Speaking Freely, Biden Finds Influential Role  —  WASHINGTON — When President Obama and Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. meet for their standing Friday lunch engagement, Mr. Obama always picks the cuisine — a subtle break from previous administrations in which the president …

Take the Limbaugh Challenge  —  Liberals who hate Rush Limbaugh — why don't you actually listen to his show before bashing him?  —  If you are reading this newspaper, the likelihood is that you agree with the Obama administration's recent attacks on conservative radio talker Rush Limbaugh.

Detainee's Harsh Treatment Foiled No Plots  —  Waterboarding, Rough Interrogation of Abu Zubaida Produced False Leads, Officials Say  —  When CIA officials subjected their first high-value captive, Abu Zubaida, to waterboarding and other harsh interrogation methods, they were convinced …

Krugman and Newsweek  —  The Times' liberal columnist is on the cover this week, with a provocative story headlined: “OBAMA IS WRONG: The Loyal Opposition of Paul Krugman.”  It's about Krugman's criticism of Obama's economic policies made from the the left.  —  Writes Newsweek chief Jon Meacham:

Transcript: Obama On “Face The Nation”  —  Bob Schieffer Interviews The President About The Economy, Afghanistan, Banks And Public Confidence  —  Page 1 of 4  —  (CBS) This interview was conducted in the Oval Office by CBS News chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer:

Gates: No change soon on 'don't ask, don't tell'  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Don't expect any change soon to the “don't ask, don't tell” policy about gays in the military.  —  Defense Secretary Robert Gates says both he and President Barack Obama have “a lot on our plates right now.”

Staff infection: Allies rip Palin team  —  A seemingly unending series of public relations gaffes has Sarah Palin loyalists frustrated and worried she is diminishing her stature.  And they blame an inner circle they say is composed of not-ready-for-primetime players.

Now, a U.S. cardinal denounces Notre Dame's Obama invite  —  Cardinal Daniel DiNardo has become the first American cardinal to denounce the University of Notre Dame for inviting Democratic President Barack Obama as its commencement speaker in May and to receive an honorary degree.

Public financing ‘dead,’ McCain says  —  Questions Obama's bipartisanship vows  —  Sen. John McCain, an architect of sweeping campaign-finance reform who got walloped by a presidential candidate armed with more than $750 million, predicts that no one will ever again accept federal matching funds to run for the nation's highest office.

Stop The Presses!  —  Newspapers As We Know Them May Cease To Exist ... But What Will Become Of The News Itself? … When it comes to news about the news, no news is good news.  —  The Rocky Mountain News recently wrapped up operations.  The Tribune Company filed for bankruptcy protection.

Iran missile experts in North Korea ‘to help with rocket launch’  —  Missile experts from Iran are in North Korea to help Pyongyang prepare for a rocket launch, according to reports.  —  Amid increasing global concern over the launch, which the US and its allies consider to be illegal …

The Obama Administration's chance to engage in a Middle East peace.  —  When the Israelis' controversial twenty-two-day military campaign in Gaza ended, on January 18th, it also seemed to end the promising peace talks between Israel and Syria.  The two countries had been engaged for almost …