Freezing Out Hope  —  After the Democratic “shellacking” in the midterm elections, everyone wondered how President Obama would respond.  Would he show what he was made of?  Would he stand firm for the values he believes in, even in the face of political adversity?

Disappointing Job Growth in U.S. as Jobless Rate Hits 9.8%  —  In a significant setback to the recovery and market expectations, the United States economy added just 39,000 jobs in November, and the unemployment rate rose to 9.8 percent, according to the Department of Labor.

Deficit panel's plan goes down to defeat  —  In an 11-7 vote, President Obama's fiscal commission on Friday failed to adopt a sweeping plan for reining in the federal budget deficit.  —  The panel had been working since February on a plan that would cut almost $4 trillion in deficit spending …

Ron Paul stands up for Julian Assange  —  Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) is taking a stand as one of Julian Assange's few defenders in Washington, arguing that the WikiLeaks founder should get the same protections as the media.  —  Attorney General Eric Holder said this week that the Justice Department …

Hillary Clinton: State is ‘last’ public post  —  Hillary Clinton says, ‘I think I will serve as secretary of state as my last public position.’  —  Secretary of state will be Hillary Clinton's “last public position,” she said Friday, yet again tamping down speculation that she's plotting …

Military chiefs advocate keeping 'Don't ask' for now; McCain threatens block  —  The top Marine Corps, Army and Air Force officers said Friday Congress should not scrap the “Don't ask, don't tell” policy in the near-term, and a key Senate Republican threatened to block a bill containing repeal language from being debated.

Mr. Olbermann—Sorry We Can't All Be As Perfect As You  —  Recently, a left wing commentator named Keith Olbermann attacked me for being a spokesperson for abstinence education and for being an Ambassador for the Candies Foundation, which promotes teen pregnancy awareness and prevention education.

The Mystery of John McCain  —  I have been on the road, got home late tonight (while my wife is traveling elsewhere), and amused myself with.... the C-SPAN rebroadcast of today's Don't Ask Don't Tell Senate hearings.  Yes, this is exciting life for a member of The Atlantic's team.

President Obama Makes Surprise Trip to Afghanistan, Sources Tell ABC News  —  Visit Comes Amid Backdrop of Wikileaks Report Highlighting Afghan Corruption  —  President Obama is in Afghanistan on a surprise visit, sources told ABC News' Martha Raddatz.  —  Obama's surprise trip comes …

The top ten pundits among Republican activists  —  1,152 Republican activists, as identified by YouGov America and polled by ConservativeHome.com, have chosen their favorite pundits.  —  These pundits, more than any other, will be the talking heads who will influence the choice of the GOP's nominee for 2012.

Rangel: I don't deal in average American citizens  —  One might have thought, given all of the handwringing from Capitol Hill last night over the horrors of censuring, that Charlie Rangel would have learned a little humility from the process.  For instance, on CNN moments after Nancy Pelosi read aloud …

Arizona Cuts Financing for Transplant Patients  —  PHOENIX — Even physicians with decades of experience telling patients that their lives are nearing an end are having difficulty discussing a potentially fatal condition that has arisen in Arizona: Death by budget cut.

Time to Shut Down the FCC  —  More transistors exist today than ever and there is plenty of capacity inside fiber-optic cables and out in the air.  What's missing is competition for consumers.  —  It's time to close the Federal Communications Commission.  This week, FCC Chairman Julius …

A Tax Reform Vision  —  I have a vision.  —  Sometime over the next couple of weeks, President Obama issues a statement that reads: “Over the past several months, Republicans and Democrats have been fighting over what to do with the Bush tax cuts.  I have my own views …

Feds Warrantlessly Tracking Americans' Credit Cards in Real Time  —  Federal law enforcement agencies have been tracking Americans in real-time using credit cards, loyalty cards and travel reservations without getting a court order, a new document released under a government sunshine request shows.