On the Air!  —  Today, our campaign launched two new Ned Lamont for U.S. Senate commercials created by renowned producer and innovator Bill Hillsman.  They'll go on the air in the traditional media this afternoon.  The two, "Underdog" and "Right Now" can be viewed below.

"Fairy Tales"  —  The (lack of) intelligence underpinning Bush's Iraq policy  —  During the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Saddam Hussein's Information Minister became the butt of a million jokes for predicting that American soldiers were being routed, even as U.S. troops were quickly closing in on Baghdad.

Feingold, Specter Clash Over Gay Marriage  —  WASHINGTON - A Senate committee approved a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage Thursday, after a shouting match that ended when one Democrat strode out and the Republican chairman bid him "good riddance."  —  "I don't need to be lectured by you.

Hamas force battles police in Gaza, 4 hurt  —  GAZA (Reuters) - Palestinian police fought gunbattles in Gaza City on Friday with a new Hamas-led security force set up by the Islamist government in defiance of President Mahmoud Abbas.  —  At least four people were wounded …

In TWN News: Michael Hayden, Bobby Ray Inman, and Richard Armitage  —  (Former NSA Director Bobby Inman speaking at George H.W. Bush Presidential Library)  —  Michael Hayden's CIA Director confirmation hearings start today in the Senate Intelligence Committee at 9:30 a.m.  —  I'll be listening.

Lieberman Dials Up Convention Support  —  He was leaning the other way weeks ago, but Bob Sanchez of New Britain intends to vote for Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman at the Democratic nominating convention Friday, rewarding Lieberman for a diligent piece of one-to-one campaigning.

Whaaat???:  Illegal Immigration Edition  —  Seriously, if you could see me now, I'm very Yosemite Sam.  Very stampy and tantrumy and incoherent.  —  Just a few minutes ago, on the floor of the United States Senate, senators debated an amendment to the McCain immigration bill.

Breaking: Ahmadinejad to send a Letter to the Pope  —  As nearly every single character in the Star Wars universe says, "I have a bad feeling about this." … He also invited Bush to become a Muslim.  And you would be wise to interpret the word "invite" to have a whiff of the mob inviting you to dinner at the end of a pier.

The NY Times, Judy Miller and 9/11: The most stunning failure yet?  —  Just in the last three years, we've lived through a non-stop string of controversy and scandal at the New York Times — the Jayson Blair scandal, the various Judy Miller WMD-misinfo-and-Plame scandals …

Democrats Offer Alternative to Republican Energy Plan  —  WASHINGTON, May 17 — Senate Democrats on Wednesday fueled the debate over rising gas prices by introducing an energy bill they said would do more to wean the country off foreign oil than the plan advanced three weeks ago by Republicans.

Jesus Christ as Poached Egg  —  Dan Brown's novel The Da Vinci Code is one of the most popular best sellers in recent history and the Sony motion picture to be released this Friday (May 19) is expected to be the first major blockbuster of the summer (given how relatively poorly MI3 performed).

Somali-born Dutch lawmaker welcome in US: Zoellick  —Text+THE HAGUE (Reuters) - A Somali-born lawmaker who may lose her Dutch citizenship because she lied on her asylum application is welcome to move to the United States, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick said on Thursday.

A Job Americans Won't Do, Even at $34 an Hour  —  Some landscape firms rebut claims that higher pay, not immigration reform, is needed.  —  Cyndi Smallwood is looking for a few strong men for her landscaping company.  Guys with no fear of a hot sun, who can shovel dirt all day long.

Kenya's 'Koranic fish' disappears  —  A fish with markings that resembled a Koranic text has disappeared from the Kenyan Fisheries Department in Mombasa.  —  The tuna fish, which had provoked intense interest from Muslims, was apparently stolen by people posing as National Museum officials.