Limbaugh’s Barbs Test Palin’s Honest Outrage: Margaret Carlson I never thought it would come to this. Sarah Palin is going to have to unheart Rush Limbaugh. Otherwise the only conclusion is that she fakes her emotions, even those that seem most genuine.

Party of ‘No’ Waves Bromides, Calls It a Plan: Margaret Carlson If you repeat something often enough, it becomes conventional wisdom. Republicans insist they are not simply the Party of No. They are the Party of Plans, which they press with gusto upon anyone who will pay attention.

Sullen Republicans Sit Through Obama Stand-Up: Margaret Carlson By the time President Barack Obama delivered the State of the Union, much of the drama had been leeched away. As with the Super Bowl, the pre-game run-up dwarfs the event itself.

Tea Party Herds the Angry, Lands in Hot Water: Margaret Carlson The Tea Party activists claimed a huge victory in Massachusetts when Scott Brown, a former Cosmopolitan centerfold driving a pickup, captured the hallowed seat of Ted Kennedy.

Six Messages for Democrats in Senate Shocker: Margaret Carlson It is hard to exaggerate the profound historical defeat suffered by Democrats in Massachusetts on Tuesday. A smooth guy in a GM pickup who posed nude for Cosmopolitan magazine won a U.S. Senate seat in the most highly educated, relatively prosperous, “don’t blame me, I voted for McGovern” state in the union.

True-Blue Massachusetts Is Red Alert to Obama: Margaret Carlson If Massachusetts, that bluest of blue states, goes Republican, say goodbye (or good riddance) to health-care reform and any chance that the Democrats will be able to pass much of anything in the Senate. Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold will struggle to overcome a filibuster just to get National Cheese Week proclaimed.

Palin’s God Laughs at Critics, Watches Fox: Margaret Carlson It’s all now perfectly clear. Where once it looked silly for a governor to quit in favor of writing and friending a million followers on Facebook, it now makes sense.

Fleeing Politicians Skirt Angry Body Scans: Margaret Carlson The unmitigated disaster of the underwear bomber’s success -- slipping through security despite waving every red flag imaginable -- was enough to make even our preternaturally calm president angry. Not angry enough for his aides, who rushed out to issue an anger supplement on background, but still.

Woods Can’t Match Beltway Nihilists, Losers: Margaret Carlson Here is a holiday gift to those responsible citizens who have been dutifully following the health-care debate: You may now take a break until January when the Senate and House get down to reconciling differences in their two bills in conference.

Health Care Dies at Hands of One Angry Man: Margaret Carlson Health-care reform is dead.