Cabinet post for Clinton roils Obamaland  —  Barack Obama's serious flirtation with his one-time rival, Hillary Clinton, over the post of secretary of State has been welcomed by everyone from Henry Kissinger to Bill Clinton as an effective, grand gesture by the president-elect.

2 Democrats to Submit Compromise on Lieberman  —  Connecticut Senator Would Be Sanctioned for Backing GOP Ticket but Could Keep Key Committee  —  A pair of Senate Democrats will offer a compromise plan today to sanction Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) for his support of the Republican presidential ticket …

Administration Protects Bush Appointees by Converting Positions to Career Civil Service Jobs  —  Political Positions Shifted To Career Civil Service Jobs  —  Just weeks before leaving office, the Interior Department's top lawyer has shifted half a dozen key deputies …

Al Franken's vote-tally appeal rebuffed  —  He wanted erroneously rejected absentee ballots to be counted in the state's official tally, which will be certified today.  Those disputed votes will be argued in court - later.  —  DFLer Al Franken asked Monday to have rejected absentee ballots …

A Conversion in ‘This Storm’  —  Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. had a stern message for more than two dozen of the nation's most powerful hedge fund managers gathered in the third-floor conference room near his office.  —  Paulson told them it was time to begin regulating …

Web Sites That Dig for News Rise as Watchdogs  —  SAN DIEGO — Over the last two years, some of this city's darkest secrets have been dragged into the light — city officials with conflicts of interest and hidden pay raises, affordable housing that was not affordable, misleading crime statistics.

Early Test for Obama on Domestic Spying Views  —  WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama will face a series of early decisions on domestic spying that will test his administration's views on presidential power and civil liberties.  —  The Justice Department will be asked to respond …

NEWSWEEK CONSIDERS ANTICHRIST TALK.... When bizarre, fringe publications speculate openly about who may or may not be the Antichrist, it's easy to dismiss.  When Newsweek publishes a 600-word piece on those who wonder about Obama being the Antichrist, one really has to wonder what on earth the editors were thinking.

Can Mall Be Filled For an Inauguration?  4 Million May Try It.  —  District and federal officials are preparing for as many as 4 million people for the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama, a crowd that would be three or four times larger than previous big events on the Mall.

Pirates Seize Saudi Supertanker  —  JIDDA, Saudi Arabia — Pirates captured a Saudi-owned supertanker loaded with more than $100 million worth of crude oil off the coast of Kenya, seizing the largest ship ever hijacked, United States Navy officials said Monday.

E.D. Hill To Leave Fox News Channel  —  Exclusive: TVNewser has learned veteran Fox News Channel anchor E.D. Hill will not be renewed when her current contract expires.  Hill, who has been with Fox News for more than 10 years, will continue with the network for the next few months until her current deal expires.

104 retired officers against 'don't ask-don't tell'  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — More than 100 retired U.S. military leaders — including the former head of the Naval Academy — have signed a statement calling for an end to the military's “don't ask-don't tell” policy, according to a California-based think tank that supports the movement.

Some Abortion Foes Shifting Focus From Ban to Reduction  —  Frustrated by the failure to overturn Roe v. Wade, a growing number of antiabortion pastors, conservative academics and activists are setting aside efforts to outlaw abortion and instead are focusing on building social programs …

Gov. Crist Is Man To Beat In Florida, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Sen. Martinez Gets Mixed Grades From Voters  —  Florida Gov. Charlie Crist remains overwhelmingly popular with a 68 - 18 percent job approval rating that makes him a strong favorite for re-election in 2010 …

“If You Leak, You're Gone.”  —  Several Obama transition staffers have put a version of that quotation in transition co-chief John Podesta's mouth.  —  Many of the major staff appointments so far - Rahm Emanuel as chief of staff, Greg Craig as White House counsel, the fact of the Clinton meeting …