Allen West concedes to Patrick Murphy  —  Florida Rep. Allen West — the tea party pugilist and face of the class of House Republicans that stormed to power two years ago — conceded Tuesday to 29-year-old construction executive Patrick Murphy in one of the nation's highest-profile congressional races.

Kevin Clash, Elmo Puppeteer, Resigns  —  3:20 p.m. |  Updated Kevin Clash, the longtime voice and puppeteer behind Sesame Street's Elmo character, has resigned in the aftermath of allegations that he had underage sexual relationships.  —  Mr. Clash was first accused last week of sexual improprieties …

Sources: DNI cut “al Qaeda” reference from Benghazi talking points, and CIA, FBI signed off  —  PLAY CBS NEWS VIDEO  —  (CBS News) WASHINGTON - CBS News has learned that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) cut specific references to “al Qaeda” and “terrorism” …

Truce in Gaza Is Close, Egyptian Officials Say  —  JERUSALEM — Diplomatic efforts accelerated on Tuesday to end the deadly confrontation between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza, as the United States sent Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to the Middle East and Egypt's president …

Obama Plots Outside Game To Leave Washington, Add Pressure On Lame-Duck Congress … REACT:  —  FOLLOW:  —  Bush Tax Cuts, Barack Obama , Barack Obama , Video, Obama Lame Duck, The Action, Fiscal Cliff, Obama Barnstorm, Obama Fiscal Cliff, Obama Outside Game, Outside Game, Theaction, Politics News

Christie's Post-Hurricane Embrace of Obama Outrages Many in G.O.P.  —  A few days after Hurricane Sandy shattered the shores of New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie picked up the phone to take on a different kind of recovery work: taming the Republican Party fury over his effusive embrace of President Obama.

A GOP Plan for 2016: Pot, immigration and defense cuts  —  Spinners and Winners  —  Ron Paul supporters might want to think twice before throwing away their “Paul for President” signs.  Though the frequent presidential candidate is retiring at the end of the year, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) …

The Conservative Future  —  If you listened to the Republican candidates this year, you heard a conventional set of arguments.  But if you go online, you can find a vibrant and increasingly influential center-right conversation.  Most of the young writers and bloggers in this conversation intermingle …

Mitt Romney Surfaces At A Gas Station Looking Very Normal  —  Long time no see, old friend.  —  Dorsey Shaw  —  a few minutes ago  —  63 responses

Top African American Lawmaker Says GOP Attacks On Susan Rice Use Racial ‘Code Words’  —  Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC) this morning defended U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice, calling out Republican use of “code words” in attacking Rice's professional capabilities.

Liberal Man of the Year  —  Chief Justice Roberts shares the dais with Lena Dunham.  —  No Supreme Court Justice has ever said “Live from New York, it's Saturday night,” at least on national television, but give it time.  This month Glamour magazine named Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg one of its “Women of the Year.”

John Metz Denny's Obamacare Surcharge Stirs Big Mess For Restaurant Chain … REACT:  —  FOLLOW:  —  Video, Hurricane Grill & Wings, IFA Obamacare, International Franchise Association, Joel Libava, John Metz, John Miller, Denny's Backlash, Denny's Boycott, Denny's Franchisee, Denny's Obamacare …

SEC Rocked By Lurid Sex-and-Corruption Lawsuit  —  Move over, adulterous generals.  It might be time to make way for a new sexual rats'nest - at America's top financial police agency, the SEC.  —  In a salacious 77-page complaint that reads like Penthouse Forum meets The Insider meets the Keystone Kops …

Senate bill rewrite lets feds read your e-mail without warrants  —  Proposed law scheduled for a vote next week originally increased Americans' e-mail privacy.  Then law enforcement complained.  Now it increases government access to e-mail and other digital files.

Ron Paul: ‘Secession is a deeply American principle’  —  Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) said Monday that secession was a “deeply American principle,” amid a growing number of people petitioning the White House to let their states secede from the U.S.  —  “Secession is a deeply American principle.

How The Conservative Media Lost The Election  —  The plan was to unmask Obama.  It didn't work.  —  President Obama's decisive reelection has promised the conservative new media four more years of fodder, but it's also left some of its more earnest participants with a gnawing question: What went wrong?

Oklahoma is latest to reject state-based health exchange  —  Add Oklahoma to the list of Republican-led states that won't implement the key feature of President Obama's healthcare law.  —  Gov. Mary Fallin said Monday that she won't set up a state-based insurance exchange …

House Democrats Inch Closer to Becoming a Two-State Caucus  —  Californians and New Yorkers will comprise a record percentage of the Democratic caucus when the 113th Congress convenes in January at nearly 30 percent  —  Although gains by Democrats were modest in 2012 U.S. House races …

Menacing emails sent by David Petraeus' ex-mistress Paula Broadwell to socialite Jill Kelley promised to make the apparent rival ‘go away’  —  The notes Broadwell sent to Kelley were far more sinister than previously reported and seemed like the rantings of someone ‘clearly unhinged,’ a close friend of Kelley told The News.