Government and court officials face these kinds of threats every day. Organized criminals, including terrorists, often try to influence government officials by threatening their families. The husband and mother of a federal judge were murdered at home just a couple of years ago by an angry litigant. Apparently Rep. Shadegg wants us to just surrender. After all, we'll all be so much safer then, right?

would be more accurate.

Khamenei's problem today is the same quandary the Shah faced in 1979: If I order the army to suppress the demonstrators and kill as many civilians as necessary to keep me in power, will it obey, or will it turn on me? In 1979, the army refused to fire, and the Shah left the country. I suspect today's Iranian military looks a lot like it did in 1979. The senior ranks are likely full of men who are relatives or friends of the senior mullahs. If that's true, then the same fissures splitting the ayatollahs are probably also opening within the military. A hard response from Khamenei might split the military and lead to civil war.

I usually agree with Stephanie, but not this time. I went to to see this one yesterday with my family. The kids liked it, but seemed underwhelmed. The adults didn't like it, and we all loved the first one, which made this one an even bigger disappointment.

Why, when Hollywood types get together to make a sequel to a successful movie, do they change everything that made the original successful? The first movie encouraged kids to read about history, and the hero eventually succeeds because he uses the knowledge he's gained through study. In the sequel, history is just a source for dumb jokes and gags (see extended joke about whether Khamunrah is wearing a dress or a tunic). There is an endless scene of Stiller and Jonah Hill insulting each other. There are several homages to the Three Stooges.

Finally, my biggest complaint: where are the women from the original film? They've all been dispatched in the sequel, and their whereabouts are not even mentioned. Carla Gugino, Stiller's former love interest, is gone, like a ex-Bond girl, without explanation. His ex-wife (and mother of his son) is also gone. Sacajawea is barely present, serving mainly as a foil for the new male characters.

The only woman around is Amy Adams as Amelia Earhart, and her character is apparently killed off at the end. For some reason, she can't live at the museum with the rest of the gang, and has to fly off into the sunrise, where, according to the first movie, she will turn to dust. Thanks guys! Just what I wanted to see with my young daughter!

Nice column Joan, but I don't agree that this payment was like welfare. Welfare is giving money to people who need it. Kristol doesn't need the money, he's probably got plenty, and there's always a job waiting for him at any conservative foundation or thinktank whenever he needs one. The Bradley Foundation payment was really more like wages--payment for services rendered. Kristol carried water for the Foundation in print, and the Foundation paid him for it. Excessive wages, to be sure, but that is the norm for conservative intellectuals. Working for the rich always pays better.

So now that Dawson is out, will he rejoin his whites-only country club? And if he does, will he invite Steele there for dinner?

If it works, it will go down as one of the most brilliant political moves any President has ever made. Getting to 60 votes in the Senate would be huge--it is the difference between having to negotiate with the Republicans and steamrolling them. And there's nothing to fear from having a Republican in a Cabinet post. If he gets out of line, Obama can fire him at any time.

"Let's also not forget that the Obama administration also has another $350 billion to work with remaining from the authorization for TARP." I hope that will be true, but it sure sounds like wishful thinking. Given the Bush Administration's track record, I think it's safe to assume that all TARP funds will have been disbursed by Jan. 20 to recipients that just happen to have strong ties to major Republican contributors.

Thanks, Andrew, for that beautiful tribute to your father. I'm too old to cry too, but you brought a tear to my eye.

Great piece, Andrew. I watched Fox News last night too, and you made me laugh out loud this morning at the memory. You did Fox justice, which is better than they deserve.

The facts just don't add up to the conclusion here. Sen. Dirksen broke the Southern conservatives' filibuster against the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which makes him an American hero. He was a close friend of Jack McCain. Robert S. McNamara, possibly the most incompetent Secretary of Defense in American history (other than Donald Rumsfeld), questioned Jack McCain's competence. And that reflects badly on McCain? Based on this piece, I conclude that Jack McCain must have been a great guy.

I'm a Wisconsin voter and I just received a robocall from the McCain campaign in which the speaker states that Obama has worked closely with Bill Ayers, "a domestic terrorist" who is responsible for various bombings. So much for positive advertising.

Another way to address the problem would be for the government to use its power of eminent domain to condemn the properties that are in foreclosure. The government could pay fair market value for the homes then resell them at the same prices. The mortgage holders would then be forced to recognize their losses. If necessary, the government could help finance these losses with a low-interest loan program (Bailout, Part II). The tough part would be figuring our what fair market value is, since in many places there is no longer a functioning market. However, if prices are reduced far enough, then people will able to buy homes with mortgages they can afford.