* The big "new way forward" speech on Iraq is now President Bush's New Year's resolution, no longer on his Christmas list. [WP, NYT]

* Americans bored enough to participate in a phone poll also bored of Iraq, support Study Group's recommendations. [WP]

* Centrist Republicans are finding "birkenstock" based Iraq policies attractive. [WSJ]

* San Antonio Republican can't hold the fort this time. Democrats now have a 233-202 advantage in the House. [WP, NYT]

* Harry Reid wins a TKO against the Senate ethics committee. [NYT]

* Democrats don't trust the current ethics panels though, or Republicans, or themselves, will propose external ethics watchdog panel. [NYT]

* Corporate transparency was fun while it lasted -- Justice Department scales back investigative powers. [NYT]

* Illegal workers using stolen identities at Midwestern meatpacking plants are raided by stone cold ICE. [WP, USAT, LAT]