The Real FISA Vote Passes 80 to 15 With the Presidential Nominees Passing  —  They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.  - Benjamin Franklin  —  The FISA Cloture vote just passed.  The Senate will now consider the motion …

U.S. to Take North Korea Off Terror List  —  TOKYO — North Korea took a major step on Thursday toward re-integration into the world community and rapprochement with the United States by submitting for outside inspection a long-delayed declaration of its nuclear program.

Obama Camp Disavows Last Year's ‘Inartful’ Statement on D.C. Gun Law  —  ABC News' Teddy Davis and Alexa Ainsworth Report: With the Supreme Court poised to rule on Washington, D.C.'s, gun ban, the Obama campaign is disavowing what it calls an “inartful” statement to the Chicago Tribune last year …

Gov. Bobby Jindal Signs Bill to Chemically Castrate Sex Offenders  —  On the heels of today's SCOTUS decision in Kennedy v. Louisiana barring the death penalty for sex offenders, Gov. Bobby Jindal released a statement calling the ruling an “affront to the people of Louisiana” - and what's more …

Democrats in Delicate Talks to Unify Party  —  WASHINGTON — With the help of one of Washington's best-connected lawyers, Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton are negotiating a thicket of complicated issues, like how to repay Mrs. Clinton's campaign debt and her role at the Democratic convention.

While Fundraising, Bush Mounts Attack on Obama  —  LIVONIA, Mich. — President Bush came to suburban Detroit Wednesday to mount a clear attack on Sen. Barack Obama, though he never actually mentioned the Democratic candidate's name.  —  Instead, Bush suggested through red-meat GOP rhetoric …

The Obamacons Who Worry McCain  —  What is an “Obamacon?”  The phrase surfaced in January to describe British conservatives entranced by Barack Obama.  On March 13 the American Spectator broadened the term to cover all “conservative supporters” of the Democratic presidential candidate.

John McCain doesn't work weekends  —  Since effectively capturing the Republican nomination when Mitt Romney dropped out of the race on February 7, John McCain has held just one public campaign event on a weekend.  —  Instead, after workweeks full of fundraisers, town hall meetings and interviews …

75% blame Bush's policies for deteriorating economy  —  The figure includes large numbers of dissatisfied Republicans and represents a sharp increase in pessimism over the last year.  Higher fuel prices have sharpened the criticism.  —  WASHINGTON — Three out of four Americans …

KEITH GOES NUTS OVER KETCHUP  —  MSNBC blowhard Keith Olbermann couldn't even control his temper at a memorial reception for beloved Tim Russert.  —  Network sources told Page Six Olbermann was furious last week when MSNBC didn't get him a first-class ticket to Washington, DC …

Pretty Girls...Rock and Roll...America....RULES!  —  I'm in America!  So, New York is wonderful, my children are horribly jet-lagged...uh, what was I talking about again?  Need...more...coffee—hey, it's thin, old school, regular New York coffee, I forgot about that.

“Optical intercourse”  —  TPM Muckraker adds to the rogues gallery that made up the Justice Department's God-Squaders: … Thanks to TPM reader Citoyen92, we learn a few things about Pensacola Christian College which makes the Yearning For Zion Ranch look like Hef's mansion:

Obama's Corn Fake  —  Energy: If Obama wants energy independence through alternative fuels, why doesn't he back imported sugar-based ethanol?  This old-style politician knows it isn't grown in the Midwest and Brazil has no electoral votes.  —  Barack Obama says he represents change.

Senate Debates Rewrite of '78 Law That Created Secret Intelligence Court  —  The Senate, clearing a key parliamentary hurdle, yesterday voted to begin debating a broad revision of U.S. intelligence laws that includes a controversial plan to grant immunity to telecommunications companies …

Parties Split on How to Expand Offshore Drilling  —  HOUSTON — The two political parties have settled on markedly different strategies for improving domestic oil supplies to help lower gasoline prices.  —  Republicans want to end the 27-year ban on offshore drilling along much of the nation's coastline …