Evergreens, Oh Evergreens...

Greetings, regionals! For the few of you working this week, we bring you a sampling of the evergreens and other fabulous stories our hardworking Washington reporters are doing this holiday season!

ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL: Jake Thompson in the Omaha World-Herald examines why presidential hopefuls Chris Dodd and Joe Biden are languishing in the second tier; Maureen Groppe in the Indianapolis Star reports on Hoosiers going to the primaries; Bill Theobold in the Commercial Appeal reports on Fred Thompson's reaction to the Bhutto assassination; Jerry Zremski reports in the Buffalo News that Democrats in Iowa are still undecided with just a week to go before the presidential caucuses; Wes Allison in the St. Petersburg Times goes down to South Carolina to report on the bell weather role the state will play for Republicans in the presidential elections; and Deborah Barfield Berry reports for Gannett on confusing Voter ID laws some charge are a means of blocking voter turnout.

CAMPAIGN TRAIL PROFILES: Mike Madden profiles Mike Huckabee for Gannett; Craig Gilbert in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel profiles Hillary Clinton's "secret weapon" -- Iowa organizer Teresa Vilmain; and Josh Drobnyk in the Allentown Morning Call profiles Ron Paul, otherwise known as ``Dr. No.''

LOCAL RACES: How to get a job in Congress? If you're from Pennsylvania, don't take the statehouse route, Josh Drobnyk reports in the Allentown Morning Call; Will Republicans retake the House? Boehner thinks so, but he seems to be the only one, Malia Rulon reports in the Cincinati Enquirer.

UDALL DYNASTY: Keith Chu in the Bend Bulletin profiles the Western political dynasty. If Reps. Mark Udall, D-Colo., and Tom Udall, D-N.M., join Gordon Smith, R-Oregon in the U.S. Senate, it will be the first time three members of one family served in the body at once.

BHUTTO ASSASINATION: Aaron Sadler for Stephens Media reports on reaction to the assassination from three leading Arkansas officials with ties to Bhuttos.

THIS IS A HOLD UP: Jim Myers in the Tulsa World reports on Sen. Tom Coburn's 80 holds on various legislation, and what one of them means to a paralyzed Oklahoma woman.

JEFFERSON: Bruce Alpert in the Times-Picayune reports on how a lobbyist and a Florida businesswoman enlisted Rep. William Jefferson's help winning contracts in Western Africa. The Louisiana congressman's trial on bribery charges is scheduled to begin next month.

IMPEACHMENT: Lesley Clark in the Miami Herald reports on Rep. Robert Wexler's online movement to impeach Vice President Dick Cheney.

PORN SECURITY BREACH: Lisa Friedman in the Los Angeles Daily News reports on a major security breach in the pornography industry, letting loose thousands of personal e-mails.

MLK STATUE - MADE IN CHINA?: Bartholomew Sullivan reports on the controversy in the Commercial Appeal.

IRAQ: Lisa Mascaro in the Las Vegas Sun looks at the Democrats' changing tune on the Iraq surge through the lens of Rep. Shelley Berkley.

ORNAMENTS: Lisa Friedman reports in the Los Angeles Daily News on the gift that keeps on giving _ the White House ornament story.

CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR: Alicia Mundy in the Seattle Times reports on Rep. Norm Dicks' recollections of the carousing Texas lawmaker portrayed by Tom Hanks in the new movie.

WRAP-UPS: Raju Chebium for Gannett, Keith Chu for Wescom New Service and Lisa Friedman in the Los Angeles Daily News assess the Dem's first year back in control of Congress; and Faith Bremner for Gannett reports that the Montana delegation is touting legislative successes for farmers, veterans and students.

YEAR-END PROFILES: Noelle Straub in the Missoulian assesses Sen. John Tester's first year in office; and Ellyn Ferguson for Gannett wraps up David Obey's first year as Appropriations Committee chairman.