Fred Kaplan, Slate's "War Stories" columnist, is usually right on, but his column on Sarah Palin yesterday was a bit of a dud. Charging right out of the gate, Kaplan asks: "Are there any Republican grown-ups out there, and, if there are, will they ever start coming to the aid of their party? That sentence could segue into any number of topics, but the one at hand is Sarah Palin."

Where to start? Certainly, many liberals would be delighted to see a phalanx of moderate Republicans condemning Palin—just as many conservatives were delighted to see moderate Democrats such as Evan Bayh lashing out at President Obama in the wake of Scott Brown's victory in the special election for senator in Massachusetts. But Palin's rhetoric—and that of like-minded leaders—seems to be making political hay for the GOP, at least in the short term.

More to the point, though, Kaplan is simply wrong: there are "Republican grown-ups" who haven't been shy about criticizing Palin. More

When Michelle Obama became first lady, she stressed that her "No. 1 job" would be "first mom." Following through on that focus, today at the White House, she elevated her personal concern for her own kids' health and eating habits into a massive national...

When Michelle Obama became first lady, she stressed that her "No. 1 job" would be "first mom." Following through on that focus, today at the White House, she elevated her personal concern for her own kids' health and eating habits into a massive national campaign aimed at solving the U.S. epidemic of childhood obesity in a generation.

Calling the issue "one of the most serious threats to their future," Obama noted that childhood obesity rates have tripled in the past three decades, and that the excess weight kids are carrying these days increases the risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and asthma. As a result, Obama said, she had  "great concern" that too many of today's kids were on track to live shorter and less healthy lives than their parents, even though the problem is "so imminently solvable."

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As snowmaggedon continues to wreak havoc on the Capitol, the House has suspended all votes through Friday. The snow-week decision is rife with opportunities to mock the government’s uncanny ability to use any and all excuses to justify inaction. One editorial cartoon, a drawing of our nation’s capital blanketed in snow, comes with the tagline: “where every day is a snow day.”

But if you want to talk about really egregious government shutdowns explained with implausible excuses, just take a look at our neighbors to the north (incidentally, this Gaggler's home country): using the Olympics as a partial justification, the Canadian Parliament is in the middle of a two- month shutdown. More

By Mark Hosenball and Katie Paul

If ever there were a time for Iranian chest-thumping, it would be now. The 31st anniversary of the regime's Islamic Revolution is less than a week away, but authorities anticipate the celebrations will be marred by a new round of anti-government protests led by opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi. Adding fuel to the fire, Monday brought news that senior officials from Russia had joined with their counterparts in the United States and France in pressing for tougher sanctions against Iran, bringing the U.N. Security Council an important step closer to implementing a sanctions program.

For their part, the leaders of the Islamic Republic are stepping up their rhetoric. Iran's defense minister announced on Monday that the military had conducted successful tests on new drones and air defenses. The same day, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, told a group of Iranian air force personnel that the Iranian nation will "punch the arrogance" of Western powers on Thursday, the day of the anniversary, "in a way that will leave them stunned."

Iran analysts are scrambling to figure out how the mysterious "punch" might land. For now, most are scratching their heads. More likely than not, they say, the whole incident consists of more huffing and puffing than real brinksmanship. “The Iranians are trouble to be sure, but they’re also known to exaggerate their capabilities, especially when it comes to their military and nuclear programs," said one U.S. counterterrorism official. "They have multiple incentives to hype the facts—to try to deter a potential attack from abroad, to strike a better bargain in international negotiations, or to stoke nationalism at home."

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Republican support for Obama’s handling of health-care reform is at a mere 7 percent. The gap between Republican and Democratic support—67 points—is the largest for all issues that Gallup polled on, which includes terrorism (52-point gap on POTUS support) and the economy (56-point gap).

Again, this is a shift from August: back then, the economy was the most polarizing issue, with a 71-point gap between Democrats and Republicans. More than any other foreign or domestic policy, health-care reform has the dubious distinction of the most polarizing policy in terms of how you view Obama. More

By Anna Nemtsova Change is finally coming to Russia's notoriously harsh jails. Last month President Dmitry Medvedev announced a major prison overhaul after public outrage erupted over a young lawyer's death from lack of medical treatment while he awaited...

This week, many Iranians will mark the 31st anniversary of the overthrow of the shah with street demonstrations against a regime seen by some as illegitimate. While the Revolutionary Guards have vowed to deal harshly with protesters, the unrest has grown...

I've been hard on congressional Republicans recently for pandering to voters' ignorance by offering politically appealing but irresponsible slogans instead of a credible conservative vision of how to meet America's challenges, even those they harp on Obama for failing to address, such as our rising budget deficits. So, it is only fair that I praise Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc) for coming forward with a proposal that could actually reduce long term deficits.

Ryan would to do so by essentially eliminating Medicare (and privatizing Social Security). Everyone under 55 today, would not get covered by the U.S. government. Instead they would get vouchers with which to buy health insurance upon turning 65. You can quickly surmise what this would lead to: insurers, with a customer base that is high-risk, would either charge rates well above what the vouchers provide, and/or offer only bare bones service for the cost of a voucher. The result: seniors who are uninsured or under-insured. Ultimately, seniors would die as a result, as younger Americans who lack insurance do now.

This is a conservative vision of government, and you cannot expect Democrats to embrace it. But if the Republicans ran on such a proposal and won control of Congress and the White House they could claim a legitimate mandate to enact it. 

Alas, Republicans are all but certain not to run any such program.

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Hugo Chávez had a crummy January. Hammered by a slugging economy and 24 percent a year inflation, the Venezuelan president prepared for his 11th anniversary in office with 61 percent of his countrymen believing they’re on the wrong path. But there ought to be at least one opportunity for Chávez’s salvation: his country’s plentiful oil reserves. A study by the U.S. Geological Survey last week found the Orinoco oil belt to have almost twice as much black gold—513 billion barrels in full—than previously thought.

What would be a boon to most other countries has become a shame for Chávez, who seems to have shot himself in the foot.

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Maybe it's time to stop some of the name-calling over counterterrorism policy and start checking the facts. As the debate over Obama administration counterterrorism policies has heated up in the wake of the failed Christmas Day underpants airplane bombing, prominent Republicans, ranging from leading senators to a former press secretary for George W. Bush, have attacked the current administration for claiming that hundreds of terrorist suspects had been successfully prosecuted through the civilian court system during Bush's presidency. But it turns out that the Obama administration's claims do appear to be well documented—assuming that an official budget request sent to Congress by Bush's last attorney general was truthful itself.

For the full story, visit Declassfied.

Maybe it's time to stop some of the name-calling over counterterrorism policy and start checking the facts. As the debate over Obama administration counterterrorism policies has heated up in the wake of the failed Christmas Day underpants airplane bombing, prominent Republicans, ranging from leading senators to a former press secretary for George W. Bush, have attacked the current administration for claiming that hundreds of terrorist suspects had been successfully prosecuted through the civilian court system during Bush's presidency. But it turns out that the Obama administration's claims do appear to be well documented—assuming that an official budget request sent to Congress by Bush's last attorney general was truthful itself. More

John Murtha was Nancy Pelosi's friend and mentor, and his backing her for leader over Steny Hoyer, a longtime insider player in the Democratic caucus, gave her the street creds she needed to win as the first woman to hold that high a position in what was an old boys' club. A gruff former combat Marine officer, Murtha provided political cover for Pelosi and other left-wing Democrats in their opposition to the Iraq war. After having initially supported the war, Murtha became an outspoken opponent, calling for immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces in 2005. As a once reliable Bush administration ally, his defection signaled the growing disaffection with Bush's war policies. Murtha's long history of pro-military votes and close alliance with the military helped rebuff Republican charges that Pelosi and other anti-war Democrats were endangering national security.

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While they have publicly floated suggestions that Tehran is interested in a possible swap of American hikers imprisoned in Iran for Iranian citizens held by the U.S. and its allies, Iranian leaders have done little to nothing through diplomatic channels to move the prisoner issue forward, according to the State Department. In an appearance last week on state television, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad suggested Iran might be willing to release three American hikers arrested last summer after apparently wandering inadvertently into Iran in return for the release of Iranians imprisoned in the U.S. "We are having talks to have an exchange if it is possible ... We are hopeful that all prisoners will be released," the Iranian leader said, according to a Bloomberg report. Bloomberg News quoted Mike Hammer, a spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council saying, "If President Ahmadinejad's comments suggest that they are prepared to resolve these cases, we would welcome that step. But we have not entered into any discussion with Iran about an exchange."

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Pennsylvania Democrat John Murtha died this afternoon at a hospital in Virginia, following complications related to gall bladder surgery he underwent in January. Murtha, 77, had served in the House for 36 years. The first Vietnam veteran elected to Congress and chair of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, Murtha wielded enormous power over defense related issues and boldly sought earmarks that benefited his district.

For more on Murtha, his life, achievements and brushes with scandal, The Washington Post has a comprehensive obit.

On Friday, NEWSWEEK’s Sarah Ball and Kate Dailey discussed the controversy over the Lindsey Vonn Sports Illustrated cover as part of a rapid-fire roundtable discussion on Tumblr. Excerpts from their discussion (cleaned up a bit, now that we’ve had time to spell-check) are posted here. To read the entire debate—and comment on the opinions expressed—visit NEWSWEEK's Tumblr page or click here.

Dailey: So this is what we’re talking about today:

Is this photo sexist, or is everyone who says it is a hysterical buzzkill who needs to get a grip? You can make the argument—and Lord knows, people have—that this is a stylized image of a very common sports pose. Vonn is a skier, and this is what skiers do. But at the same time, you have to consider that these images don’t exist in vacuums—and when people who question this image raise their voices, they do so taking into account everything else they know about women athletes, women on magazine covers, and the seriousness which is paid to women’s sports. Of all the ski positions, the one that makes the cover is the one in which Vonn’s (super-strong, impressive) glutes are shoved over the masthead? Considering that women are on only 4 percent of SI covers, why does this one, intentionally or otherwise, have to resemble something like this?

Ball: Right you are—this is a head-scratcher. On the one hand, I’m all, “Get it, girl.” If I were a world-class American athlete and as comfortable in my skin-dex as is Vonn, I think I’d want to flaunt it.  And she looks great: muscular, buff, dynamic, feminine.  On the other, what I get most from this cover is strains of Lil Jon.

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Palin 2012 buzz is again in the air, this time after her punchy and oft-replayed address to the national Tea Party Convention on Saturday. The fallout from the speech has been predictable. Her base unified firmly while the left calculates just how big a threat she’ll pose in November and 2012. Meanwhile, the cable and Web echo chambers have honed in on the delectable story of some crib notes that Palin conspicuously wrote on her hand to remind herself of prepared talking points.

Embarassing, perhaps, especially after Palin knicked Obama in the same hour for also trying to appear candid by reading from a teleprompter. But it’s far from a fatal gaffe. There was much more included in Palin’s speech and her general self-promoting strategy to pick apart, and Republican politicos aren’t happy with any of the above. More

That is not an article from The Onion; it’s actual, real news.

The Pew Research Center has some new, interesting numbers up on public opinion and health-care reform. The general takeaway is that, while the same numbers of Americans support  reform, they’re increasingly pessimistic about its odds of passing. It’s notable that, despite all the roadblocks in the legislative process, the same number of Americans generally stand behind it.

What I found most interesting was a section on millennials and health care—partially because I’m a millennial who covers health care, partially because it reveals many interesting schisms in my generation’s support for reform. More

Michael Isikoff reports on the Declassified blog: White House counterterrorism adviser John Brennan played an unusual role Sunday when he swiped at congressional Republicans for bashing the administration's handling of the Christmas Day bombing suspect....

Here's the bad news: the one unifying theme of this year's Super Bowl ads (aside from panstlessness) was stone cold misogyny. Men trading their wives for tires, men eschewing island rescue in favor of hot tub time with some sexy stewardesses, men unwillingly being dragged away from the electronics section and forced to comment on candle scent with their lingerie-shopping sweeties.

The blogger Melissa McEwan often says that while feminists get labeled as "man haters," it's the seemingly man-friendly, bro-ified depiction of traditional gender stereotypes that disparage men the most. No where was that more apparent than in last night's ads. Take the Dodge charger spot, in which several dead-eyed men stare into the camera. An eerily calm voice (is that TV's favorite serial killer, Michael C. Hall, as the voice of the American man's barely sublimated rage?) lists all the things men are forced to do, leaving driving a car of their choosing as their one final act of free choice. 

According to this ad, were it not for the shrill, domineering harpies in their lives, men would live in filth, never show up to work, grow beards down to their navels. ("Surely there's a limit to your chivalry!" The ad's YouTube copy reads. Seriously. I mean, taking your dog for a walk? What is this, Shakesperian England?).

What's the good news? Find out after the jump. 

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White House counterterrorism adviser John Brennan played an unusual role Sunday when he swiped at congressional Republicans for bashing the administration's handling of the Christmas Day bombing suspect.

Normally, it is the White House political aides such as David Axelrod and Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, both seasoned veterans of the 2008 Obama campaign, who take the offensive against the president's GOP critics on the Sunday talk shows.

But this week, it was Brennan─a professional U.S. intelligence official who now serves on the president's national-security staff─who played the attack-dog role. While national-security aides─like Richard Clarke after 9/11─have been used in the past to rebut political attacks by providing "background" briefings, and Brennan himself did the Sunday talk-show circuit immediately after the Christmas Day bombing─it is extremely rare for a White House aide in his position to so directly target the president's critics, much less members of Congress by name, according to several former White House staffers and congressional staffers.

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Jon Stewart has said on a couple of occasions that he can’t tell if Obama is like a Jedi master, three moves ahead of the rest of us all the time, or if this health-care thing is kicking his ass. It’s unclear which category yesterday’s announcement of a televised, bipartisan health-care-reform summit at the White House falls in to.

On first blush it seems like a smart move. Rather than letting Republicans snipe on the sidelines, slowly killing the bill, Obama is bringing them in, squarely implicating them in the legislation’s fate. Keep your enemies close and all that. Republicans will get what they’ve been clamoring for─a transparent set of negotiations, live on TV. They’ll be able to raise their issues with the bill and be forced to articulate their alternatives, rather than just offering blanket opposition. But (and for Republicans this is a big but) they won’t be starting from scratch. They’ll be working to alter the bills that have already passed the House and Senate. More

One of the most striking turns in the fall of Toyota is how the recall scandal is playing with much of the Japanese public: as a bewildering American frenzy. Yes, they are concerned about the recall, but many assume Americans must have some malign reason...

By Jonathan Tepperman

Sometime in the past year, secret talks between India and Pakistan over Kashmir--which made great progress in 2008 before Pakistan's strongman, Pervez Musharraf, was ousted--were restarted, say U.S. and Indian sources. If successful, the negotiations would represent a huge breakthrough for the subcontinent. But the payoff would stretch even further. Solving Kashmir is looking increasingly essential to another conflict: Afghanistan. That makes the Obama administration's reluctance to engage with the issue hard to fathom.

To understand the link between Kashmir and Kabul, remember that the U.S. can't defeat the Taliban without help from Pakistan, which continues to shelter (and, allegedly, support) the Afghan insurgents. But that won't change until Pakistan resolves its rivalry with India. It is fear of India that keeps Pakistan from pulling enough troops off its eastern border to police the Afghan frontier (which Taliban members cross at will), and that explains Islamabad's desire to turn Afghanistan into a vassal state (giving Pakistan "strategic depth" in case of an Indian invasion). Only taking Kashmir--the main bone of contention with India--off the table could change this.
Given that fact, you'd expect the Obama team to be pushing the peace process forward. Instead, it has avoided the issue, largely because India erupts with rage whenever the U.S. tries to get involved. Thus Richard Holbrooke, Obama's AfPak envoy, says the U.S. won't consider stepping in.

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by Molly O'Toole

With the Super Bowl approaching, stories of the New Orleans Saints as the ultimate happy ending abound, along with the idea that a victory on Sunday might somehow repair a city that broke with the levees after Hurricane Katrina. Casting Drew Brees, Scott Fujita, and Co. as the stewards of a broken city’s salvation is too juicy an angle for the nation’s sportswriters to pass up. But while Saints as saviors make for a nice metaphor, is it really that simple?

There’s no doubt that New Orleans is still suffering from the psychic scars of Hurricane Katrina, and to say a football game will change all that is both reductive and unreasonable: in the years following the storm, 11 percent of New Orleans residents reported a serious mental illness, with the number of mild to moderate mental illness doubling from 10 to 20 percent in people heavily affected by Katrina, says Dr. Joia Crear-Perry, medical director in the Office of Health Policy for New Orleans. Some research indicated that half the region’s population has an anxiety or mood disorder, and that one out of every three citizens is currently dealing with posttraumatic stress. Three times more New Orleanians committed suicide in 2009 than in 2006, the year following the hurricane. Still, there is a body of evidence that suggests unifying behind a home team on a hot streak has positive mental, physical, and even economic benefits. More