• 
  Obama would OK health bill minus items he pursued

  Signaling he'd meet critics part way on health care, President Barack Obama said Tuesday he's willing to sign a bill even if it doesn't deliver everything he pursued through a year of grinding effort at risk of going down as a dismal failure.

• 
  PROMISES, PROMISES: War widows' futile fight

  For a decade, war widows in matching yellow suit jackets and hats quietly and persistently have knocked on Capitol Hill doors seeking an end to the "widows' tax," a government policy that deprives them of benefits from their husbands' military service.

• 
  Despite all the nice talk, partisanship reigns

  Partisanship is reaching new heights in Washington, even as President Barack Obama makes almost daily pleas to get along. He's scheduled a bipartisan health care summit, and just Tuesday he hosted GOP leaders at the White House for the first time in two months.

• 
  Lawmaker's death a reminder of surgery risks

  Gallbladder surgery is usually a very safe operation, but a powerful congressman's death is a reminder of the known risks.

• 
  Obama says music fueled civil rights movement

  Crediting civil rights-era protest songs and their spiritual predecessors for his election, President Barack Obama on Tuesday sat in the East Room of his White House and listened to an all-star lineup of performers pay tribute to the music that he said fueled freedom marches and civil disobedience.

• Former Va. governor urges DNC chairman's firing

  Democratic former Virginia Gov. L. Douglas Wilder is urging President Barack Obama to fire Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine, another former Virginia governor.

• Senate Democrats unveil jobs package

  Senate Democrats circulated a jobs bill Tuesday that's light on new initiatives on boosting hiring and heavy with provisions sought by lobbyists for business groups, doctors and the satellite broadcasting industry.

• 
  Obama speaks hopefully of movement on jobs bill

  President Barack Obama says he doesn't think it's necessary to get an ideal jobs package out of Congress, but that passing something quickly could build momentum toward greater achievements.

• 
  Murtha's death sets stage for marquee House race

  Democrats have long dominated the late Rep. John Murtha's district in western Pennsylvania, but Republicans have made inroads in recent years that could help them win back the seat — and some longtime Murtha supporters say they're open to voting for a GOP candidate.

• 
  GOP blocks Obama labor board nominee

  Senate Democrats on Tuesday failed to push through President Barack Obama's choice of a union lawyer to serve on the National Labor Relations Board after two of their own joined Republicans to block the nomination.

• 
  Tax credits, Medicare fix in Senate jobs bill

  Highway funding and tax breaks for hiring workers figure prominently in a jobs-creation bill that Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. Senate hope will attract rare joint support in an election year, lawmakers said on Tuesday.

• Jobs package may cost about $80 billion

  A possible jobs-creation package being crafted by Democratic and Republican leaders in the Senate may end up costing about $80 billion, a key Republican said on Tuesday.

• Republicans flex new power, block Obama nominee

  Senate Republicans flexed their new political muscle on Tuesday and blocked President Barack Obama's nomination of a union lawyer to help referee labor disputes.

• Stimulus transportation under scrutiny

  by Lisa Lambert

• 
  Obamas take on problem of obese children

  Alarmed that nearly a third of U.S. children are obese or overweight -- and likely to stay that way all their lives -- President Barack Obama launched an initiative on Tuesday to roll back the numbers and put his wife in charge of promoting it.

• Clinton to visit Qatar, Saudi Arabia

  Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will visit Qatar and Saudi Arabia next week for talks that a U.S. official said on Tuesday would likely focus on Iran, Iraq and the Arab-Israeli conflict.

• 
  Obama, Republicans find common ground on jobs

  President Barack Obama found common ground with Republicans on Tuesday over his top priorities of job creation and deficit reduction but drew a rebuke on healthcare reform.

• Republicans may join Obama deficit panel: Boehner

  House Republican leader John Boehner said on Tuesday he was considering appointing Republicans to President Barack Obama's planned deficit commission and also that it was time to "start over" on healthcare reform.

• Summers: U.S. economy on mend but has ways to go

  Top White House economic adviser Lawrence Summers said on Tuesday that the job market was stabilizing but the economy still had a long way to go to return to health.

• 
  Obama's healthcare summit sets stage for end-game

  President Barack Obama's call for a healthcare summit including both his fellow Democrats and Republicans sets the stage for a final push to get stalled legislation through Congress, but skeptical Republicans said on Monday the only solution is to start over.

• 
  The Water Ceiling Prank: Simple Yet Hilarious (VIDEO)

  This is a pretty genius prank that involves only a chair, a bowl of water, and a stick of some sort. Unfortunately those are the three items my parents got me for my birthday this year. If I possessed this gentleman's ingenuity I might have whipped up a quick little prank like this in order to go v...

• 
  Anything Beyond The Universe? New Theory Changes Our Destiny

  We think our destiny is to journey to Mars and beyond. Yet as we build our spacecraft, we're about to be broadsided - from a different direction - by the most explosive event in history. In the nex hundred years or so science will be able to create realities that we can't even begin to imagine.

• 
  Colbert: "Sarah Palin Is A F--king Retard" (VIDEO)

  Using Sarah Palin's defense of Rush Limbaugh against her, last night Stephen Colbert proudly pronounced that "Sarah Palin is a f--king retard." After mocking Palin's speech at the Tea Party Convention (taking the obligatory jabs at the notes on her hand) Colbert moved on to Palin's reaction to Ra...

• 
  New Gmail Social Features To Launch? Details On The Rumor

  Google may be adding new social features to Gmail that would allow users to more quickly and easily share status updates and media the Wall Street Journal reports, citing 'people familiar with the mater.

• 
  Jenny Sanford Jon Stewart 'Staying True' Interview: 'There's Nobody Cheaper Than This Guy' (VIDEO)

  On Monday night, South Carolina first lady Jenny Sanford went on 'The Daily Show' to talk divorce, life after the Governor's mansion, and whether Gov. Mark Sanford stayed true to his principles-- andof course, her new memoir, 'Staying True.

• 
  Elizabeth Warren: Time For Wall Street CEOs To 'Earn Back' America's Trust

  Bailout watchdog and middle-class advocate Elizabeth Warren is accusing Wall Street CEOs of abusing the public's trust and is challenging them to step up and support financial reform -- for the natio's benefit as well as their own.

• 
  Brooklyn Decker SI Swimsuit Issue Cover PHOTO REVEALED (PICTURES, VIDEO)

  By SAMANTHA CRITCHELL, AP Fashion Model Brooklyn Decker landed the coveted Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover this year. The 22-year-old wife of tennis star Andy Roddick said being chosen for the frnt is "the news of a lifetime.

• 
  Most Outrageous Eco-Stunts (PHOTOS) (NSFW)

  Any great campaign, no matter what it's about, has to capture the attention of the public if it's going to be successful in imparting the message and bringing attention to the cause. Pulling off an outrageous stunt or ad may attract a lot of negative attention, but many would argue that "all public...

• 
  Ryan Grim Talks Palin's 'Holier Than Thou' Tea Party Tone (VIDEO)

  HuffPost's Senior Congressional Correspondent Ryan Grim appeared on MSNBC Monday to weigh in on Sarah Palin's recent "tea party" remarks. Palin appeared at the group's first national convention in Nshville this past weekend and took aim at President Obama.

• 
  Arianna Debates Hugh Hewitt About Glenn Beck And Political Paranoia On CNN's Reliable Sources

  On CNN's Reliable Sources with Howard Kurtz, Arianna was asked to explain her critique of the inflammatory rhetoric used by Fox News host Glenn Beck. "What's happening with Glenn Beck is, he takes these apocalyptic statements that basically fuel people's fear and anxiety and has made them his stoc...

• Featured Advertiser

• Featured Advertiser

• Featured Advertiser

• After Toyota recall, investigators look for faults in electronic throttles

  Federal regulators have launched an inquiry into whether engine electronics caused vehicles to accelerate unexpectedly as legislators and experts on Tuesday cast doubt on Toyota's explanation of its runaway cars.

• Christmas Day bomb suspect Abdulmutallab providing intelligence, sources say

  Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the man accused of trying to blow up a jet airplane on Christmas Day, has been providing FBI interrogators with useful intelligence about his training and contacts since lat week, Obama administration sources said Tuesday.

• Struggling banks need government help, trade group says

  The head of a major trade group for community banks said Tuesday that the Obama administration's $30 billion program to spur small-business lending would not work unless the government offered money o struggling banks alongside stronger ones.

• Volcker urges Senators to adopt Obama's rules on banking

  Former Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker urged a Senate panel Tuesday to adopt new rules that would limit the investment activities of large banks as part of an overhaul of financial regulations,but lawmakers said the proposal could complicate ongoing negotiations on sweeping reform.

• Religious leaders worry that Obama's faith council is for show

  A year ago, President Obama thrilled many religious Americans and worried some secular supporters by announcing that he would not only keep the faith-based infrastructure President Bush had constructd across the government but would expand it, adding a marquee council of faith leaders to advise .

• Obama officials present a strategic redefining of Homeland Security's mission

  The Obama administration Monday delivered to Congress the nation's first Quadrennial Homeland Security Review , defining homeland security for the first time as including hazards beyond terrorism, ina strategic document intended to drive long-term budget decisions.

• Obama budget calls for new spending to lower unemployment, help middle class

  As President Obama announced his $3.8 trillion spending plan on Monday, Republicans savaged it as a recipe for fiscal disaster, while Democrats defended the call to drive record deficits even higher o finance measures aimed at putting people back to work.

more

• Inside the Climate Bunker

  How global-warming deniers are running circles around the U.N.'s top climate body.

• Nanjing by the Numbers

  A new report on the 1937-1938 massacre doesn't settle the contested issue of how many people died -- but it points to a much more significant new consensus between Japan and China.

• This Is What Victory Looks Like

  How Aaron David Miller romanticizes the past and underestimates the future.

• Dagestan: Russia's Most Overlooked Hot Spot

  Why the coming weeks will only get more dangerous for the troubled North Caucasus Republic.

• How Washington Can Really Help the Greens in Tehran

  For the Obama administration, there are dangers in doing too much and too little to help the pro-democracy movement in Iran. Here is how to chart a safe, effective third way.

• Yanukovych Won. Get Over It.

  Ukraine has cast its vote for the guy who was on the wrong side of the barricades in the Orange Revolution five years ago. The end of civilization as we know it? Not likely.

• Who Wants to Bomb Iran?

  Meet the men calling on Barack Obama to launch airstrikes against the Islamic Republic.

• Prepare for Liftoff

  The future of space exploration will be driven by private markets, not government spending.

• Saving Pakistan's Heartland

  While media attention has focused on the battle for control in its restive tribal areas, Pakistan needs to develop a strategy for thwarting the creeping Talibanization of its urban centers.

• Dead Terrorists Tell No Tales

  Why Barack Obama is killing too many bad guys.

more

• The nuking of Dan Coats

  Democrats launch a withering assault on the former GOP senator's prospective candidacy.

• Bond: Brennan 'needs to go'

  "[T]he national security team has become a bench of political spokespeople," says Missouri senator.

• Paterson tries to seize on rumors

  A mix of speculation involving sex and drugs has a surprising effect on his reputation.

• Pelosi resists Obama outreach efforts

  The session's purpose was bipartisanship, but Pelosi makes it clear there's disagreement even among Dems.

• Ehlers to announce plans Wednesday

  If he seeks reelection, the Michigan congressman will face competition from a tea party favorite.

• Shelby not done blocking nominations

  He's willing to resume hold if he doesn't get his way.

• Court intervenes in Edwards tape

  Andrew Young says he has been offered 'gigantic" amounts of money to sell the tape.

• Senate blocks Labor Board nominee

  Becker's failed nomination is a blow to Senate Dems who lost their filibuster-proof majority.

• Michelle unveils 'Let's Move' initiative

  She says it will take an ambitious, bipartisan effort to fight a problem that affects one of three children.

• Norquist endorses Rubio

  He is the latest in a string of prominent national conservatives to embrace Rubio for Senate.

more