WHILE AMERICA WAS SLEEPING, I fixed a 'news breakfast' for you -- ready each weekday morning at 6am Eastern to satisfy your media craving [feature permalink here]. These must-reads will help you kick start the day:

U.S.

Dems Lost Women: "That disappointment and apathy translated into a jolting drop in female support this year for House Democrats, who won just 48% of the women's vote, down from 55% four years ago, according to exit polls. Republicans edged them out with 49% of the overall female vote, the best showing for the GOP — other than in 2002 — since the gender gap emerged in the 1980s, when women began to vote more Democratic than men." (LA Times)

Rubio's Loyalty -- GOP, Not Tea: " If the tea party is expecting Rubio to plant its yellow ``Don't Tread on Me'' flag in the hallowed Senate chamber, it's in for a letdown. This career politician who once carried the state party's American Express card defines himself first and foremost as a Republican." (Miami Herald)

Ads, Politics Blur Media Lines: "Cable-news network MSNBC briefly suspended liberal host Keith Olbermann last week for crossing a line between the media and politics when it learned he donated $2,400 each to three Democratic Party candidates. But that line is increasingly porous—especially in the rough-and-tumble world of talk radio." (WSJ)

Miller 'Cautiously Optimistic': "Alaska Senate hopeful Joe Miller says he's cautiously optimistic about his prospects for winning on the eve of the absentee ballot count." (AP)

No Mood for Compromise: " Newly elected, tea party-supported Republican members of Congress warned fellow Republicans today that they are already "shaping the debate" and ushering in a new spirit among the party." (ABC)

New Push to Ban Earmarks in Senate: "Lawmakers aligned with the tea party are moving quickly to show their strength by trying to ban budget earmarking in the Senate, where support is still strong for the practice critics deride as pork-barrel spending." (WSJ)

Republicans Gain Edge on Redistricting: "By controlling most states expected to gain or lose congressional seats after the 2010 Census, "We can make sure that the Democrats don't take from us tomorrow what we fought so hard for today," Republican Governors Association Chairman Haley Barbour said as the results came in last Tuesday." (USA Today)

Race Haunting Battle for House Dem's No. 2: "The battle over who will be the No. 2 leader of weakened House Democrats in the next Congress took on racial overtones Monday as Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, who is white, and Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, who is black, battled for supporters." (McClatchy)

New G.O.P. Governors Will Affect Health Law: "Although the law is a federal statute, it tasks states with administering many of its most important provisions and grants them considerable leeway. It is up to states to run markets, known as "exchanges," through which individuals and small businesses will be able to buy health insurance plans, often with federal subsidies, beginning in 2014. States will also oversee a mostly federally funded expansion of Medicaid to cover a far larger share of the poor." (WaPo)

WH Open to Democratic Outside Groups in 2012: "The White House is bracing for an onslaught of $500 million or more in spending by outside Republican groups opposed to President Barack Obama's 2012 re-election, prompting Obama advisers to give the green light to big Democratic donors to set up similar outside groups to counter the GOP’s effort. That posture marks a significant shift by a White House that had discouraged outside players in the political arena in 2008." (Politico)

Obama Visits a Nation That Knew Him as Barry: " When President Obama visits Jakarta on Tuesday, he will find a city that, in some ways, has changed beyond recognition. A city of one luxury hotel and one shopping mall when Mr. Obama lived here between 1967 and 1971, Jakarta is now the overextended and overcrowded capital of the world’s fourth most populous nation. But Jakarta’s neighborhoods, including the two where Mr. Obama lived, retain enough of their former selves that the president would quickly find his bearings. Jakarta regards Mr. Obama as a local boy made good, and he remains extremely popular throughout Indonesia. But his last-minute postponements of three previously planned visits here have clearly sapped the enthusiasm surrounding his homecoming, even among his most ardent supporters." (NY Times)

Volcano May Cut Trip Short: " Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary, told reporters traveling aboard Air Force One from New Delhi that U.S. officials are working through Obama's schedule looking for ways to condense what had been planned as a 24-hour stay. " (WaPo)

Bush -- Waterboarding Stopped UK Attacks: "The former US president said he approved the waterboarding of al Qaeda chief Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who masterminded the 9/11 attacks. The information he gave "helped break up" terror plots targeting Heathrow airport and Canary Wharf in London, Mr Bush said." (Sky News)

Convicted Russian Spy Ran Another Espionage Scheme from Prison: "Nicholson was convicted of espionage in 1997, and is serving a long prison sentence in Oregon. But in a remarkable tale of spycraft, authorities say he still managed to ply his trade from prison by using his son to do the dirty work." (ABC)

Scope of Bell Scandal Stuns Residents: "Residents of the scandal-plagued city of Bell gasped in shock and disbelief Monday as state auditors told them their political leaders mismanaged tens of millions of dollars of the modest city's money, using much of it to pay themselves enormous salaries." (AP)

Money

Fed Global Backlash Grows: "Global controversy mounted over the Federal Reserve's decision to pump billions of dollars into the U.S. economy, with President Barack Obama defending the move as China, Russia and the euro zone added to a chorus of criticism." (WSJ)

At Legal Fringe, Empty Houses Go to the Needy: "Hundreds of vacated houses in Florida are being claimed by strangers citing a law from the 1800s." (NY Times)

More Opt for High-Deductible Health Insurance Plans: "Looking to save money in a weak economy, Americans increasingly are turning to health insurance plans with low premiums and high deductibles — prompting doctors and health experts to worry that consumers may be skipping routine care that could head off serious ailments." (LA Times)

Asian Markets Down: "Asian share markets were mostly down Tuesday, with property companies weighing on Hong Kong and China markets while losses in Woodside Petroleum dented the market in Sydney. Japan's Nikkei Stock Average was off 0.4%, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 was down 0.8%, South Korea's Kospi Composite was up 0.1%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index lost 0.7% and China's Shanghai Composite fell 0.8%." (WSJ)

World

U.S. Open to Consider Staying in Iraq Past Due Exit Day: "U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the United States is open to the idea of keeping troops in Iraq past a deadline to leave next year — if the Iraqi government asks for it." (AP)

Iran Announces Nov. 15 for Nuclear Talks: "Iran announces Nov. 15 date for nuclear talks in Turkey with Western powers." (

Al-Awlaki Blasts Yemen, Iran, United States: "An American-born cleric believed to be hiding in Yemen blasted Sunni leaders, Shiite Iran and the United States in a video posted on jihadist websites Monday." (CNN)

Myanmar Opposition Concedes: "Burma's main pro-democracy parties conceded defeat today in the country's first election in 20 years after the biggest military-backed party said it had won up to 80 per cent of seats that were up for grabs. The two largest pro-democracy parties accused the military junta of manipulating Sunday's election, which has been condemned by the United States, Europe and Japan as a sham to entrench military rule behind a civilian facade." (Reuters)

Thousands Flee Post-Election Violence: "Around 20,000 refugees have fled Burma into Thailand as the country's main pro-democracy parties concede electoral defeat." (Sky News)

Cholera Outbreak Spreads to Haiti's Capital (CBS)