U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw weighed in late last week, backing fellow congressional Republicans' plans to cut earmark spending.

Conservative columnist George Will-- and, like your humble blogger, a proud product of Trinity College --offered an interesting take on outgoing U.S Sen. George LeMieux in Newsweek.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton insisted on an appearance on Fox News Sunday that she was not planning to challenge President Barack Obama in 2012 and that she was done with seeking electoral office.

Is Sarah Palin vulnerable to an attack from the right?

Former Ambassador Alan Keyes, best known for his attempts at the Republican nomination and his bid for the U.S. Senate seat in Illinois in 2004 against a then relatively unknown Barack Obama, went after the former Alaska governor in a column that was published late last week after Salon reported that a Palin aide was being paid by George Soros:

Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota used the opportunity of the Republican Governors Association meeting in San Diego last week to publish an essay in the San Diego Union-Tribune calling for the repeal of new federal health-care laws backed by President Barack Obama -- and to call attention to his own possible bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012.

Quinnipiac University released a poll on Monday that stated that more Americans do not think President Barack Obama deserves a second term than those who back his bid for re-election--but also found voters remain wary on potential Republican candidates. The poll found 49 percent of Americans wanting Obama out of the White House after 2012 while 43 percent want to give him a second term.

Having already suspended Keith Olberman for making contributions to political candidates, MSNBC has now apparently suspended former U.S. Rep. Joe Scarborough for sending money to political campaigns. Politco reports the former Panhandle congressman-turned-pundit was suspended for backing, among other, two old supporters in the Legislature -- Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach, and his son Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Shalimar.

With news breaking this week that a large part of the federal contracts to deal with the Gulf oil spill went to companies based in Massachusetts, Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson sent off a letter demanding answers to U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke as to why states impacted by the spill -- like Florida -- were left out.

While there was talk that South Floridas own U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz would win the prize, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi named U.S. Rep. Steve Israel of New York to head up the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC).

Congressman Israel knows how to win in tough districts. said Pelosi. He replaced a formidable Republican incumbent in 2000 and has worked every day since then to strengthen Democrats across the country.

Outgoing Gov. Charlie Crist pledged to do his best to help a speedy and painless transition when Rick Scott takes over as governor in January.