Romney, Gingrich Now Top Choices for GOP Nomination  —  Gingrich's support on the rise this month  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Republicans are most likely to name Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich as their first choice for their party's 2012 presidential nomination, with Herman Cain close behind.

When Did the GOP Lose Touch With Reality?  —  Some of my Republican friends ask if I've gone crazy.  I say: Look in the mirror.  —  It's a very strange experience to have your friends think you've gone crazy.  Some will tell you so.  Others will indulgently humor you.  Still others will avoid you.

Poll: ‘Occupy’ movement fails to capture Americans' interest  —  A new USA TODAY/Gallup Poll shows that the “Occupy” movement has failed to capture the attention of a majority of Americans, indicating either ambivalence toward it or lack of interest.  —  The poll finds that 56% of Americans surveyed …

When Did Liberals Become So Unreasonable?  —  If every Democratic president disappoints, maybe there's something wrong with our expectations.  Tough love from a fellow traveler.  —  “The disappointment and disillusionment with President Clinton are widespread.”  —Bob Herbert, New York Times, 1993

Deficit Deal Fell Apart After Seeming Agreement  —  WASHINGTON — The one sliver of real hope came a week ago, in the darkened Capitol on the Sunday night after Veterans Day.  —  Called away from dinner tables, the Jets-Patriots game on television and, in one case, a soccer team party …

Left blogs cheer supercommittee's collapse  —  Judging by the reaction from the blogosphere, the deficit supercommittee's failure is a victory for the left.  —  Liberal bloggers are praising the widely expected collapse in bipartisan talks and the apparent failure of supercommittee to come …

The ‘Dump Obama’ movement has begun; Guess who'd replace him?  —  Faced with peanut-sized Jimmy Carter poll numbers, disturbing big-donor reluctance, unacceptable unemployment and depressing economic forecasts, President Obama heads back on the road tomorrow to do what he always does when in trouble:

Boehner blames Obama for failure of supercommittee to reach a deal  —  House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) is blaming President Obama for the failure of the congressional supercommittee to reach a deal for cutting the federal deficit.  —  The Speaker's office sent out a memo Monday morning …

Herman Cain and the Holy Land Experience  —  ORLANDO, Fla. — By the time Herman Cain took the stage, Jesus had already been crucified, resurrected and returned to Earth to collect the faithful once that day.  —  Cain made a campaign stop Friday at The Holy Land Experience …

Exclusive: CIA Spies Caught, Fear Execution in Middle East  —  In a significant failure for the United States in the Mideast, more than a dozen spies working for the CIA in Iran and Lebanon have been caught and the U.S. government fears they will be or have been executed …

Alleged Jerry Sandusky victim leaves school because of bullying, counselor says  —  Victim One, the first known alleged victim of abuse by former Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky, had to leave his school in the middle of his senior year because of bullying, his counselor said Sunday.

Perry signs Family Leader's controversial marriage vow  —  Des Moines, Iowa (CNN) - Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry has signed the controversial marriage pledge from a social conservative group in Iowa, a spokeswoman said.  —  “I have received the signed copy,” Julie Summa …

What Killed JFK  —  The hate that ended his presidency is eerily familiar.  —  Thanksgiving week is a milestone for Barack Obama, but not one that many are likely to commemorate.  The president who seemed poised to inherit John F. Kennedy's mantle—in the eyes of Kennedy's last surviving child …

Mika Brzezinski's Anti-Newt Rant Drives Her To Emotional Brink  —  Shades of “Special Comment”!  In a rant worthy of Keith Olbermann at the height of his Miss Precious Perfect histrionics, Mika Brezinski began today's Morning Joe by tearing into Newt Gingrich for his recent suggestion …

Romney Admits He Destroyed Government Records To Keep Them From Political Opponents  —  Last week, a Boston Globe investigation uncovered that former Gov. Mitt Romney's administration destroyed emails, purchased hard drives, and otherwise obliterated all digital records of his time as governor of Massachusetts.

Romney tried beer, cigarette  —  Mitt Romney, in an upcoming interview with People Magazine. … Perfect timing, considering SNL's sketch over the weekend.

Boring Cruel Romantics  —  There's a word I keep hearing lately: “technocrat.”  Sometimes it's used as a term of scorn — the creators of the euro, we're told, were technocrats who failed to take human and cultural factors into account.  Sometimes it's a term of praise …

This Is the Pepper Spray Police Used on UC Davis Protesters (Updated)  —  We're awaiting confirmation from UC-Davis police, but after examining photos and videos of the incident, this is what we believe campus police used against the Occupy Wall Street protesters at UC Davis this weekend.  It's nasty.