Gingrich or Romney: McCain prepares to play kingmaker in 2012 GOP primary  —  Arizona Sen. John McCain, the GOP presidential nominee in 2008, is moving toward endorsing a candidate for 2012.  —  Republican sources familiar with his thinking say he will probably endorse his onetime political enemy, Mitt Romney.

Obama administration refuses to relax Plan B restrictions  —  The federal government Wednesday rejected a request to let young teenage girls buy the controversial morning-after pill Plan B directly off drugstore and supermarket shelves without a prescription.

Ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich sentenced to 14 years  —  Disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich was sentenced Wednesday to 14 years in prison after he made a final plea for leniency, acknowledging his guilt and saying, “I am unbelievably sorry.”  —  “I believe he did, in fact, accept [responsibility] …

Harry Morgan, Colonel Potter on ‘M*A*S*H,’ Dies at 96  —  Harry Morgan, the prolific character actor best known for playing the acerbic but kindly Colonel Potter in the long-running television series “M*A*S*H,” died Wednesday morning at his home in Los Angeles.  He was 96.

Sidwell Friends School, Sasha and Malia Obama's School, Opts For Asian, including Japanese Food On Pearl Harbor Day  —  Sidwell Friends School's website shows the menu for Wednesday December 7th, 2011, the 70th anniversary of Pearl Harbor Day, as an Asian food day.

The Gingrich who stole Christmas?  —  Republican presidential front-runner Newt Gingrich waged a quiet war on Christmas — or at least the Capitol Christmas Tree — shortly after becoming speaker of the House in 1995.  —  In a time of heightened political correctness, Gingrich preferred …

Israel rift roils Democratic ranks  —  Two of the Democratic Party's core institutions are challenging a bipartisan consensus on Israel and Palestine that has dominated American foreign policy for more than a decade.  —  The Center for American Progress, the party's key hub of ideas and strategy …

Nasa's Voyager 1 in ‘cosmic purgatory’ on verge of entering Milky Way  —  Nasa's Voyager 1 has entered a new region of space between the Solar System and interstellar space in what Nasa has described as a ‘cosmic purgatory’.  —  Nasa's Voyager 1 spacecraft

Documents: ATF used “Fast and Furious” to make the case for gun regulations  —  Documents obtained by CBS News show that the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) discussed using their covert operation “Fast and Furious” to argue for controversial new rules about gun sales.

Lawmakers Blast Administration For Calling Fort Hood Massacre ‘Workplace Violence’  —  Sen. Susan Collins on Wednesday blasted the Defense Department for classifying the Fort Hood massacre as workplace violence and suggested political correctness is being placed above the security of the nation's Armed Forces at home.

Obama's Kansas speech: some suspect facts  —  “I mean, understand, it's not as if we haven't tried this theory.  Remember in those years, in 2001 and 2003, Congress passed two of the most expensive tax cuts for the wealthy in history.  And what did they get us?  The slowest job growth in half a century.”

Rick Perry TV ad hits President Obama ‘war on religion’  —  Rick Perry's latest spot in his Iowa ad buy rotation is another faith-based appeal, but one that has one of the most audible dog-whistles so far this cycle about President Obama.  —  In the spot, “Strong,” Perry says …

President Obama won't go to Hawaii while payroll tax is in limbo  —  President Obama is not vacationing in Hawaii with his wife and children while the extension of the payroll tax holiday remains in limbo, and has warned GOP congressional leaders to stay in town as well.

The right's problems with children's entertainment  —  You've likely heard about Fox News targeting the Muppets, but it's worth appreciating the extent to which this ties into a larger pattern. … Bolling actually went after Muppets twice, first accusing the movie of trying to …

1. Occupy Wall Street Protests Spread  —  On Sept. 17, a couple hundred protesters demonstrating against the excesses of corporate execs and the pervasive influence of high finance in U.S. politics set up camp in Lower Manhattan's Zuccotti Park and refused to leave.

Republicans stands solidly against Richard Cordray  —  Senate Republicans on Wednesday showed no signs of backing down from their threatened filibuster of President Barack Obama's nominee to head a new financial watchdog agency, even as Democrats framed the fight as a stark choice between Wall Street and Main Street.

Why Newt's surge is for real  —  Washington is waking up to a prospect that a week ago seemed far-fetched.

Jon Huntsman dials back squishiness on climate change  —  POLITICO's James Hohmann reports:

Death penalty dropped against Mumia Abu-Jamal  —  PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Prosecutors announced Wednesday that they will no longer pursue the death penalty against former Black Panther Mumia Abu-Jamal, meaning he will spend the rest of his life in prison for gunning down a white police officer nearly 30 years ago.

Crystal Cox, Oregon Blogger, Isn't a Journalist, Concludes U.S. Court—Imposes $2.5 Million Judgement on Her  —  ​A U.S. District Court judge in Portland has drawn a line in the sand between “journalist” and “blogger.”  And for Crystal Cox, a woman on the latter end of that comparison, the distinction has cost her $2.5 million.

2 additional men claim Jerry Sandusky abused them as children, attorney general says  —  The Pennsylvania Attorney General's office has filed new charges against Jerry Sandusky, 67, as part of an investigation into alleged sexual assaults of children.  —  Here's the press release from AG Linda Kelly: