Stinging Talk About Obama?  Never Mind Now  —  That whole anti-American, friend-to-the-terrorists thing about President-elect Barack Obama?  Never mind.  —  Just a few weeks ago, at the height of the campaign, Representative Michele Bachmann of Minnesota told Chris Matthews of MSNBC that …

Palin and Africa, Etc.  —  I talked to Steve Biegun, the former Bush NSC aid who briefed Sarah Palin on foreign policy, and he considers the leaks against her on the international stuff “absurd.”  —  He says there's no way she didn't know Africa was a continent, and whoever is saying she didn't must be distorting “a fumble of words.”

McCain Campaign Autopsy  —  Chief strategist Steve Schmidt talks about the moment—back in September—when he knew McCain was doomed.  Plus, his surprising view on gay marriage, and more scoop on leaks.  —  Reached on a long-planned vacation outside the country, former McCain campaign chief …

Coleman campaign requests halt of absentee ballot count  —  Republican Sen. Norm Coleman sought an injunction to stop the opening and counting of 32 absentee ballots in Minneapolis, according to a copy of the court documents filed today provided to the Pioneer Press by Democrat Al Franken's campaign.

Real Time: The Hard Core Republican Base Is Like A Stalker-Rejection Just Makes Them Crazier  —  From Real Time Nov. 7, 2008.  New Rules.

An Obama Tilt in Campaign Coverage  —  The Post provided a lot of good campaign coverage, but readers have been consistently critical of the lack of probing issues coverage and what they saw as a tilt toward Democrat Barack Obama.  My surveys, which ended on Election Day, show that they are right on both counts.

‘Do What You Got Elected to Do’  —  The incoming chief of staff says expect a pragmatic White House.  —  Detroit  —  In Rahm Emanuel's telling, the Democratic victories on Tuesday were a continuum of what began in the 2006 midterm elections, when his party won majorities in the House and the Senate for the first time in 12 years.

Is reported here: A McCain campaign postmortem.  —  Las Vegas As she dealt one losing hand after another at Mandalay Bay's $10 blackjack tables early Wednesday evening, Trisha, a chatty dealer from Bloomington, Minnesota, changed the subject from cards to Barack Obama.

The Saturday Cartoons  —  It's a big day for the Saturday Cartoons... Our historic week and the election of President-elect Obama — love that new title — has made our cartoonist friends so prolific this week that I'm running more 'toons than I ever have.  —  In addition, I am delighted …

Memo to the POTUS-elect  —  Congratulations, Senator Obama.  You ran a good campaign, and you racked up an historic victory.  As you get ready for your new responsibilities, let me suggest four ways for you to become a reliable steward of the economy:  —  Listen to your economists.

Back Home, Palin Finds a New Landscape  —  ANCHORAGE — Gov. Sarah Palin has returned to Alaska fully recast and amplified.  —  Adored by many national conservatives, Ms. Palin is a prospect for a presidential run in 2012, supporters say.  Caricatured by opponents, she is a candidate for political oblivion, say others.

C&L Movie Review: Che by Steven Soderbergh  —  Che … There is a silent fragment of a scene in Guerrilla, the second part of Steven Soderbergh's epic cinematic experience, Che that is very telling.  Che Guevara, portrayed brilliantly by Benicio Del Toro, is trying to motivate a group …

Senate runoff a test for Obama  —  President-elect Barack Obama may risk some of his newly earned political capital in Georgia, where a Dec. 2 Senate runoff could move Democrats a step closer toward a filibuster-proof, 60-vote majority in the upper chamber.  —  The race is between Republican …

Obama Positioned to Quickly Reverse Bush Actions  —  Stem Cell, Climate Rules Among Targets of President-Elect's Team  —  Transition advisers to President-elect Barack Obama have compiled a list of about 200 Bush administration actions and executive orders that could be swiftly undone …

2012 SPECULATION?  ALREADY?.... As far as I can tell, there was very little positioning among Republicans for the next presidential race for about 48 hours after Barack Obama became the president-elect.  But with only 1,460 or so shopping days until Election Day 2012, that apparently didn't last long.

Take a Bow, America  —  The markets are battered and job losses are skyrocketing, but even in the midst of a national economic crisis, we should not lose sight of the profound significance of this week and what it tells us about the continuing promise of America.

Utah Boycott Urged After Calif. Vote  —  Utah's growing tourism industry and the star-studded Sundance Film Festival are being targeted for a boycott by bloggers, gay rights activists and others seeking to punish the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for its aggressive promotion of California's ban on gay marriage.