House Democrats Vote to Let AIG Keep Bonuses  —  Moments ago on the House floor, Democrats did something truly remarkable - they voted to let AIG executives keep their taxpayer-financed bonuses.  As you know, this week, $165 million was awarded to 73 AIG employees primarily …

How Jon Stewart Went Bad  —  Inside Fritzl's Dungeon by Barbie Latza Nadeau  —  Blogs and Stories  —  There is a virtual ban on criticism of him in the press.  Uncritical praise corrupts absolutely.  —  Jon Stewart's recent attack on CNBC's Jim Cramer was so brilliantly performed …

Palinphobes and the audacity of type  —  Now that the Obama presidency is nearing the 60-day mark, it's time to thank those fastidious scribes on the left and the right who worked so hard to warn us against Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska, and the dire things that would surely occur if she ever got close to executive power.

For immediate release  —  Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in January indicates that the economy continues to contract.  Job losses, declining equity and housing wealth, and tight credit conditions have weighed on consumer sentiment and spending.

Mack calls Geithner “disaster,” demands resignation  —  Rep. Connie Mack IV (R-Fla.) is the first member (we think) to call for Tim Geithner's head.  —  Bear in mind that many Republicans, including Mack, have been sour on the Treasury Secretary from jump and 34 Senators …

Obama backs off plan to alter vets' healthcare  —  The White House on Wednesday backed off a controversial plan that would have dramatically altered the way the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) handles insurance claims, after veterans groups staged an all-out fight against such a proposal.

Army Investigating How and Why Troops Were Sent Into Alabama Town After Murder Spree  —  (CNSNews.com) - The U.S. Army has launched an inquiry into how and why active duty troops from Fort Rucker, Ala., came to be placed on the streets of Samson, Ala., during last week's murder spree in that tiny South Alabama community.

Presidential pick 'em at the White House  —  ESPN.com takes an exclusive look at President Obama's bracket  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Barack Obama has studied Lincoln and FDR to help guide him through the early stages of his presidency.  —  But he is very much a modern man …

In Bid To Grab Control Of Story, Obama Takes Responsibility For AIG Mess  —  This morning I noted that Rahm Emanuel had sounded a bit of a false note, saying that Obama viewed the AIG mess as a “big distraction” from his efforts to fix the financial system overall.  —  Maybe not so much.

Exclusive: This is CNN (& BBC-UNRWA connection revealed)  —  * CNN Jerusalem producer's shocking public outburst against Israel (see video below)  —  * Revealed: UNRWA spokesman who lied about Israel's shelling of a school previously worked at the BBC with Jeremy Bowen

To release the names or not: Lawmakers split  —  House Financial Service Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) wants the names of AIG employees who refuse to return at least some of their bonuses, and lawmakers appear split on the request.  —  “I'm now asking you to send us the names …

The Husband Of Fox News' Greta Van Susteren Is A ‘Protector Of The Palin Brand’  —  During the presidential campaign, Fox News's Greta Van Susteren had perhaps the best access to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin of any journalist.  In September, she hosted a one-hour “documentary” …

ASME Announces 44th Annual National Magazine Award Finalists  —  The New Yorker, GQ, New York, Esquire and National Geographic Capture Most Ellie Nominations  —  Magazine Industry Celebrates Finalists on April 30 at Jazz at Lincoln Center  —  Sid Holt, Chief Executive of the American Society …

Guest Post by Lawrence Wilkerson: Some Truths About Guantanamo Bay  —  Lawrence B. Wilkerson was chief of staff to Secretary of State Colin Powell and is chairman of the New America Foundation/U.S.-Cuba 21st Century Policy Initiative.  —  There are several dimensions to the debate …

Union Engages in Labor Dispute With Its Own Employees  —  As it helps push for legislation that would make it easier for workers to organize, the country's fastest-growing union is engaged in its own labor dispute with employees it is seeking to lay off.  —  The Service Employees International Union …

Fannie plans bonuses of up to $611K for 4 execs  —  Fannie Mae plans bonuses of up to $611,000 for 4 executives; Freddie Mac has similar plans  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Fannie Mae is planning to pay retention bonuses of as much as $611,000 each to several top executives of the government-controlled mortgage finance titan.

Networks Grumbling About Another Obama Primetime Speech  —  President Obama's decision to hold another primetime news conference is playing havoc with the networks' sweeps schedules—and causing some in the industry to grumble about the financial impact.  —  The president has slated …

Eliot Spitzer on AIG  —  Former AIG insurance giant chief Maurice ‘Hank’ Greenberg and then New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer.  (AFP/Getty Images)  —  Eliot Spitzer, columnist for Slate and former governor of New York, talks to WNYC's Brian Lehrer about AIG bonuses, CEO compensation …

Are Bailouts Saving the U.S. from a New Great Depression?  —  Citing Justin Fox's terrific chart of unemployment then and Kevin Drum's comments, the always-insightful Matt Yglesias writes: … Yglesias is right: It's hard to say exactly what might have happened without the bailouts and stimulus.