The Governor Strikes Back: Five New Quotes from Sarah Palin  —  Last week, the former vice-presidential candidate lashed out at the media's coverage of her campaign.  In a brand-new “What I've Learned” interview with Esquire, excerpted here in advance of the March issue, Palin goes even further.

Olmert Says He Made Rice Change Vote  —  WASHINGTON — In an unusually public rebuke, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel said Monday that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had been forced to abstain from a United Nations resolution on Gaza that she helped draft, after Mr. Olmert placed a phone call to President Bush.

AP: Clinton acted on concerns of husband's donors  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State appointee Hillary Rodham Clinton intervened at least six times in government issues directly affecting companies and others that later contributed to her husband's foundation, an Associated Press review of her official correspondence found.

Live from the Clinton Confirmation Hearing  —  Sen. George Voinovich of Ohio, a Republican who is retiring, just now love-bombed Clinton and Obama.  He notes that a couple of years ago he got to know retired Marine Gen. James Jones and wondered, “Why can't we get this guy in the administration?”

Rollins: Bush still doesn't get it  —  Editor's Note: Ed Rollins, who served as political director for President Ronald Reagan, is a Republican strategist who was national chairman of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's 2008 presidential campaign.  —  NEW YORK (CNN) — One week from today …

Meghan McCain Sits Down With MMC To Talk Blogs, Bikers, Politics & Why She Only Takes Off Her High Heels To Swim  —  Meghan McCain is an American blogger and daughter of the 2008 Republican nominee for President, John McCain.  —  Most recently, Ms. McCain spent almost two years …

Report Cites Politicized Hiring at Justice Dept.  —  WASHINGTON — A former senior official at the Justice Department routinely hired conservatives, Republicans and so-called RTA's — “Right-Thinking Americans — for what were supposed to be apolitical posts and gave them plum assignments …

44 to reverse 43's executive orders  —  President-elect Barack Obama is expected to move swiftly to reverse executive orders regarding torture of terror suspects, the military prison at Guantanamo Bay and other controversial security policies, sources close to his transition said …

Duncan: Smart Is Cooler Than Ever  —  Arne Duncan, the Chicago schools chief, told the Senate on Tuesday that he would work for “real and meaningful change” in the nation's schools if confirmed as education secretary, and he said he hoped president-elect Barack Obama's own example as a model student …

Senators Raise Questions About Geithner's Nomination at Treasury  —  Sen. Charles E. Grassley, ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, is raising questions about a housekeeper who worked briefly for Treasury Secretary-nominee Timothy Geithner without proper immigration papers …

Does “Black Hawk Down” Portray an American War Crime?  —  At least nine hundred people, maybe half of them civilians, have been killed in Gaza so far, the overwhelming majority presumably killed by Israel (some people, more than we probably know right now, have been killed by Hamas, mainly Fatah activists in revenge killings).

White House and Transition Officials Conduct Joint Disaster Exercise  —  Senior aides to President Bush and President-elect Barack Obama met at the White House this morning to conduct an unprecedented joint disaster exercise for transition leaders.  —  The three-hour exercise brought together …

Steven Chu Eases Up on the Gas Price Pedal  —  Steven Chu, the Nobel laureate scientist who is President-elect Obama's choice to be energy secretary, said in testimony prepared for his Senate confirmation hearing Tuesday that high oil prices were a threat to the economy …

Mike Huckabee: The Laughing Man  —  It's funny, the nicest guy in a political party of not-very-nice guys is also its most unbending cultural samurai.  —  Early on in the 2008 presidential race, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee received the endorsement of conservative pundit Stephen Baldwin.

UK: BLOOD LIBEL HORROR: JEWS EATING DEAD BABIES  —  This is horrible.  I ask men of reason, civilized men to see what is happening.  Look at what is happening.  We are on a terrible course, a collision course of the worst order.  This is beyond the pale.  And the media is ignoring it.

Memo to Obama: Moving Forward Doesn't Mean You Can't Also Look Back  —  In one week, the U.S. Constitution will be front and center as Barack Obama solemnly swears to “preserve, protect, and defend” it.  Given all that has happened over the last eight years, that oath is not nearly as pro-forma as it used to be.

For Senate GOP, 2010 Losses on Top Of the 2008 Losses  —  Voinovich Is Latest to Say He'll Resign  —  A spate of retirement announcements by Senate Republicans this year have further complicated attempts by GOP strategists to begin rebuilding a party devastated by across-the-board losses in recent elections.

‘Trashion’ Trend: Dumpster Couture Gets a Boost at Green Inaugural Ball  —  Designer Judd Will Be Showing Off a Coat of Many Colorful Obama Posters  —  SANTA FE, N.M. — In the world of trashy fashion, designer Nancy Judd has hit the big time.  —  Ms. Judd spends her days in a studio …