,000 a year …

Wisconsin protesters disrupt a Special Olympics ceremony!  —  In front of the Capitol today, protesters dressed as zombies stood between Governor Scott Walker and the group of Special Olympics participants he was honoring.  —  Quite aside from the unbelievable rudeness …

Blue Shield Of California Sets Profit Cap Other Insurers May Not Imitate  —  Blue Shield of California's surprising announcement that it will cap profits at 2 percent and issue millions in policyholder refunds sparked hopes that other health insurers would follow suit, but many experts said yesterday that was unlikely.

Confirmed: The Nomination Process Is Broken  —  Even Senate Republicans want to help speed up the presidential appointment process.  —  Dawn Johnsen doesn't want to complain.  It's been one year and two months since she withdrew her nomination to lead the Office of Legal Counsel at the Justice Department.

Welcome to the Recovery  —  For unrelated reasons (textbook!)  I just reread Tim Geithner's unfortunate August 2010 op-ed Welcome to the Recovery.  Even at the time, it seemed tone-deaf to both the economic and the political realities; now, of course, it looks much worse.