House Republicans Agree To Payroll Deal  —  House Republicans on Thursday crumpled under the weight of White House and public pressure and have agreed to pass a two-month extension of the payroll-tax cut, Republican and Democratic sources told National Journal.

Bush 41 backs Romney for president, admits he's not Gingrich's ‘biggest advocate’  —  1,587  —  Less than two weeks before Iowa Republicans make their crucial caucus choices on the night of Jan. 3, George H.W. Bush offered words of support, if not an official endorsement, to an old friend, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

Fact-checking in the Echo Chamber Nation  —  At a Republican campaign rally a few years ago, I asked one of the attendees how he got his news.  —  “I listen to Rush and read NewsMax,” he said.  “And to make sure I'm getting a balanced view, I watch Fox.”  —  My liberal friends …

Gay community apologizes to Amy Koch for ruining her marriage  —  The gay and lesbian community of Minnesota has issued a letter of apology to recently resigned Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch for ruining the institution of marriage and causing her to stray from her husband and engage in an “inappropriate relationship.”

In ad for newsletter, Ron Paul forecast “race war”  —  (Reuters) - A direct-mail solicitation for Ron Paul's political and investment newsletters two decades ago warned of a “coming race war in our big cities” and of a “federal-homosexual cover-up” to play down the impact of AIDS.

George Allen Did Not Enjoy That Facebook Chat He Had With You, Virginia … 2012 , 2012 Speculatron , 2012 Election , Elections 2012 , Video , George Allen , George Allen Facebook , George Allen Senate , George Allen Senate Campaign , Virginia Senate 2012 , Politics News

Romney Says He Won't Release Tax Returns  —  Mitt Romney, who is one of the wealthiest men ever to seek the presidency, said on Wednesday that he had no intention of releasing his tax returns if he became the Republican presidential nominee, breaking with a long tradition in both parties.

Gingrich to Campaign With Pets and Music  —  RICHMOND, Va. — Forget the back and forth attacks with Mitt Romney.  Newt Gingrich's campaign has decided to take another route on his bid to the Republican nomination: pets and music.  —  The campaign said today that it will soon launch a …

Sarah Palin criticizes Obama holiday card — and the dog  —  So much for the holiday spirit.  Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is once again targeting the Obama administration, leveling a critical glare at the official White House holiday greeting card for not emphasizing Christmas.

Baby born out of wedlock must be adopted - to save her from honour killing by her own Muslim family  —  A baby girl born out of wedlock must be adopted to save her from the risk of being slaughtered in an ‘honour killing’, a court ruled yesterday.  —  If the unmarried Muslim woman's father found …

Chris Christie opens door to VP job  —  Chris Christie says that while he and Mitt Romney have never discussed a potential vice presidential role for the New Jersey governor, it would still be “presumptuous” for him to turn his back on the possibility.  —  In an interview with Fox News …

Sources: Mitt's fourth quarter at least $20 million  —  Mitt Romney is set to close out the fourth fundraising quarter of the year with his largest haul yet of at least $20 million, several fundraising sources told POLITICO.  —  The numbers will be well north of the $18 million he raised between April and June.

As political season heats up, Politico's Web traffic cools down  —  New independent circulation numbers show a sharp decline in readership of Politico and other left-leaning news websites, an ominous trend for the suburban Virginia-based news outlet and its peers as Americans head into an election year.

Former Congressman Anthony Weiner's wife gives birth to baby boy  —  After a year filled with ridicule and scandal, disgraced former Congressman Anthony Weiner finally has something he can feel proud about — a new baby boy.  —  Weiner's wife, Huma Abedin, gave birth to the wee Democrat yesterday …

Say what you will about North Korea, at least they're authentically Korean  —  Drivel, of course, and the kind of thing you'd expect to find in the Guardian.  One expects rather more from the Times but, nay, here is a piece of Simon Winchester's column (£) today:

ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND, GLEN CAMPBELL, ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM, GEORGE JONES, THE MEMPHIS HORNS, DIANA ROSS, AND GIL SCOTT-HERON HONORED WITH THE RECORDING ACADEMY® LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD  —  DAVE BARTHOLOMEW, STEVE JOBS AND RUDY VAN GELDER HONORED WITH TRUSTEES AWARD CELEMONY AND ROGER NICHOLS TO RECEIVE TECHNICAL GRAMMY AWARD®

Obama is achieving his goal of higher energy costs  —  With 14 million Americans either out of work or underemployed, a lot of folks aren't buying Christmas gifts or celebrating with a little holiday cheer this year.  As Washington Examiner columnist John Stossel makes clear elsewhere in today's edition …

Did Bo Return From Hawaii for Obama's Photo Op?  —  Bo Obama was supposed to be in Hawaii.  Instead, he showed up at President Obama's side Wednesday shopping for treats at PetSmart  —  According to Michelle Obama's press office, the first dog was planning to go to Hawaii with the first lady and the Obama daughters.

The Ron Paul Portfolio … Republican presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul marches to his own drummer in politics - and in his investment portfolio, too.  —  Here at Total Return, we've looked at hundreds of the annual financial-disclosure forms in which the members of Congress reveal …