Federal agency warns of radicals on right  —  9-page report sent to police  —  The Department of Homeland Security is warning law enforcement officials about a rise in “rightwing extremist activity,” saying the economic recession, the election of America's first black president and the return …

Thousands of dolphins block Somali pirates  —  Thousands of dolphins blocked the suspected Somali pirate ships when they were trying to attack Chinese merchant ships passing the Gulf of Aden, the China Radio International reported on Monday.  —  The Chinese merchant ships escorted …

American Tea Party Anthem Singer Lloyd Marcus: “This whole thing is Rush Limbaugh's fault.”  —  From homeless to cause celebre, things are happening fast for the Central Florida singer-songwriter ever since he debuted his now famous “The American Tea Party Anthem” at Orlando's Tea Party three weeks ago.

Even Gillibrand's ballot challenged  —  This just in from Columbia County: when Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's absentee ballot came up in the queue, the poll watchers for Jim Tedisco objected to it, saying the senator was in the county on election day and should have voted in person.

Shuster: If you plan on 'tea bagging all around the country, you're going to need a Dick Armey.'  —  On MSNBC's Countdown yesterday, David Shuster — filling in for Keith Olbermann — took Fox News to task for so aggressively promoting the right wing's anti-Obama tea parties.

A Portrait of Unauthorized Immigrants in the United States  —  Unauthorized immigrants living in the United States are more geographically dispersed than in the past and are more likely than either U.S. born residents or legal immigrants to live in a household with a spouse and children.

Goldman Sachs's Viniar ‘Mystified’ by Interest in AIG  —  David Viniar, Goldman Sachs Group Inc.'s chief financial officer, said he's “mystified” by the interest investors and government officials have shown in the bank's trading relationship with American International Group Inc.

Staged Military Photo Ops Suddenly Awesome  —  Back in 2003, the left was astonished and dismayed that George W. Bush got such a warm Thanksgiving welcome from ...

Paterson Will Introduce Same-Sex Marriage Bill  —  Gov. David A. Paterson will announce on Thursday plans to introduce legislation to legalize same-sex marriage, according to people with knowledge of the governor's plans.  —  Mr. Paterson's move, which he first signaled last week …

ELIOT SPITZER'S WANDERING EYE ON AG  —  BEHIND Eliot Spitzer's flaccid attempt at re-erecting his public persona is a plan to run for state attorney general in 2010, sources told Page Six.  —  After launching a column on Slate.com, and giving interviews to National Public Radio and the …

Obama Meets Privately With the Dead  —  Musicians Phil Lesh and Bob Weir of the band The Dead perform in NYC, March 30, 2009.  (Bryan Bedder/Getty Images )  —  The surviving (and formerly feuding) members of the Grateful Dead had a secret impromptu meeting Monday evening with the man they credit with reuniting them: President Obama.

Let My Vote and Every Vote Be Counted  —  Today the Republicans stooped to a new low by challenging my ballot.  The Republican's challenge is frivolous and without merit.  —  Having spent so much time campaigning alongside Scott Murphy these past several weeks, I know Scott is the kind …

National Republicans Get Behind Specter  —  National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Cornyn released a letter today offering a full-throated endorsement of Sen. Arlen Specter in his coming primary against former congressman Pat Toomey, a decision driven by a concern …

Democracy and Capitalism  —  I've been thinking a lot lately about the political theory of an independent central bank.  A lot of the libertarians I know have deep issues with the activities of the Fed, which have been largely unaccountable to elected officials.  —  That's a valid critique.

Barbara Bush to Marry in Maine This Summer?  —  While Michelle Obama (and that dude she married) have been enjoying the spotlight during their first few months in the White House, I hear a little stardust is about to sprinkle on the previous family to live there.  —  Summer wedding in Maine, anyone?

Virginia Republicans are for [Lesbian] Lovers  —  Wow- at the official Republican Party of Virginia Youtube channel- look at what video they loaded as a “favorite” on Youtube.  —  WARNING: DO NOT WATCH VIDEO UNLESS YOU WANT TO SEE SOFT CORE PORN SPONSORED BY THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OF VIRGINIA.

Obama Team Tells Jewish Leaders: UN Durban Text Crosses “Red Line”  —  In a private conference call with Jewish leaders on Tuesday, the Obama White House reaffirmed that it does not plan to send an official delegation to the United Nations' World Conference on Racism, citing lingering disputes over the language of the draft charter.

Bo-bama: First dog has ‘star quality’  —  “He's a star,” President Barack Obama said today of the first family's new dog, Bo.  “He's got star qualities.”  —  The Portuguese water dog officially registered as Amigo's New Hope but known to the Obama family as “Bo” certainly drew a sizeable pack …

Burr told family to withdraw everything from bank  —  Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) says when the financial crisis began he encouraged his wife to withdraw all the cash she possibly could from their local bank.  —  During a speech on the economy last night, Burr related his immediate reaction the week the crisis began.

Vatican vetoes Obama ambassador  —  Caroline Kennedy deemed unacceptable because of abortion views  —  The Vatican has vetoed three of Barack Obama's potential nominees as US ambassador amid a growing dispute between the White House and the Roman Catholic church over the new administration's support …

GOP scrambles to show it has ideas  —  House Republican Whip Eric Cantor — the man Democrats dubbed “Dr. No” — is taking great pains these days to prove he has a raft of ideas of his own.  —  Stung by the Democratic barbs, the House's No. 2 Republican is unveiling a “Solutions Center” …

AND A SPECIAL PIRATE ROUND-UP.  —  There's an avalanche of piracy related material today.  Noah Shachtman has a fabulous rundown of what's wrong with several of the major proposed solutions for fighting piracy.  Dave Schuler does pretty much the same bit, and comes to the same conclusions.

Begging Hands and Bleeding Hearts Will Only Cry Out for More  —  If you haven't yet read the Congressional Budget Office's scoring of the Obama budget plan, I highly recommend it.  CBO analysts shows several things to be true: 1) for all the talk of transparency and reform …

Palin's AG Pick Defended KKK Statue, Mocked Offended Student  —  Sarah Palin's choice for attorney general once wrote a column defending the statue of a KKK figure as an expression of free speech and mocked the psychology of a college student who protested the display.

Media Executives Plan Online Service to Charge for Content  —  A trio of long-time media executives are building a computer system to allow newspapers and magazines to charge for online access, including an all-you-can-read subscription that would allow access to multiple publications, the executives said on Tuesday.