Matthews advised to quit MSNBC  —  Chris Matthews is dead serious about running for the Senate in Pennsylvania - and shopping for a house in the state and privately discussing quitting MSNBC as proof of his intense interest, according to NBC colleagues, political operatives and friends.

Suit contesting Barack Obama's citizenship heads to U.S. Supreme Court Friday  —  Justices will decide whether to consider the case  —  The U.S. Supreme Court will consider Friday whether to take up a lawsuit challenging President-elect Barack Obama's U.S. citizenship …

GG agrees to suspend Parliament until January  —  Decision gives Tories reprieve, prevents opposition from toppling government on Monday  —  Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean has granted a request from Stephen Harper to suspend Parliament until late next month, the prime minister announced on Thursday …

Looking for the Ideal Spot to Make a Speech  —  WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama's aides say he is considering making a major foreign policy speech from an Islamic capital during his first 100 days in office.  —  So where should he do it?  The list of Islamic world capitals is long …

WHAT IS LIFE WORTH?  —  What is six months of your life worth?  And don't say priceless.  It's not priceless.  Not if you're not paying.  So let's sharpen the question: What should six months of your life be worth to your insurer, be that insurer the government or Aetna?

NBCU To Cut 500 Jobs, Layoffs Begin at NBC News Bureaus  —  Breaking: TVNewser has learned NBC Universal will be cutting up to 500 jobs in a round of layoffs which are now underway at all levels of the company — television, film and parks.  That amounts to about 3% of the workforce.

RNC chair discloses comeback plan  —  Sen. Saxby Chambliss' reelection this week was a tremendous victory for the people of Georgia.  Voters went to the polls on Tuesday and selected a strong leader prepared to deal with both the domestic and the foreign challenges our nation faces in the months and years to come.

Back on Capitol Hill, Auto Executives Still Find Skeptics  —  WASHINGTON — The head of the Senate Banking Committee said on Thursday that the Big Three automakers had convinced him that they deserved federal aid, but another prominent member of the panel remained steadfast in his opposition.

Why do Feinstein and Wyden sound much different on the torture issue now?  —  [updated below - Update II (w/ statement from Sen. Wyden's office)]  —  Time constraints prevented me yesterday from writing about Dianne Feinstein's comments concerning torture in yesterday's New York Times …

Worries about next year  —  I've been ruminating over economic prospects for next year, and I'm getting scared.  —  Two points:  —  1. The economy is falling fast.  We'll see what tomorrow's employment report says, but we could well be losing jobs at a rate of 450,000 or 500,000 a month.

Bushes confirm purchase of Dallas home in Preston Hollow  —  tgillman@dallasnews.com; rbush@dallasnews.com  —  The White House confirmed Thursday that the Bushes have purchased a house in Dallas' Preston Hollow neighborhood for the couple to live in after his presidency ends in January.

SPITZER'S REHABILITATION CONTINUES.... A few weeks ago, former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) had a very smart op-ed in the Washington Post on capitalism and the ongoing financial crisis.  I suggested at the time that Spitzer has spent enough time in the penalty box, and given his background …

Barack Obama and the Cult of Competency  —  Barack Obama won the White House last month in large part by running against George W. Bush and tapping into the public perception that his administration has been ineffectual in handling important policy questions.

Say it Ain't So, Sarah, Another 30K?  —  The Republican National Committee is scheduled to file a campaign report with the Federal Election Commission Thursday disclosing that the committee spent additional funds to clothe and accessorize vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

A bitter brew for Kerry  —  SENATOR John Kerry's fate illustrates the new political order under President-elect Barack Obama: Reward your enemies, not necessarily your friends.  —  Hillary Clinton, Obama's tough primary opponent, became Obama's choice for secretary of state; Kerry, an avid Obama ally, was passed over.

IDF preparing options for Iran strike  —  The IDF is drawing up options for a strike on Iranian nuclear facilities that do not include coordination with the United States, The Jerusalem Post has learned.  —  While its preference is to coordinate with the US, defense officials have said Israel …

U.S. to Raise ‘Irregular War’ Capabilities  —  The Pentagon this week approved a major policy directive that elevates the military's mission of “irregular warfare” — the increasingly prevalent campaigns to battle insurgents and terrorists, often with foreign partners and sometimes clandestinely …