Nomination

U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice has become a willing pawn in Senate Republicans' efforts to force President Barack Obama into a costly and unnecessary fight over who will serve as his secretary of state when Hillary Clinton leaves that post in the new year. Once a trio of Republicans announced they would block Ms. Rice's confirmation for a job to which she had not been appointed, her aggressive efforts to smooth matters over have only given her opponents more opportunity to put the president in a box. Secretary of state is a position for which presidents do not typically have to use political capital, but now, at a time when Mr. Obama needs every bit of power he gained through re-election, he is being forced to expend it to defend someone he may or may not have intended to nominate in the first place.

In regard to Charlotte Allen's commentary in support of Sarah Palin in the 2016 presidential election, even the Republicans aren't that stupid ("For president in 2016: Guess who?" Nov. 26). Governor Palin won't even get the nomination. Ed Brandt, Timonium

In the cease-fire struck between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton got second billing to Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi's role as the prime go-between, and rightly so. But her highly visible hand-holding on both sides did nothing to quiet chatter about her political strength at home as a potential presidential candidate in 2016. Her visits to Tel Aviv for a talk with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and to Ramallah to confer with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas underscored President Obama's confidence in her in sending her from Burma, where she had been accompanying him, directly to the Middle East to try to put out the fire.

The Maryland attorney general's office advised Tuesday that Del. Tiffany Alston, convicted of misconduct in office, cannot return to the General Assembly even though a judge subsequently granted her probation before judgment. In a letter to Gov. Martin O'Malley, Attorney General Douglas M. Gansler stood behind his office's previous advice that Alston, a Prince George's County Democrat, had been automatically removed from office on Oct. 9 as a result of a plea agreement under which she waived her rights to an appeal.

The realities of the 2012 presidential campaign season: 23 million unemployed or underemployed Americans, soaring gas prices, mounting debt, a controversial national health care law about to take effect, unrest overseas, and a fiscal cliff looming. Historical precedent — since FDR, no president has been reelected with unemployment hovering around or above 8 percent — and polling showing most people felt the country was on the wrong track pointed to a "change election cycle" and a resounding Mitt Romney victory.

The Baltimore Sun's 4th annual Mobbies It's nomination time for The Baltimore Sun's 4th annual Mobbies competition for Maryland's Outstanding Blogs. Nominations are now being accepted for your favorite blogs and social media accounts through Oct. 25. Voting begins Oct. 29. Yes, there's a category for Best Food Blog. Read the full rules . And go nominate . Baltimore Sun blogs compete in a separate category. Baltimore's best restaurants and bars While you're at it, go vote for your favorite Baltimore restaurant and bar . As part of our guide to the Baltimore area's top restaurants and bars, we want to hear from you. Tell us your favorite restaurant/bar in or around Baltimore, and you could win a $50 gift card to the winning restaurant/bar.

Baltimore's new police commissioner wants to expand his agency's focus beyond gun violence to burglaries, car break-ins and other crimes that affect a broader swath of citizens, he told the City Council panel that signed off on his confirmation Wednesday. Anthony W. Batts, the former police chief in Long Beach and Oakland, Calif., breezed through his appearance before the City Council's executive nominations panel, receiving a 4-0 vote with one member absent. He'll face a final vote before the full council, likely next week.

Horse racing Laurel Park race features rare double dead heat The seventh race at Laurel Park went down to the wire Monday afternoon as four horses arrived at the finish line together, resulting in a dead heat for first and a dead heat for third. The one-mile turf race for was for optional claiming runners. The final charge to the finish line included 21-1 shot Rockaby Bay and Masterel, who tied for the win, and Elkhorn Creek and Colonel Bill, who tied for third, a neck behind the winners.

Closer Jim Johnson has been named the Orioles' nominee for the 2012 Roberto Clemente Award, which recognizes a player "who best represents the game of baseball through positive contributions on and off the field, including sportsmanship and community involvement. " Beginning today, fans can vote for the national Clemente award recipient at MLB.com/ClementeAward and register for a chance to win a trip to the World Series. The award is named for the Hall of Famer who died in a plane crash on New Year's Eve 1972 while attempting to deliver supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.  “I don't really do things for name recognition,” said Johnson, who will be recognized as the club's award recipient at a ceremony Monday at Camden Yards.

On July 27, nominated members of Bel Air Health and Rehabilitation Center were honored at a recognition luncheon at Turf Valley Conference Center by HFAM.