Palin regrets calling GOP lawmakers ‘wusses’ on deficit talks  —  One-time Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin apologized for calling some GOP lawmakers “wusses” in their negotiations with Democrats over the “fiscal cliff.”  —  “Well, I guess I shouldn't call politicians names …

Exclusive: Dick Armey Quits Tea Party Group in Split Over Direction  —  In a move not publicly announced, former Rep. Dick Armey, the folksy conservative leader, has resigned as chairman of FreedomWorks, one of the main political outfits of the conservative movement and an instrumental force within the tea party.

Ashley Judd exploring Senate run  —  Ashley Judd vs. Mitch McConnell?  —  It might not be as far-fetched as you think.  —  The Hollywood movie star and eighth-generation Kentuckian is seriously exploring a 2014 run for the Senate to take on the powerful Republican leader, four people familiar with the matter tell POLITICO.

Fox News chief's failed attempt to enlist Petraeus as presidential candidate  —  Roger Ailes, the longtime Republican media guru, founder of Fox News and its current chairman, had some advice last year for then-Gen. David H. Petraeus.  —  So in spring 2011, Ailes asked a Fox News analyst headed …

GOP Steering Committee Shuffles Conservatives  —  Speaker John A. Boehner initiated today a small purge of rebellious Republicans — mostly conservatives — from prominent committees; it's the latest instance of the Ohio Republican's clamping down on his fractious conference.

An open letter to Bob Costas and Jason Whitlock  —  Gentlemen: I see that you have chosen to use the horrific crime of the murder of Kasandra Perkins to express your belief that guns are the problem, not the men who wield them.  I am utterly certain that you believe that you have the moral high ground on this matter.

Bloomberg Asked Clinton to Consider Succeeding Him as Mayor  —  Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has long struggled to imagine a successor with the combination of star power, experience and grit to fill his shoes.  —  But not long ago, he was struck by an inspiration: Hillary Rodham Clinton, the retiring secretary of state.

APA Revises Manual: Being Transgender Is No Longer A Mental Disorder  —  This Saturday, the American Psychiatric Association board of trustees approved the latest proposed revisions to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, what will now be known as the DSM-V. This marks …

BOWLES STATEMENT ON SPEAKER BOEHNER'S LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT  —  While I'm flattered the Speaker would call something “the Bowles plan,” the approach outlined in the letter Speaker Boehner sent to the President does not represent the Simpson-Bowles plan, nor is it the Bowles plan.

Obama Said to Consider Vogue Editor Wintour for U.K. Embassy  —  President Barack Obama is considering nominating Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of Vogue, to be either his next ambassador to the U.K. or France, as he looks to reward his biggest fundraisers with embassies that never seem out of fashion …

The Rubio, Ryan makeovers  —  Behind the Curtain: About this weekly feature  —  Behind the Curtain is a reported column, Web show and online conversation about the behind-the-scenes intrigue that shapes politics and policy.  It will unfold every Tuesday (and beyond, when news dictates).

Corporate Profits Hit Record High While Worker Wages Hit Record Low  —  A constant conservative charge against President Obama is that he is inherently anti-business.  However, businesses keep defying the storyline by making larger and larger profits, rebounding nicely out of the Great Recession.

Forget the Cliff, Fix the U.S. Tax System  —  Spoiler alert: The “fiscal cliff” will be resolved.  At the 11th hour, saner heads will prevail, a deal will be struck, and the U.S. Congress will steer the economy away from its date with destruction.  Congressional compromise will ensure …

Iran Hunts US ScanEagle Drone over Persian Gulf  —  TEHRAN (FNA)- Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi announced that his forces hunted a US Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) over the Persian Gulf after the drone violated the country's airspace.

Holder chief of staff targeted by Republicans in ‘Furious’ scandal to leave post  —  In one of the first high-level departures from the Justice Department since President Obama was elected to a second term, Attorney General Eric Holder's chief of staff — a political target …

Brewer out of state; aide won't provide details  —  Gov. Jan Brewer has taken a nearly week-long out-of-state work trip that was shrouded in secrecy Monday as she skipped an event to certify election ballots and her spokesman refused to disclose her location.