• The Rude Pundit (Lee Papa) calls in at 6:30am Pacific to talk about the news over the Thanksgiving weekend.

• Eric Boehlert, Senior Fellow at Media Matters for America, calls in at 7:05am Pacific to co-host Right Wing World.

• The Senate is set to begin debate today on health care reform. Some Dem senators say they’ll jump ship from the bill without tighter restrictions on abortion coverage. Others say they’ll go unless a government plan to compete with private insurance companies gets tossed overboard. Such concessions would enrage Liberals, the heart and soul of the party.

• Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich), the leading Senate Dem on military matters, said yesterday that President Obama’s anticipated plan for expanding troop levels in Afghanistan must show how those reinforcements will help increase the size of the Afghan security forces.

• White House officials fended off new questions about how a fame-seeking couple finessed their way into the president’s State Dinner last week while the aspiring reality-TV stars themselves began trying to sell their story for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

• Eric Boehlert, Senior Fellow at Media Matters for America, calls in at 7:05am Pacific to co-host Right Wing World.

• Dr. Eric Chivian, founder and director of the Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard, calls in at 7:30am Pacific to talk about the Climate Change Bill.

• Health care reform backers won a key victory Saturday night as the Senate voted to move ahead with a floor debate on a sweeping $848 billion bill. The 60-39 vote to prevent a GOP filibuster against the start of debate on Sen. Reid’s legislation broke down along party lines.

• Four U.S. service members were killed in the past 24 hours in Afghanistan, NATO forces said today. Three of the Americans died in southern Afghanistan yesterday. Two of them were killed by a bomb attack and the third in a separate firefight.

• Maj. Nidal Hasan, the Army psychiatrist charged with killing 13 people at Ft. Hood, is paralyzed from the chest down and doctors believe it will be permanent, his lawyer said yesterday.

• In this business week, which will be abbreviated due to Thanksgiving, investors will look to reports on home sales, unemployment and consumer confidence, and the start of the holiday shopping season on Friday for more insight into the direction of the economy.

• Eric Boehlert, Senior Fellow at Media Matters for America, calls in at 7:05am Pacific to co-host Right Wing World.

• Joe Decker, founder of GodHatesShrimp.com, calls in at 8:30am Pacific to talk about how ridiculous religious arguments against homosexuality are.

• Politely but firmly pressing for greater freedoms on China’s own turf, President Obama spoke in Shanghai this morning against censorship, saying tough criticisms of political leaders should be allowed and the free flow of information on the internet “should be encouraged.”

• While President Obama’s decision about sending more troops to Afghanistan is primarily a military one, it also has substantial budget implications that are adding pressure to limit the commitment. Governmental estimates place the cost of adding 40,000 troops at $40 billion to $54 billion a year.

• Today’s Commerce Department report on October retail sales is likely to set the tone for the rest of the week on Wall Street. Economists polled by Reuters predict retail sales rose 0.8 percent in October after at 1.5 percent drop in September. Stronger consumer spending is needed for any rebound, and disappointment is likely to send stocks falling today.

• Eric Boehlert, Senior Fellow at Media Matters for America, calls in at 7:05am Pacific to co-host Right Wing World.

• Mary Bonauto, Civil Rights Project Director at Gay & Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD), calls in at 7:30am Pacific to discuss the repeal of gay marriage in Maine.

• Hal Sparks joins us in studio at 8:05am Pacific for a special Monday edition of “Humpdays with Hal.”

• President Obama yesterday praised the “historic” House vote to pass a bill overhauling the nation’s ailing health care system, and said it is now time for the Senate to “take the baton” and complete its work. The House passed its health care bill late Saturday night by a 220-215 vote, with 39 Dems opposing and 1 GOPer supporting.

• The alleged Ft. Hood shooter apparently attended the same Virginia mosque as two 9/11 hijackers in 2001, at a time when a radical imam preached there. The FBI is looking into any possible associations.

• Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-LA) has declared a state of emergency in Louisiana as Hurricane Ida heads toward the Gulf Coast. It’s the first hurricane to target the U.S. this season.

• Eric Boehlert, Senior Fellow at Media Matters for America, calls in at 7:30am Pacific to co-host Right Wing World.

• Morgan Hurley, reporter for SDGLN.com (San Diego Gay and Lesbian News), calls in at 8:30am Pacific to talk about her story regarding a proposed ban on divorces in California.

• Afghanistan’s Election Commission announced this morning that Saturday’s runoff election between Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah has been cancelled. Abdullah dropped out of the race yesterday, and the Obama administration said it was prepared to work with Karzai to combat corruption and confront the Taliban insurgency.

• GOP nominee in New York’s 23rd Congressional special election tomorrow, Dede Scozzafava, announced this weekend that she’s suspending her campaign. Her exit leaves Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman as the favorite to win the formerly hotly contested 3-way race. Scozzafava threw her support behind Dem Bill Owens.

• The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that just 2 percent of Americans younger than 65 would sign up for the public option plan under the health care bill that Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is steering toward House approval

• The New York Yankees beat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-4 last night to take a 3-1 lead in the World Series.

• Eric Boehlert, Senior Fellow at Media Matters for America, calls in at 7:05am Pacific to co-host Right Wing World.

• Comedian Sara Benincasa calls in at 8:30am Pacific to tell us about her columns for The Huffington Post and her upcoming tour dates.

• Both House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid are expected to make decisions this week in hopes the long-delayed health care reform bills can come to a vote early next month. Officials familiar with the Senate talks say businesses would not be required to provide health insurance, but large companies would owe significant penalties if any worker needs government subsidies to buy coverage on their own.

• Top lawmakers sparred yesterday over the timing of President Obama’s decision on how to move ahead in Afghanistan, with Republicans urging a quick move to boost troop levels and Dems counseling patience.

• President Obama declared the swine flu outbreak a national emergency, giving his health chief the power to let hospitals move emergency rooms offsite to speed treatment and protect non-infected patients.

• Eric Boehlert, Senior Fellow at Media Matters for America, calls in at 7:05am Pacific to co-host Right Wing World.

• Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA) calls in at 8:30am Pacific to make a major announcement about his campaign to be senator from Pennsylvania.

• Three days after the world watched a giant balloon fly through the air as a tearful family expressed fears that their 6-year-old boy could be inside, authorities announced what millions already suspected: The whole thing was staged. Colorado authorities believe the event was a “publicity stunt” by the family to market themselves for a reality show.

• The White House will not commit to health care legislation that would cap insurance premiums or tax benefits, taking a wait-and-see approach as congressional negotiators seek a deal. President Obama will not demand that a final bill include a public option, though that’s his preference, advisers said yesterday.

• Defense Secretary Robert Gates is undertaking the tricky task of trying to persuade allies to remain committed to the war in Afghanistan even as the Obama administration debates whether to send more troops to fight. Allies like Japan and Great Britain, however, are showing signs of pulling back.

• The Rude Pundit (Lee Papa) joins Steph in studio in NYC at 8:05am Pacific for “Rude Mondays”

• Tim Robbins calls in at 8:35am Pacific to promote “The WTF Festival” at The Actors Gang in Culver City, CA.

• President Obama pledged to end the ban on gays serving openly in the military in a speech to the Human Rights Campaign Saturday, but acknowledged to a cheering crowd that the policy changes he promised on the campaign trail are not coming as quickly as they expected.

• Secretary of State Hillary Clinton travels to Russia today hoping to win Moscow’s backing for a strong stance on Iran’s nuclear program and looking for progress on a new arms control pact.

• Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said yesterday that any added military deployment in Afghanistan smaller than the 40,000 troops reportedly requested by the top U.S. commander there “would be an error of historic proportions.” McCain also said that the war there could not be won with fewer than the 40,000 troops requested.

• Eric Boehlert, Senior Fellow for Media Matters for America, calls in at 7:05am Pacific to co-host Right Wing World.

• Nicole Sullivan, formerly of Mad TV, calls in at 8:30am Pacific to tell us about the second season of her Lifetime series, “Rita Rocks.”

• The Obama administration is considering steps to ease the burdens of laid-off workers, including possible extensions of unemployment and health benefits, officials said Saturday. The administration has stopped short of calling for a second economic stimulus package to augment the $787 billion measure approved this year.

• The White House said yesterday it sees signs of progress in confronting Iran’s nuclear program while members of Congress endorsed authorizing tougher U.S. economic penalties against the Tehran government. International inspectors are to visit Iran’s newly disclosed uranium enrichment site on October 25.

• President Obama said Friday he has “no doubt” that Chicago put together the strongest bid it could to win the 2016 Olympics. He said he wished he had brought back better news from Friday’s voting in Copenhagen, where his personal appeal did not help his adopted hometown win.

• Eric Boehlert, Senior Fellow at Media Matters for America, calls in at 7:05am Pacific for a live edition of Right Wing World.

• Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard has test-fired one of the longest-range missiles in Tehran’s arsenal, state TV reported today. The missile is capable of striking Israel and U.S. Mideast bases and parts of Europe. It was the third round of tests meant to demonstrate the country’s preparedness for an attack.

• President Obama on Saturday resumed his push to overhaul the health care system, telling a Congressional Black Caucus conference that there comes a time when “the cup of endurance runs over.” He underscored that we’ve “been waiting for health reform since the days of Teddy Roosevelt… we cannot wait any longer.”

• The White House acknowledged for the first time Friday that it might not be able to close the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay by January as President Obama promised. They said resolving thorny legal issues and logistical questionsmeans the deadline may slip.

• Oscar-winning filmmaker Roman Polanski has been arrested in Switzerland on a decades-old arrest warrant stemming from a 1977 sex charge in California.

• Rev. Jim Wallis of Sojourners calls in at 7:05am Pacific to discuss the need for more spirituality in the debate on health care reform.

• Eric Boehlert of Media Matters for America calls in at 7:30am Pacific to talk about accusations of racism against President Obama, and Fox News smearing ACORN.

• Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) calls in at 8:30am Pacific to talk about health care reform.

• Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) unveiled the Senate’s version of health care reform yesterday. The plan would require all Americans to have health insurance, but lacks a public plan option or even a trigger for a public option.

• The White House says President Obama doesn’t believe he’s being criticized because of his race. They were asked about the topic following comments on Tuesday by former President Jimmy Carter. Press Secretary Robert Gibbs says some people have disagreements with some of Obama’s decisions but that those concerns were not because of his race.

• ACORN, an advocacy group under fire after some employees were caught on camera appearing to advise a couple posing as a prostitute and pimp to lie about the woman’s profession to get housing help, said Wednesday it is ordering an independent investigation and is refusing new admissions into its service programs.

• Mary Travers of 1960’s folk trio Peter, Paul, and Mary, has died, according to her publicist. She was 72.

• Comedian Will Durst calls in at 6:30am Pacific to do a little bipartisan bashing and to promote his upcoming gigs in Washington, DC.

• Eric Boehlert, Senior Fellow at Media Matters for America, calls in at 7:05am Pacific to give us even more info about the Birthers.

• Rep. Chris Murphy (D-CT) calls in at 7:30am Pacific to talk about health care reform.

• Judge Sonia Sotomayor is expected to easily win Senate confirmation today as two more Republicans, Sen. Kit Bond of Missouri and Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, announced their support for the country’s first Hispanic high court pick.

• President Obama announced yesterday that the federal government will provide $2.4 billion in grants for the development of more fuel-efficient, battery-powered automobiles. Obama’s announcement was the latest in a series of administration initiatives designed to accelerate a nationwide transition to a “green economy.”

• Former U.S. Rep. William Jefferson of Louisiana was convicted yesterday on 11 of the 16 corruption charges against him in a case that included the discovery of $90,000 in his freezer. A federal court jury convicted Jefferson on four bribery counts, three counts of money laundering, three counts of wire fraud, and one count of racketeering.

• Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) calls in at 7:30am Pacific to talk to us about the president’s health care reform press conference last night.

• Eric Boehlert, Senior Fellow at Media Matters for America, calls in at 8:30am Pacific to talk about “Birthers,” people who are still demanding to see President Obama’s birth certificate.

• President Obama sought last night to rally support for sweeping health care legislation he’s struggling to push through Congress, expressing support for a surtax on families making more than $1 million a year to help pay for it. He also vowed to reject any measure “primarily funded through taxing middle-class families.”

• Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) announced yesterday he plans to vote for Supreme Court nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor, bucking the views of most of his conservative GOP colleagues. Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) and Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss) announced yesterday that they plan to oppose the judge.

• The Senate yesterday narrowly rejected a controversial measure to allow people to carry concealed weapons from state to state. The measure would have required each of the 48 states that currently allow concealed firearms to honor permits issued in other states.

• Outgoing Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is rejecting allegations she broke state ethics laws by letting supporters set up a legal defense fund for her.

• Eric Boehlert of Media Matters for America calls in at 7:05am Pacific to talk about Bill O’Reilly and the rise of fanatical, supremacist hate groups and crimes.

• Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA) calls in at 7:05am Pacific to talk about health care reform and the stimulus package.

• Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-CA) calls in at 8:05am Pacific to talk about health care reform and the accelerated stimulus package.

• A rifle-wielding white supremacist entered Washington, DC’s Holocaust museum yesterday afternoon, fatally shooting a security guard before being wounded himself by the return fire from other guards. Law enforcement officials identified the suspect as James Von Brunn, an 88-year-old neo-Nazi from Maryland.

• President Obama urged lawmakers yesterday to work through partisan differences that are threatening health care legislation just as it starts moving through Congress. He insisted they pass a bill this year that reins in costs and helps provide coverage to nearly 50 million uninsured people.

• The Obama administration issued new regulations yesterday that set pay limits on companies that receive TARP assistance, with the toughest restrictions aimed at seven recipients of “exceptional assistance.”

• Eric Boehlert of Media Matters for America calls in at 7:30am Pacific to talk about how the Right Wing Media is already attacking Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor.

• President Obama marked another 100-day anniversary yesterday – this time the anniversary of the enactment of his $787 billion economic stimulus package. Obama told a crowd in Nevada that “we are already seeing results” from the federal government’s economic boost.

• Opponents of California’s voter-approved ban on same-sex marriages launched a new court challenge yesterday, led by lawyers who were on opposite sides of the case that settled the 2000 presidential race. Attorneys Ted Olson and David Boies have asked a federal judge to block California from enforcing the ban, known as Prop. 8.

• Newt Gingrich has called Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor a racist, and he’s demanding that Obama’s pick withdraw her nomination. On Twitter, Gingrich said that “new racism is no better than old racism.”

• Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA) announced last night that he intends to challenge Sen. Arlen Specter in a Pennsylvania Democratic primary pending a discussion with his wife and young daughter.

• Eric Boehlert, Senior Fellow at Media Matters for America, calls in at 7:30am Pacific to talk about his new book, “Bloggers on the Bus: How the Internet Changed Politics and the Press.”

• Top Republicans are demanding an apology from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi or proof to back her claim that the CIA misled Congress about the use of torture. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, the top GOPer on the House Intelligence Committee, said yesterday that if Pelosi’s accusations aren’t true, she may need to step down. House Minority Leader John Boehner demanded Pelosi provide evidence to support her accusations.

• President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday held their first face-to-face meeting since each took power. The two met at the White House to discuss, among other things, the endorsement of a two-state Palestinian solution and relations with Iran.

• President Obama is expected to adopt higher mileage standards for automobiles today. New cars and trucks will have to get 30% better mileage starting in 2016 under Obama’s move to curb emissions tied to smog and global warming.

• Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV), 91 and the longest-serving senator in history, was hospitalized last Friday with a temperature spike caused by a minor infection. He is being treated and is expected to be released from the hospital in a few days.

For those of you in Portland, OR who are wondering where The Stephanie Miller Show went, we have good news! You can now hear us LIVE every weekday from 6am to 9am Pacific on 970AM, The Talker!

• Eric Boehlert, Senior Fellow at Media Matters for America, calls in at 6:30am Pacific to talk about his recent article, “Glenn Beck and the Rise of Fox News’ Militia Media.”

• Lawrence Korb, Senior Fellow at The Center for American Progress and former Assistant Secretary of Defense, calls in at 7:05am Pacific to discuss Obama’s foreign policy and how it relates to Iran.

• Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) calls in at 8:05am Pacific to talk about her recent trip to Cuba to meet with Fidel and Raul Castro.

• A U.S. warship arrived before dawn today near a 28-foot lifeboat holding four pirates and the kidnapped captain of a U.S.-flagged cargo ship. Also nearby was the Maersk Alabama – which had been seized early yesterday off the Horn of Africa. All 20 of its remaining crew members are in good physical shape.

• Fresh off a trip to Cuba that included a visit with both Fidel and Raul Castro, members of the Congressional Black Caucus are lobbying President Obama to lift the nation’s longstanding Cuba embargo, and open up lines of communication with the Castros.

• Vice President Joe Biden marked the return of the 18th Airborne Corps from Iraq at Fort Bragg, NC yesterday and told they troops that they left behind a country where “violence is being replaced by progress.”

• President Obama returned to Washington, D.C. in the early hours of yesterday morning, bringing his lengthy debut on the world stage – including his first stop in a war zone as commander in chief – to a close. Aides say he brought home achievements both large and small, evidence of the benefits of the extended travel.