The issue of abortion has found its way back into mainstream political conversation, thanks to last week’s controversy involving the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation attempting to stop funding Planned Parenthood because abortion is one of many medical services they provide, only to go back on that when people started getting in uproar over it. The panel on Fox News Sunday today discussed the controversy, with host Chris Wallace asking how much their actions were politically calculated.

Today has not been a particularly good day in publicity for Newt Gingrich on the Sunday talk show circuit. After This Week featured a particularly derisive George Will, the Fox News Sunday panel went to town on him, beginning with Brit Hume highlighting his many vulnerabilities, Juan Williams comparing him to a Thanksgiving Day parade float and only Bill Kristol putting in a good word for the former Speaker.

On Fox News Sunday today, Bill Kristol threw cold water on Herman Cain‘s presidential candidacy, arguing that regardless of his popularity among conservative voters and whether or not his sexual harassment scandal will end up helping or hurting him, there was very little chance in the first place he was ever going to be the Republican nominee.

On Fox News Sunday today, Chris Wallace and panel debated the targeted killing of U.S. citizen and al-Qaeda member Anwar al-Awlaki and whether or not it was within the legal rights of the United States government to carry out that military action. Wallace highlighted the position taken by some liberals and conservatives that since al-Awlaki was an American citizen, he should have been subjected to the American justice system instead of being taken out on foreign soil.

On Fox News Sunday today, Chris Wallace and the panel talked about Rick Perry’s future chances to secure the GOP nomination after his less-than-impressive showing during last week’s debate. Brit Hume started out by arguing that Perry not only stumbled, he “really did throw up all over himself in the debate at a time when he needed to raise his game.”

Now that the GOP race has been framed as Mitt Romney vs. Rick Perry, the media has been comparing both candidates’ records, past accomplishments, and current popularity within the Republican party. To that extent, Bill Kristol predicted today that if the Republican race is a relatively “normal” one, Perry will be the GOP nominee.

The ongoing budget battle between President Obama and congressional Republicans is giving many an opportunity to weigh in with their thoughts on Obama’s governing style. While some Democrats believe Obama is not aggressive enough in the budget negotiations and other commentators think he is something else unflattering, at least one panelist during a conversation on Fox News Sunday suggested they are tired of seeing Obama always scold somebody.

After a heated debate with Jon Stewart, it appeared Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace fell out of the frying pan and into the fire by asking Rep. Michele Bachmann if she is a “flake.” Host Bret Baier announced today Wallace apologized privately and the Congresswoman accepted, though the debate over whether such a question was appropriate continues. To that, Charles Krauthammer had a simple answer: yes, and Rep. Ron Paul deserves to hear it.

Although some like Sarah Palin and Mark Levin think the Tea Party should be disappointed or angry with the budget deal, most of the commentators on the Fox News Sunday panel think the Tea Party should be proud of what they accomplished. Only Juan Williams predicted Republicans misread their mandate by pursuing huge budget cuts and will pay for it in the future.

Pastor Terry Jones, disputes any claim that he is responsible for prompting Muslim protesters to kill eleven people in Afghanistan this week. Yet even those who aren’t blaming him for the deaths still have no sympathy for him, since as Bill Kristol eloquently describes Jones, he’s a “total jackass.”

Conservative commentator Bill Kristol appeared on Laura Ingraham‘s radio show and the two were in complete agreement that any viable Republican should run for President in 2012 and not even consider waiting another four years when their political chances to win might be better. Kristol and Ingraham were so adamant that America needs a Republican to win in 2012 that they threatened considering never to support certain candidates again if they’re too cautious about running this time around.

The massive amounts of heat Glenn Beck’s taken in the past week from both the Left and the Right have clearly taken their toll so, today, he told his audience he’d be delaying his planned material to respond. This primarily resulted in an episode of the host citing his sources as he went one by one through the statements he made and gave his evidence. It also resulted in one of the most awkwardly hilarious moments ever.

On his radio show today, Glenn Beck was having a good time laughing at the fact that the Washington Post was reporting on Time Magazine reporting that many influential Republicans were meeting with Roger Ailes and Rupert Murdoch to warn them that Beck was a huge liability. Beck believes it to be true, agreeing that many Republicans actually do hate his guts.

Try as they might, the crew of Morning Joe could not get Bill Kristol elucidate further on his spat with the “men bearing chalk boards” as Joe Scarborough put it. Kristol was just one of the many who took Glenn Beck to task over his week-long caliphate review, writing a scathing article in the Weekly Standard comparing Beck to the John Birch Society. Beck hit back on his radio show yesterday and it was clear that the MSNBC panel would have loved to see Round Three take place on their set but, to no avail. Kristol explained that he would rather settle the score with Beck on Fox News, joking that that’s where it’s “fair and balanced.”

Glenn Beck‘s week-long explanation of the impending caliphate ready to strike Egypt has certainly struck a cord in the mainstream– left and right alike. The latest pundit to take a shot at him is the Weekly Standard‘s Bill Kristol, who, while expressing skepticism as to the ability of Egyptian protesters to non-violently enact change, is far more concerned with Beck’s “hysteria.”

Looks like Dana Perino wasn’t the only one to impugn Sarah Palin’s intellect on yesterday’s Fox News Sunday. While the panel was predicting (or failing to predict) the 2012 Republican candidate, Juan Williams pointed out that none of the prospects named so far could compete with Barack Obama charisma-wise except for Sarah Palin then adding, offhand, that she wouldn’t be able to compete with him intellect-wise. Ouch. Someone is totally gonna get chainsaw massacred.

Perhaps one of the most discussed topics on today’s talk show circuit was the TSA’s newly tightened security measures and the uproar created by them. A Fox News Sunday panel consisting of Juan Williams, Bill Kristol, Kevin Madden, and A.B. Stoddard. Kristol expressed skepticism about the outrage, saying that some of the uproar might be “ginned up” by a few media outlets and may be an overreaction.

It was rally around Juan Williams this morning on Fox News Sunday. Williams, who is a regular panelist on the Fox Sunday show (where he often crosses swords with Bill Kristol) appeared this morning along with Kristol, Brit Hume, Nina Easton, and host Chris Wallace, and was the recipient of much love, support and indignation.

Bill Kristol thinks there is more to Rahm Emanuel’s exit than meets the eye. On Fox News Sunday this morning Chris Wallace wanted to know whether President Obama could hope to achieve some bipartisanship after the midterms. Kristol responded that he thought it was a definite possibility now that some of the more “arrogant” and polarizing figures (Emanuel, Summers, Orszag) in the administration were departing, before veering off into this little bit of conspiracy theorizing.

I’m not entirely sure this is the sort of support Charlie Rangel is ideally hoping for, but one imagines that after the President not-so-gently makes it clear he would like you to quietly exit stage left, this may be the best you can expect. On Fox News Sunday today Bill Kristol declared that the Republicans should leave Charlie Rangel alone.

It’s been a tough week for Congressman Charlie Rangel, who is facing a series of major ethical violations that are making for some embarrassing media coverage. But there is at least one major TV pundit willing to stand by Rep. Rangel’s side: Fox News contributor and Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol.

Is Republican party going to pieces over Michael Steele? Steele’s recent comments about Afghanistan sparked a slew of harsh criticism. but perhaps he can take heart that he apparently has Ann Coulter in his corner.

Of the critics of Republican Party chairman Michael Steele since his latest comments against the war in Afghanistan, Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol was the first and loudest, calling for the chair’s resignation in an open letter. He explained his comments on the Hugh Hewitt radio program, where both he and the host agreed it was a “first principles” issue.

If you have followed the career of Republican Party chairman Michael Steele in any capacity, the title of this column should have already had you giggling. Michael Steele, a genius? “Moo moo” Michael Steele? Lesbian bondage-themed nightclub Michael Steele? Yes, there is a reason why Republicans love to hate on their chairman– but it isn’t because of his gaffes.

Fox News’ Bret Baier was doing overtime with his regular Special Report panel last night/early this morning to analyze the incoming election returns, first among those the news that Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln squeaked out a win in a close run-off election with Lt. Governor Bill Halter. While there wasn’t much optimism for Lincoln’s chances in November, there was one thing the panel seemed to agree on: Bill Clinton’s still got it.