RESEARCH BRIEFINGS  —  The Facts About Border Security and Immigration Reform  —  Administration And Bipartisan Group Of Senators Reach Agreement On Comprehensive Immigration Reform  —  Today, Administration Officials And A Bipartisan Group Of Senators Reached Agreement On Comprehensive Immigration Reform Legislation.

Press Gaggle by Tony Fratto  —  White House Conference Center Briefing Room  —  MR. FRATTO: Good morning, everyone.  The President had his normal briefings this morning; taped the radio address — as you can imagine, it's on comprehensive immigration reform, so look forward to that.

[TS] Op-Ed Columnist: Don't Blame Bush  —  The president has done just what his party wants and expects.

Democrats press for Iraq progress  —  WASHINGTON - Congressional leaders want to make clear to the White House that consequences should be imposed on Baghdad if it fails to implement political and security reforms.  —  In a high-stakes, closed-door meeting on Capitol Hill set for Friday …

Poor Paul...  Steven Weisman offers us an all-too-sympathetic Paul Wolfowitz retrospective: … Look, I have no doubt Wolfowitz was doomed from the state.  But to comprehend his doomed-ness and what to make of it, one needs to step back.  Why was he given the job in the first place?

House Democratic Leaders Write to President Bush on  —  Troop Pay Raises, Widows' Benefits  —  May 18th, 2007 by Jesse Lee  —  As noted yesterday, the White House issued a Statement of Administration Policy (pdf) declaring their opposition to a 3.5% pay raise for the troops …

Two hurt, two arrested in stabbing  —  Two people were injured and two others arrested in a stabbing incident last night that Pierre Police are calling gang related.  —  A 22 year old man is facing two counts of aggravated assault and is in the Hughes County Jail.

Majorities of Republicans, conservatives, and frequent church attenders in favor  —  PRINCETON, NJ — A substantial majority of the American public favors the expansion of federal hate crime legislation to include crimes against people based on their gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

Four arrested in Iraq 'honor killing' … BAGHDAD, IRAQ (CNN) — Authorities in northern Iraq have arrested four people in connection with the "honor killing" last month of a Kurdish teen — a startling, morbid pummeling caught on a mobile phone video camera and broadcast around the world.

Two ABC News Journalists Killed in Iraq  —  Two Iraqi ABC News broadcast journalists were killed in Iraq, ABC News President David Westin announced this morning.  —  Cameraman Alaa Uldeen Aziz, 33, and soundman Saif Laith Yousuf, 26, were returning home from work at the ABC News Baghdad …

Exxon Still Funding Climate Change Deniers  —  So.  The day of reckoning has come - when we get to find out just how much of the climate change denial industry ExxonMobil is still paying for.  —  This is the company which, apparently, has been "misunderstood" on global warming and has said it has dropped its funding of the deniers.

Center of Attention … The Gun Toting Liberal: "Bush Amnesty For Illegal Aliens Bill Passes Senate As President Lures Border Agents To Iraq With Six-Figure Salary Offers"  —  Andrew Sullivan quotes a reader who describes todays republican right-wing as being fascist.  Libby Spencer responds (and agrees with Andrew).

The secret Iraq documents my 8-year-old found  —  With a couple of keystrokes, you too can read the hidden history of the Coalition Provisional Authority, America's late, unlamented occupation government in Iraq.  —  Editor's note: The document discussed in this story can be viewed here, both with and without its hidden text.

In Rudy's heart & on payroll  —  Judith Giuliani got $125G to craft speeches  —  Being Mrs. Rudy Giuliani can't be easy, but at least it pays well - about $10,000 a month.  —  A day after the former mayor disclosed in federal filings that he considers his third wife, Judith, a salaried employee …