Congressional Ethics Inquiries Drag on, Despite Vows to End Corruption   Harry Hamburg/Associated Press "Since then, however, no member of Congress has been censured, the toughest punishment short of expulsion, despite a number of recent scandals involving sexual impropriety, financial dealings and conflicts of interest. The record illustrates how Congress has struggled to police itself after years in which its ethics committees were often derided as ineffectual." 

  Plouffe: Palin would be a great candidate for Democrats By Alex Spillius World Last updated: November 26th, 20097 Comments Comment on this article Well he would say that, wouldn’t he? But these out-takes from my David Plouffe interview are interesting in that they reveal what the Obama campaign thought about Palin and what they would have said had they not wisely decided to sit back and watch her trample all over the McCain campaign.But now the gloves are off. Plouffe accuses her of revisionism, and thinks her a potentially disastrous 2012 candidate because of her divisiveness.Plouffe admitted that his book is being outsold by the former GOP vice-presidential candidate, and he doesn’t have screaming fans at his events.But his book, he told me, “is I think truthful and her book is being sold in the non-fiction section and I’m not sure that is accurate”.He went on: “I have not read whole book… I am sure the parts about her family and background are accurate, but it seems to be there is quite a bit of revisionist history about the campaign, which is the only thing I can speak authoritatively too.”On the political impact of a Palin candidacy in 2012, he had held forth:“At the end of the day the Republican Party has some structural issues… modern voters have left the party in big numbers, younger voters, Hispanic and African Americans have severe problems [with it].“I don’t see she is going to help them expand at all,” he said, from her base “that is probably about 15-20 per cent of the Republican party”.“To win national elections you have got to expand from that, and I don’t see anything in her book or her performance [on the book tour] that’s going to give comfort to those voters.”   

 Emma Thompson: 'BNP would love Exeter' Actress's adopted son subjected to racist taunts at Exeter University.   "Thompson and her husband, actor Greg Wise, informally adopted Tindy, a former child soldier, after meeting him at a Refugee Council Christmas party seven years ago. She told her audience that she hoped he would become Britain's first black prime minister."    

 G.O.P. Confidence Tested by Fears of Searing DivisionsBy JEFF ZELENYNEW ORLEANS — Republicans are awash in optimism over their prospects for the fall elections, with the party on a plausible path toward picking up governor’s seats across the country and, perhaps, even winning control of the House and strengthening their power in the Senate. As the Southern Republican Leadership Conference drew to a close here on Sunday, party activists had a bounce of confidence in their step as they contemplated the possibilities of Election Day in November, when they could, as a $4 bumper sticker here declared, “stop the ObamaNation.” Yet for all of the punchy applause lines offered by a troop of speakers — almost all of whom took aim at President Obama — and for all of the unanimous cries that Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Harry Reid should be shown the door in Washington, there was also a stern admonition for Republicans. The warning was delivered by Gov. Haley Barbour of Mississippi, who said that his party’s outlook could fade if differences over ideological purity intensified and created discord among establishment Republicans, the Tea Party and other ordinary voters, who may share the same frustrations but be turned off from aligning with any of the movements within the party. “Barack Obama has worn out three sets of knee pads, down on his knees praying that the conservative vote is split in 2010,” Mr. Barbour said, speaking to about 3,000 party activists gathered at the conference. “We can’t let that happen. We can’t let that happen.” The “big tent” philosophy, which will face new tests in the months to come, was on display in many ways over the weekend. At a cocktail reception on the banks of the Mississippi River, people in yellow Tea Party shirts barely mingled with Republican stalwarts, many of whom wore neckties or broaches decorated with elephants, the proud symbol of the party. In the exhibition gallery, where T-shirts, books and knickknacks were on sale, “Vote Republican” buttons sat alongside “All government is the problem” bumper stickers. In the ballroom of the downtown Hilton Hotel, during three days of speeches, applause erupted at every mention of the Tea Party. People in the crowd delivered a standing ovation when a woman took the microphone during a question-and-answer session and denounced party leaders in Washington for siding with moderate incumbents over strict conservatives. “We are looking for somebody who is strong enough to stand up for what they believe in and not just to kowtow to the Republican Party,” said Sherry Raziano, a nurse who has only recently become politically active and who traveled here from Gulfport, Miss. There was particular discontent with the Republican National Committee…

  Sarah Palin attacks Letterman over 'sexually-perverted' joke BY Michael Saul
DAILY NEWS POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT