White House refuses to say if VP is in executive branch  —  Reporters finally pushed the White House today on the Vice President's belief that his office is some kind of fourth branch of government — not executive, not legislative, not accountable to anyone.  WH spokesperson Dana Perino's responses were almost comical.

In Aiding Poor, Edwards Built Bridge to 2008  —  John Edwards ended 2004 with a problem: how to keep alive his public profile without the benefit of a presidential campaign that could finance his travels and pay for his political staff.  —  Mr. Edwards, who reported this year that he had assets …

Talk talk talk  —  Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okl, claims he overheard Sens. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, and Barbara Boxer, D-Calf, chatting about how out of control talk radio had become.  —  "They said we've got to do something about this," Inhofe told a talk radio host.

Justice Dept.'s No. 3 Resigns  —  Mercer Is Sixth Official to Leave in Wake of Prosecutor Firings  —  The Justice Department's third-in-command announced his resignation today, becoming the sixth high-level official to quit in the wake of ongoing controversy over the firings of nine U.S. attorneys last year.

A Tale of Two Prosecutors  —  Mike Nifong is punished, but Patrick Fitzgerald isn't.  —  This week the Duke-Nifong drama oozed to its finale, with a payout to the victims, a confidentiality agreement, the usual salutes to the healing process, and plans on the part of the principals to begin putting the case behind them.

Ed Schultz: 'How Many Markets Do I Have To Beat Hannity In Before I Get 200 Or 300 Stations?'  —  Progressive radio host Ed Schultz appeared on MSNBC last night to discuss the new report by the Center for American Progress and Free Press, which revealed the conservative monopoly that currently exists over talk radio.

GOP's Barrasso Picked as Wyoming's New Senator  —  Wyoming Republican John Barrasso will be joining the U.S. Senate as the interim successor to the late Republican Craig Thomas.  —  Barrasso, a 54 year old state senator and orthopedic surgeon, was appointed to the position Friday by Democratic …

LAYOFFS AT ABC NEWS  —  Now we know why ABC News lost out in the bidding for that Paris Hilton interview.  In order to save cash—er, rather, "maintain and enhance the reputation of ABC News for its unparalleled reporting"—news division head David Westin just announced a wave of lay-offs expected to eliminate a total of 35 jobs.

Bush Advisers Weigh Closing Guantánamo Prison Sooner  —  President Bush's top advisers have reopened an internal debate over how quickly to close the American detention unit for suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, according to administration officials familiar with the deliberations.

NANCY PELOSI IS ALL FOR INCREASING VETERAN'S FUNDING, IF THE VETS ARE CANADIAN (UPDATED)  —  ***UPDATE: It's been pulled from the Pelosi website.  Details below.  Really, this again points out how very little the Democrats know about our military.  This is simply basic stuff …

'Sicko' leaves top Democrats ill at ease  —  Leading candidates are sidestepping direct comment on filmmaker Michael Moore's proposals for universal healthcare.  —  WASHINGTON — With the release of Michael Moore's "Sicko," a movie once again is adding sizzle to an issue that's a high priority …

Graham's approval plunges on immigration  —  Sen. Lindsey Graham's (R-S.C.) approval rating is taking a pounding in his home state as a result of his strong support for a bipartisan immigration reform bill, a new poll showed Friday.  —  Graham's approval rating has sunk to 31 percent …

Embattled Duke Rape Case Prosecutor Mike Nifong Could Get Jail Time  —  Beleaguered and disbarred former District Attorney Mike Nifong, who prosecuted the Duke University lacrosse rape case, could wind up in jail if a motion is granted asking that criminal charges be filed against him, FOX News has learned.