Rep. McHenry calls U.S. soldier in Iraq a ‘two-bit security guard.’  —  During a public appearance on Saturday, Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) belittled a U.S. soldier in Iraq who was following orders and wouldn't let McHenry go to the gym without the proper credentials.

Obama and King  —  Martin Luther King Jr. died at age 39; today, the 40th anniversary of his death, is the first time he has been gone longer than he lived.  —  Figures such as Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton have tried to claim his place on the American stage.  But at most they have achieved fame and wealth.

McCain returns $3m in checks as he considers public funding  —  In another sign that John McCain is moving toward accepting public financing this fall, the Republican's campaign is returning about $3 million in checks to contributors who have given money for his general election campaign …

And the next GOP primary begins  —  A group of social conservatives have launched an effort to keep Mitt Romney off John McCain's ticket.  —  Under the rubric of an obscure PAC called “Government Is Not God,” a coalition of longtime Romney opponents and past supporters of Mike Huckabee …

Second poll shows Clinton's Pennsylvania lead shrinking  —  49% of those asked favor her, compared with 38% for Obama.  —  Clinton holds an 11-point lead in Pennsylvania, down three percentage points from mid-February, according to a survey by The Morning Call/Muhlenberg College of 406 likely Democratic voters.

Poll: 81 percent think US on wrong track  —  NEW YORK - More than 80 percent of Americans believe the country is headed in the wrong direction, the highest such number since the early 1990s, according to a new survey.  —  The CBS News-New York Times poll released Thursday showed 81 percent …

Obama could actually win this thing (the Pa. primary)  —  BARACK OBAMA had a pretty good week in Pennsylvania.  —  In a state that pollsters and analysts call tailor-made for Hillary Clinton, Obama is seriously challenging the fit.  —  So much so, some wonder if an unraveling's in the offing.

Absolut arrogance and the advertising agency behind the reconquista ad  —  You know what has been heartening the past two days as reaction to the Absolut Reconquista ad continues to pour in?  The fact that so many of you still take our sovereignty seriously and are willing to give voice to your concerns without apologizing for it.

Employment Situation Summary  —  Technical information:  —  Household data: (202) 691-6378 USDL 08-0448  —  Establishment data: (202) 691-6555 Transmission of material in this release  —  http://www.bls.gov/ces/ is embargoed until 8:30 A.M. (EDT), Media contact: (202) 691-5902 Friday, April 4, 2008.

More Than 1,000 in Iraq's Forces Quit Basra Fight  —  BAGHDAD — More than 1,000 Iraqi soldiers and policemen either refused to fight or simply abandoned their posts during the inconclusive assault against Shiite militias in Basra last week, a senior Iraqi government official said Thursday.

Employers Cut 80,000 Jobs in March  —  Joblessness soared and employers shed jobs in March, the government said today in a report that offers strong evidence that the nation is in recession.  —  The unemployment rate rose to 5.1 percent, from 4.8 percent, the Labor Department said.

Obama cuts into Clinton's superdelegate lead  —  She trails him in fundraising and in pledged delegates.  Now her superdelegate edge has shrunk to 30, from 87 in February.  Even some who back her say they might reconsider.  —  WASHINGTON — Nearly three weeks remain before the next Democratic primary …

The Bad Guys Come Out To Die  —  In northern Iraq, Sunni Arab terrorists have changed their tactics recently, moving about in the open much more frequently.  This has made them vulnerable to attack by helicopter gunships.  As a result, in the last two weeks of March, U.S. AH-64 helicopter gunships …

Certain defeat doesn't deter Ron Paul or his backers  —  INDIANA, Pa. — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton fought back against calls to drop out of the presidential race by comparing herself to Rocky Balboa.  Ask Rep. Ron Paul, who keeps running for the Republican nod, what fictional figure he is like and he can't come up with an answer.