Obama losing the stimulus message war  —  At this crucial juncture in the push to pass an economic recovery package, President Obama finds himself in the most unlikely of places: He is losing the message war.  —  Despite Obama's sky high personal approval ratings, polls show support …

The Action Americans Need  —  By now, it's clear to everyone that we have inherited an economic crisis as deep and dire as any since the days of the Great Depression.  Millions of jobs that Americans relied on just a year ago are gone; millions more of the nest eggs families worked so hard to build have vanished.

Losing Control  —  Obama needs to reassert command of the agenda in Washington  —  Barack Obama began making his comeback on Wednesday, apparently aware that he has all but lost control of the agenda in Washington at a time when he simply can't afford to do so.

General Zinni gets undiplomatic treatment from Obama team  —  When retired Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni told the Washington Times that he was offered the job of U.S. ambassador to Iraq before being passed over in favor of diplomat Christopher Hill, he did not say that one of the outrages …

Senate Adds Homebuyer Tax Credit to Stimulus Bill  —  WASHINGTON — The Senate on Wednesday voted to expand the economic stimulus package with a tax credit for homebuyers of up to $15,000, a provision championed by Republicans as addressing a root cause of the recession.

Uncovering Lost Path of the Most Wanted Nazi  —  CAIRO — Even in old age the imposingly tall, athletic German known to locals as Tarek Hussein Farid maintained the discipline to walk some 15 miles each day through the busy streets of Egypt's capital.  He walked to the world-renowned Al Azhar mosque here …

Deutsche Bank posts first loss since WWII, rejects state aid … Germany's biggest lender, Deutsche Bank, on Thursday posted its first annual loss since World War II after a terrible fourth quarter but said it would survive the global meltdown without state aid.

Panetta Earned $700,000 in Fees  —  WASHINGTON — The White House's nominee for Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, Leon Panetta, has earned more than $700,000 in speaking and consulting fees since the beginning of 2008, with some of the payments coming from troubled financial firms …

HIS REAL CONSTITUENCY  —  A reader chimes in ...  The reader's point about the long view is well-taken.  Obama's mix of steel and patience are two of his key virtues.  —  But I have been surprised that he has not chosen yet to play more to, and get out among, his real constituency — particularly on this bill — the people.

RFK Jr.: Hog farms bigger threat than Osama  —  WASHINGTON — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday said he thinks hog farmers are a greater threat to Americans than Osama bin Laden.  —  Mr. Kennedy, son of the the slain New York Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, is an environmental law attorney …

Chinese Learn Limits of Online Freedom as the Filter Tightens  —  BEIJING — It was meant to be a tongue-in-cheek alternative to the stultifying variety show beamed into hundreds of millions of living rooms on the eve of each Lunar New Year holiday.  But the program, called “Shanzhai,” …

Trump: Obama ‘absolutely right’ on pay limits  —  (CNN) — Donald Trump, businessman and CEO of The Trump Organization, knows a little something about money.  —  Trump spoke with CNN's Larry King about whether there should be executive pay limits, if there should be a stimulus plan …

District of Corruption  —  How Washington's new riches destroyed Tom Daschle.  —  So Damn Much Money is the title of Bob Kaiser's penetrating book on the explosion of lobbying and corruption in Washington over the past quarter century.  Kaiser is right, and so is Barack Obama in his attempt …

Why Can't We All Just Get Along?  The Great Multiplier Debate  —  I've been thinking about why the numbers that are typically bandied about in policy circles (at least that I'm familiar with) have so little impact on the overall general and blogosphere debate (see some examples here and here).

Bozell to ABC President: You Must Publicly Address Stephanopoulos' Apparent Conflict of Interest  —  Open Letter Demands Public Resolution to Daily Strategy Calls  —  Alexandria, VA - Media Research Center (MRC) President L. Brent Bozell, III has written a letter to ABC News President David Westin calling …

As Anbar Counts Votes, Sheiks Voice Defiance  —  Tribal Leaders Threaten Reprisals If They Lose  —  In a palatial house replete with guns, flags and other manifestations of tribal power, America's key ally in once-volatile Anbar province explained what he would do if the counting of votes …

AP alleges copyright infringement of Obama image … NEW YORK (AP) - On buttons, posters and Web sites, the image was everywhere during last year's presidential campaign: A pensive Barack Obama looking upward, as if to the future, splashed in a Warholesque red, white and blue and underlined with the caption HOPE.

The GOP Has a Dumb Mortgage Idea  —  It contradicts the ideals of Republicanism and good economics.  —  Few philosophers have done more good than Locke and Montesquieu, whose advocacy of divided government inspired America's Founders.  Our history, and the less happy past of nations without checks …