Hatch: Court Briefed on Bush Surveillance  —  WASHINGTON - Two judges on the secretive court that approves warrants for intelligence surveillance were told of the broad monitoring programs that have raised recent controversy, a Republican senator said Tuesday, connecting a court to knowledge …

DHS Does About-Face In Backing Use of National Guard to Seal Border  —  In December of 2005, Fox News talking head Bill O'Reilly floated an unlikely — even brash — idea to the Homeland Security secretary to seal off the porous southwest border.  —  "Why don't you put the National Guard …

Republican Leadership Approval Hits All-Time Low  —  Public confidence in Republican governance has plunged to the lowest levels of the Bush presidency, with Americans saying they now trust Democrats by wide margins to deal with Iraq, gasoline prices, immigration and more …

'Da Vinci Code' Misses the Mark for Critics  —  CANNES, France - "The Da Vinci Code" drew lukewarm praise, shrugs of indifference, some jeering laughter and a few derisive jabs Tuesday from arguably the world's toughest movie crowd: critics at the Cannes Film Festival.

Immigration Proposals Pass Test In Senate  —  Guest-Worker And Citizenship Provisions Survive  —  A fragile Senate coalition backing a broad overhaul of the nation's immigration laws survived its first legislative test yesterday, beating back efforts to gut provisions to grant millions …

The Riddle of Rove  —  As the presidential adviser's legal situation remains uncertain, Beltway pundits seek clues about his state of mind-and body.  —  Larry Downing / Reuters  —  Rove: Less combative than usual?  —  May 15, 2006 - For a dreary Monday morning in Washington, it was an impressive crowd.

Disinvited  —  The EEOC cancels a meeting rather than listen to criticism.  —  Last month, I received an invitation to testify before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission about affirmative action and diversity in U.S. companies.  The testimony was scheduled for today …

Senate readies vote on $70B tax cut  —  MAY. 11 1:13 P.M. ET President Bush and his GOP allies on Capitol Hill anticipated a long-sought election year victory Thursday as senators debated a bill awarding tax relief to investors and 15 million taxpayers with above-average incomes.

We Will All Win, Eventually  —  Today, in just three divisions (precincts) available to me, Kevin and I pulled over 100 votes.  With only 27-01, 27-02, and 27-23 reporting, we have reached roughly 110 votes.  And that is only three divisions (precincts).  We won, and we won huge.

The Parent Trap  —  Not long ago we worried about baby booms and overpopulation.  Now some people are worrying about a "Global Baby Bust."  Writing in Foreign Affairs, Phillip Longman says it's mostly because of economics: … He's clearly right about the economics.

Aksa Brigades threatens US, Europe  —  The Aksa Martyrs Brigades, the armed wing of Fatah, on Monday threatened to strike at US and European interests in response to international sanctions on the Palestinian Authority.  —  The threat, the first of its kind, came as PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas …

Foster Quotes Eminem at Penn Graduation  —  PHILADELPHIA - You can add rapping to the list of Jodie Foster's talents.  The Oscar-winning actress spoke Monday at the University of Pennsylvania's commencement ceremonies, ending her address with the chorus of Eminem's "Lose Yourself" from …

Judge Strikes Down Ga. Ban on Gay Marriage  —  ATLANTA - A judge has struck down Georgia's ban on same-sex marriages, saying a measure overwhelmingly approved by voters in 2004 violated a provision of the state constitution that limits ballot questions to a single subject.

Tackling a Handful of Immigration Myths, Misnomers and Red Herrings  —  There's no topic hotter in the body politic right now than immigration.  —  Everywhere you turn, especially in the blogosphere, somebody has an opinion.  So, since illegal immigration is the topic du jour …