EXCLUSIVE: Dems ‘Almost Certain’ to Bypass Conference  —  Now that both the House and Senate have passed health care reform bills, all Democrats have to do is work out a compromise between the two versions.  And it appears they're not about to let the Republicans gum up the works again.

Inside Obama's War on Terrorism  —  The evening before he was sworn into office, Barack Obama stepped out of Blair House, the government residence where he was staying across from the White House, and climbed into an armored limousine for the ride to a bipartisan dinner.

BRIT HUME SAID WHAT?.... As regular readers know, I've made no mention of Tiger Woods on this blog.  I don't care about golf; I don't care about golfers' private lives; I don't care about any aspect of this “story” at any level.  —  But I was taken aback when I saw that Fox News' Brit Hume …

Staff walks out on party-switcher Griffith  —  Rep. Parker Griffith's (Ala.) staff has resigned en masse after his recent decision to switch parties and become a Republican.  —  In a sternly worded statement, Griffith Chief of Staff Sharon Wheeler announced the exit of herself …

That 1937 Feeling  —  Here's what's coming in economic news: The next employment report could show the economy adding jobs for the first time in two years.  The next G.D.P. report is likely to show solid growth in late 2009.  There will be lots of bullish commentary …

Republican retirements mount in House  —  The decision by South Carolina Rep. Henry Brown to retire brings Republican retirements to 14, a number that, if it continues to rise in the coming months, could curtail the expected GOP gains in the House in November.

U.S. Evangelicals' Role Seen in Uganda Anti-Gay Push  —  KAMPALA, Uganda — Last March, three American evangelical Christians, whose teachings about “curing” homosexuals have been widely discredited in the United States, arrived here in Uganda's capital to give a series of talks.

‘Missing arms spark Yemen alert’  —  The closure of three embassies in Yemen followed local security forces losing track of six trucks full of arms and explosives, say reports from Yemen.  —  France announced its mission in the capital Sanaa was shut on Monday, a day after the US and UK closed theirs.

Jordanian double-agent killed CIA officers  —  Officials: Perpetrator of Afghan attack was supposed to infiltrate al-Qaida  —  The suicide bombing on a CIA base in Afghanistan last week was carried out by a Jordanian doctor who was an al-Qaida double agent, Western intelligence officials told NBC News.

Notes on the Obama Disconnect  —  Not the change we organized for?  —  I see that my colleague bmaz referenced a post I wrote about a year ago back at Digby's place, about how Obama the candidate was consolidating structures within the progressive movement — field, voter registration …

Marshals shot in downtown federal courthouse; suspect dead  —  Nearby school put on lockdown, Las Vegas Boulevard closed  —  Authorities are investigating shootings that occurred Monday morning at the Lloyd D. George Federal Courthouse, 333 Las Vegas Blvd.  —  By Sun Staff (contact)

Stimulus Funds Went to Nonexistent Zip Code Areas [Updated]  —  First it was phantom Congressional districts.  Now it's phantom zip codes.  —  Last month, we reported on federal stimulus money credited with creating jobs in nonexistent New Mexico Congressional districts.

Rarely does it ever feel like...  We can truly make a difference.  January 19th, here in Massachusetts, that can all change.  —  Scott Brown is going to provide this state with the once in a lifetime chance to change this country forever.  —  I won't get into specifics, since if this matters you already know them.

President Obama Names Transgender Appointee to Commerce Department  —  President Obama recently named Amanda Simpson to be a Senior Technical Advisor to the Commerce Department.  —  In a statement, Simpson, a member of the National Center for Transgender Equality's board of directors …

Rep. King rethinking Senate run  —  Rep. Pete King (R-N.Y.) signaled Monday that he is reconsidering his decision not to run for Senate in 2010.  —  King said he's actively looking at a run for statewide office this year after he'd ruled out such a campaign last summer.

U.S. Intensifies Screening for Travelers From 14 Nations  —  WASHINGTON — Citizens of 14 nations, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Nigeria, who are flying to the United States will be subjected indefinitely to the intense screening at airports worldwide that was imposed after the Christmas …

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished as Banks Seek Profits From Bailout  —  Jan. 4 (Bloomberg) — To understand the meaning of no good deed goes unpunished, Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner can look no further than Wall Street where the banks that received the biggest taxpayer bailouts are seeking …

Uncertainty and the Slow Recovery  —  A recession is a terrible time to make major changes in the economic rules of the game.  —  Printer  —  Friendly  —  In terms of U.S. output contractions, the so-called Great Recession was not much more severe than the recessions in 1973-75 and 1981-82.