Politics

kennedy_1877

Kennedy Center Honors recipient Bill T. Jones, left, and his partner, Bjorn Amelan, walk the red carpet at the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington on Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

kennedy_1867

Christine Baranski walks the red carpet at the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington on Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

kennedy_1862

Kris Kristofferson, left, and his wife, Lisa, pose on the red carpet at the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington on Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

kennedy_1861

Rep. Charles B. Rangel attends the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors Gala at the Kennedy Center in Washington, Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

kennedy_1859

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell and his wife, Alma, arrive at the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington on Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

kennedy_1856

Country singer Willie Nelson attends a reception for the recipients of the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors in the East Room of the White House, Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama arrive at a reception for the recipients of the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

kennedy_1853

Oprah Winfrey, a recipient of the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors, arrives for a reception in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

kennedy_1852

Paul McCartney, a recipient of the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors, is escorted to the East Room for a reception at the White House in Washington, Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

kennedy_1851

Bill T. Jones, recipient of the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors, is escorted into the East Room of the White House in Washington for a reception on Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

kennedy_1848

Recipients of the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors including, from left, Jerry Herman, Bill T. Jones and Paul McCartney, react as Jones is introduced during a reception in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

pak_1712

Volunteers rush a person injured by suicide attack to an emergency ward of a local hospital in Peshawar, Pakistan, on Monday, Dec. 6, 2010. A pair of suicide bombers disguised as policemen killed many people in an attack targeting a tribal meeting called to discuss the formation of an anti-Taliban militia, in Pakistani tribal area of Mohmand. (AP Photo/Mohammad Iqbal)

pak_1711

Volunteers rush a person injured by suicide attack to an emergency ward of a local hospital in Peshawar, Pakistan, on Monday, Dec. 6, 2010. A pair of suicide bombers disguised as policemen killed many people in an attack targeting a tribal meeting called to discuss the formation of an anti-Taliban militia, in Pakistani tribal area of Mohmand. (AP Photo/Mohammad Iqbal)

pak_1709

Pakistani soldiers look through the gap of a damaged building at the site of suicide bombing in Ghalanai, the main town in Pakistani tribal area Mohmand, Monday, Dec. 6, 2010. A pair of suicide bombers disguised as policemen killed many people in an attack targeting a tribal meeting called to discuss the formation of an anti-Taliban militia, in Pakistani tribal area of Mohmand. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)

pak_1708

Pakistani security officials survey the site of suicide bombing in the compound of a government office in Ghalanai, the main town in Pakistani tribal area Mohmand, Monday, Dec. 6, 2010. A pair of suicide bombers disguised as policemen killed many people in an attack targeting a tribal meeting called to discuss the formation of an anti-Taliban militia, in Pakistani tribal area of Mohmand. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)

Mideast Iran Nuclear_Thir.jpg

Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Ali Akbar Salehi, cuts a ribbon during a ceremony, as a truck is seen behind him, containing Iran's first domestically mined raw uranium, at the Isfahan uranium conversion facility in central Iran, Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010. Iran announced Sunday that it has delivered its first domestically mined raw uranium to a processing facility, claiming it is now self-sufficient over the entire nuclear fuel cycle. The translation reads "First shipment of yellowcake produced in Bandar Abbas mill". (AP Photo/Mehr News Agency, Ehsan Khosravi)

Obama Kennedy Center _Star.jpg

Recipients of the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors, Oprah Winfrey, and Paul McCartney, sing the National Anthem during the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors Gala at the Kennedy Center in Washington, Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010. Others are Stedman Graham, back left, and Trade Representative Ron Kirk, back right. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Wizards Suns Basketba_Star.jpg

Phoenix Suns forward Hakim Warrick (21) and Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas (9) battle for a loose ball during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ralph Freso)

20101205-203327-pic-362922122.jpg

Sen. Max Baucus, Montana Democrat, plans to push for further renewable-energy subsidies before the lame-duck Congress expires. (Associated Press)

20101205-202813-pic-715496107.jpg

Sen. Richard G. Lugar, Indiana Republican, says Democrats should limit the lame-duck session to tax legislation, a broad spending measure and a Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with Russia. If Republicans get that assurance, he says, the treaty could pass with "strong bipartisan support." (Associated Press)