Telling: Newt's critics shut up  —  Newt Gingrich's critics within the GOP are legion, but for the moment they're also something else: quiet.  —  They all remember the last time Gingrich held power, as House speaker: the bombast, the reckless personal life, the arrogance and lack of discipline that bordered on dangerous.

Donald Trump Mulls Third-Party Bid as He Enjoys GOP Kingmaker Role  —  Donald Trump will host another Republican White House hopeful on Monday when former House Speaker Newt Gingrich travels to New York to pay his respects to the real-estate mogul and reality TV star.

Source: Herman Cain to Endorse Newt Gingrich Monday  —  ATLANTA - Herman Cain might be out of the running as a Republican presidential candidate, but his voice still carries weight with his many loyal supporters.  Since he bowed out of the race Saturday, there has been much speculation on who he would endorse.

Occupier gets an occupation  —  She's gone from Occupy Wall Street to occupying a job on Wall Street.  —  Down-on-her-luck protester Tracy Postert spent 15 days washing sidewalks and making sandwiches at Zuccotti Park — then landed a dream job at a Financial District investment firm thanks …

Wonkbook: A huge week for Europe  —  It is no exaggeration to say that this week could be remembered as the week that Europe either pulled back from the cliff or careened off of it altogether.  —  German Chancellor Angela Merkel attends debates at the Bundestag after giving a government declaration …

Explosion Seen as Big Setback to Iran's Missile Program  —  WASHINGTON — The huge explosion that destroyed a major missile-testing site near Tehran three weeks ago was a major setback for Iran's most advanced long-range missile program, according to American and Israeli intelligence officials and missile technology experts.

Send in the Clueless  —  There are two crucial things you need to understand about the current state of American politics.  First, given the still dire economic situation, 2012 should be a year of Republican triumph.  Second, the G.O.P. may nonetheless snatch defeat from the jaws of victory — because Herman Cain was not an accident.

The Fox News Candidate is... Fox News  —  Mwahahaha.  —  When six GOP primary contenders descended on Fox News' midtown headquarters for a “candidates forum” with a trio of red state attorneys general on Saturday night, the candidates probably expected tough questions about their positions.

Fast & furious lies  —  It was all a lie.  The angry denials, the high dudgeon, the how-dare-you accuse-us bleating emanating from Eric Holder's Justice Department these last nine months.  —  Operation Fast and Furious — the “botched” gun-tracking program run by the Bureau of Alcohol …

Italian Yields Are Collapsing  —  The yields on the Italian 10-year has fallen below 6.2%!  —  Just remember, it was just the week before Thanksgiving that the yield here was above 7.4%, so this is a huge move.  —  Obviously investors are reacting to the twin promises of new austerity …

SWAT Raids, Stun Guns, And Pepper Spray: Why The Government Is Ramping Up The Use Of Force  —  In February of last year, video surfaced of a marijuana raid in Columbia, Mo. During the raid on Jonathan Whitworth and his family, police took down the door with a battering ram …