Dog Poop DNA, Sean Avery Rule 2008 Ideas

(NEWSER) - Traditional media outlets and on-the-spot amateurs alike captured the year's biggest US political moments. Here is Politico's look at some of the biggest scoops:

• Palin meets Couric: Interviewed by Katie Couric on CBS, Sarah Palin fumbled with softball questions such as which publications she reads. Democrats and Tina Fey pounced.
• Edwards indulges: Major media outlets ignored a report of John Edwards' extramarital affair, but the National Enquirer caught him in the act.

Xi Jinping, China's next president, to meet with Obama

(NEWSER) - The man slated to be China's next president began his US tour today, meeting with President Obama in the Oval Office before having lunch with Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton. Biden will serve as Xi Jinping's host in Washington, the New York Times reports. Other stops on the agenda: a meeting with the Chamber of Commerce, and a high-level trip to the Pentagon, where he'll get an honor guard salute and meet with Leon Panetta and the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin Dempsey. More»

Preliminary hearing begins Dec. 16

(NEWSER) - Bradley Manning's preliminary hearing is set to begin Dec. 16, and if the US Army private has his way, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton will be among the witnesses. The president and the secretary of state were included on a 20-page list of defense witnesses in a request made Friday, Politico reports. Manning's preliminary hearing will determine whether the case against him—accusing him of passing classified information to WikiLeaks—should be referred for a full-scale court martial. More»

Hillary Clinton, as 'buyer's remorse' plagues a third of the country

(NEWSER) - The most popular politician nationwide is the one that got away: Hillary Clinton. Nearly two-thirds of the country sees the secretary of state favorably, and a third are battling what Bloomberg terms “buyer’s remorse” over not electing her president. Just over a year ago, only a quarter of Americans felt that way. “Looking back, I wonder if she would have been a stronger leader, knowing the games and the politics and all that goes on,” says a Florida woman. “I don’t think she would have bent as much.” More»

His position makes no sense, and isn't changing: Dana Milbank

(NEWSER) - Hillary Clinton fell over herself congratulating her home state on its “historic vote” in favor of gay marriage this week. “I’ve always believed that we would make progress because we were on the right side of equality and justice,” she declared. “Clinton left out one salient detail though,” writes Dana Milbank of the Washington Post : “She and her boss, President Obama, oppose legalizing gay marriage.” They say they believe gay couples should be equal, yet oppose giving them the 1,300 federal benefits straight couples enjoy. More»