Senate Passes Health Care Overhaul Bill  —  WASHINGTON — The Senate voted Thursday to reinvent the nation's health care system, passing a bill to guarantee access to health insurance for tens of millions of Americans and to rein in health costs as proposed by President Obama.

Senate passes historic healthcare reform legislation in 60-39 vote  —  The Senate approved sweeping healthcare reform legislation by the narrowest of partisan margins early Christmas Eve morning, placing President Barack Obama closer than ever to signing a longtime Democratic priority into law.

Kerry Floats Plan to Visit Tehran  —  White House Wouldn't Oppose Trip, First by Top U.S. Official in 30 Years, to Chagrin of Iran's Opposition  —  WASHINGTON — Sen. John Kerry has suggested becoming the first high-level U.S. emissary to make a public visit to Tehran since the 1979 Islamic revolution …

Pennsylvania House Democrat resists party-switching entreaties  —  Pennsylvania Rep. Chris Carney (D) announced tonight that he would not switch to the Republican party despite a personal phone call today from Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) urging him to do so.  —  “I am flattered by the overtures of Sen …

Census Bureau: Texas Gains the Most in Population  —  Texas gained more people than any other state between July 1, 2008, and July 1, 2009 (478,000), followed by California (381,000), North Carolina (134,000), Georgia (131,000) and Florida (114,000), according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau estimates

A Democrat's view from the House: Senate bill isn't health reform  —  Editor's note: Rep. Louise M. Slaughter, a Democrat, represents the 28th Congressional District of New York.  Slaughter is the first woman to chair the House Rules Committee and the only microbiologist in Congress.

Yemen says Fort Hood-linked imam may be dead  —  SANAA (Reuters) - The leader of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and a Muslim preacher linked by U.S. intelligence to deaths at a U.S. army base are believed to have died in a Yemen air strike, a security official said on Thursday.

Banks Bundled Bad Debt, Bet Against It and Won  —  In late October 2007, as the financial markets were starting to come unglued, a Goldman Sachs trader, Jonathan M. Egol, received very good news.  At 37, he was named a managing director at the firm.  —  Mr. Egol, a Princeton graduate …

MSNBC Cancels ‘Dr. Nancy’  —  Breaking: TVNewser has learned MSNBC has canceled “Dr. Nancy” the NoonET health/medical show hosted by Dr. Nancy Snynderman.  —  The cancellation of “Dr. Nancy” is yet another daytime programming move by MSNBC, which has fallen to 4th and, on some days, 5th place in the daytime ratings.

CNN Poll: More Americans think Democratic policies better than Republican  —  Washington (CNN) - Despite the bruising battle over their health care reform proposals, congressional Democrats have maintained an advantage over their Republican counterparts on one key measure, according to a new national poll.

Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins Split  —  One of Hollywood's most enduring relationships has ended - Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins have broken up after more than two decades together, PEOPLE has learned exclusively.  —  “Actress Susan Sarandon and her partner of 23 years …

Is Obama Growing Weary Of The GOP's ‘Filibuster Everything’ MO?  —  There's growing sentiment on the left—most recently evinced by SEIU President Andy Stern and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman—that the Senate's quiet acceptance of the filibuster—and therefore a 60 vote threshold for most legislation …

Health Care Woo  —  The health care bill passed!  As you know, my view is this: For all its flaws, if signed into law this bill would be the greatest progressive social policy achievement in over forty years.  It's fine not to be satisfied with this legislation, but it's perverse not to be happy about it.

There's Only One Way to Stop Iran  —  PRESIDENT OBAMA should not lament but sigh in relief that Iran has rejected his nuclear deal, which was ill conceived from the start.  Under the deal, which was formally offered through the United Nations, Iran was to surrender some 2,600 pounds …

Newsmaker: Obama on Health Reform Politics, Copenhagen Climate Outcome  —  JIM LEHRER: Mr. President, welcome.  —  PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Thank you so much for having me.  —  JIM LEHRER: So you are completely satisfied with the health-reform bill that the Senate's about to pass?