Rabbi Michael Lerner wrote an op-ed that appeared in the Washington Post over the weekend, calling for a progressive candidate to challenge President Barack Obama in the Democratic primaries.

During a speech at the Forum Club of the Palm Beaches Monday, U.S. Sen. George LeMieux announced he will be releasing personal papers and effects to Palm Beach Atlantic University. The documents, estimated to be in the thousands, consist of correspondence between LeMieux and other leaders and staff members in Washington over the last 16 months. These types of documents, like memos, policy briefings and letters, are considered public documents in Florida's government, but at the federal level they are considered personal and don't have to be released to the public.

At the 2010 Baseball Winter Meetings in Lake Buena Vista on Monday, Gov. Charlie Crist, who was an attorney for Minor League Baseball, praised the sports role in Florida life. I thank Minor League Baseball and Major League Baseball for choosing our state as the location for the annual tradition of the winter meetings, said Crist. Professional baseball means nearly $1 billion annually to Floridas economy, and this event puts a nice ending to a year that saw the economic outlook brighten.

George LeMieux's announcement today this his "Senate papers" will be housed at Palm Beach Atlantic University raised a couple of questions begging to be answered. First, did the private school (not to be confused with the larger campuses of Florida Atlantic University or Palm Beach Community College) ask for them? Second, where are Rep. Alan Grayson's "House papers" going to reside? His single term in office was longer and far more flamboyant than LeMieux's Hey, come to think of it, why not just leave 'em all to WikiLeaks?

Three Republicans in the Legislature -- Sen. Mike Fasano of New Port Richey, Speaker Pro Tem John Legg of Port Richey and Rep. Richard Corcoran of Trinity -- will be hosting the annual Farm Share Holiday Giveaway on Friday, Dec. 17 from 10:00-Noon at the Generations Christian Church in Trinity. Traditionally, the Farm Share event, helped by many Floridians and companies including Publix and AT&T, helps 500 families for the holidays.

Taking a break from frisking grandmothers at airports, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano turned to Wal-Mart today to expand DHS' national If You See Something, Say Something campaign. Launching a new partnership with the world's biggest retailer, Napolitano said Wal-Mart will help the American public play an active role in ensuring the nation's safety.

Former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton scorched the Obama teams record on foreign policy in an op-ed in the Guardian and forwarded by the American Enterprise Institute where he is now a senior fellow. While Bolton rails against WikiLeaks, his toughest barbs are for the president and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Theres a tendency to think that the legal challenge launched by Attorney General Bill McCollum against new federal health-care laws backed by President Barack Obama is not being supported by moderate Republicans. On Monday, the team at Revere America, a PAC affiliated with former New York Gov. George Pataki, reminded the public that the two Republican U.S. senators from Maine -- Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe -- are backing McCollums challenge as friends of the court.

A new Gallup poll reveals Presidents John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan top the list of Americans' retrospective approval ratings for modern presidents. Kennedy got a rating of 85 percent, up a point from the same poll in 2006, while Reagan got a 74 percent rating, up 3 points from the last poll.

A potential deal to extend the Bush-era tax cuts for all income levels in exchange for an extension of unemployment benefits and other Democratic legislation could bring a challenge to President Barack Obama from the left, according to veteran news anchor Dan Rather.

Michelle Rhee, head of Gov.-elect Rick Scott's education transition team, went live with her new website at 10 a.m. The former D.C. schools chancellor, whose service to Scott and to Florida is unpaid, will announce on a pre-taped "Oprah" segment Monday that she will take her "brassy education-reform ideas" national by starting an advocacy group. According to Politico, the group will draw on the natural grass-roots power of teachers, parents and pupils.

Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merrit Island, and other legislators will view a screening of the education reform documentary "Waiting for Superman" at 4 p.m. Tuesday in Tallahassee, followed by a panel discussion.

Republican U.S. Sen. George LeMieux said he was pleased that the Obama administration reached a trade deal with South Korea -- and added this should have been done sooner. This agreement is long overdue, said LeMieux. Increased trade increases job opportunities in Florida and across our country.

On a working Saturday night for Congress, two votes on Democratic measures in the Senate failed to extend the Bush tax cuts. That means, for the time being anyway, the measure isn't going anywhere.