Judges rule Franken winner; Coleman to appeal  —  After a trial spanning nearly three months, Norm Coleman's attempt to reverse Al Franken's lead in the recount of the U.S. Senate election was soundly rejected today by a three-judge panel that dismissed the Republican's lawsuit.

Somali Pirates Hijack 3 More Ships  —  MOMBASA, Kenya (AP) — Undeterred by U.S. and French hostage rescues that killed seven bandits, Somali pirates brazenly hijacked three more ships in the Gulf of Aden, the waterway that's become the focal point of the world's fight against piracy.

The Bush Six to Be Indicted  —  Blogs and Stories  —  Spanish prosecutors will seek criminal charges against Alberto Gonzales and five high-ranking Bush administration officials for sanctioning torture at Guantánamo.  By Scott Horton.  —  Spanish prosecutors have decided …

Easter With My Conservative Family  —  A reader writes: … It will get much much worse before it gets better.

Confirmed: The Obama DHS hit job on conservatives is real  —  Last night, the Liberty Papers posted an unclassified DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis report titled:  —  Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment.

U.S. May Drop Key Condition for Talks With Iran  —  WASHINGTON — The Obama administration and its European allies are preparing proposals that would shift strategy toward Iran by dropping a longstanding American insistence that Tehran rapidly shut down nuclear facilities during the early phases …

Glamour Dims as Hecklers Hit the Auto Show  —  Just a year ago, working as a product presenter at an auto show was a pretty straightforward job.  You stood next to a vehicle, you called it a marvel of engineering, style and comfort and then you fielded softball questions like, “What does this baby cost?”

Dean re-emerging to push healthcare  —  Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean (D), who used healthcare reform as a signature issue during his 2004 presidential campaign, is using a call for universal coverage to raise his profile once again.  —  Dean left his position as chairman …

Bank Vet Pegged to Run Bailout  —  WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is expected to tap Fannie Mae Chief Executive Herb Allison to head the government's $700 billion financial-rescue program, people familiar with the matter say.  —  In choosing Mr. Allison to head the Troubled Asset Relief Program …

Michael Brown, after the storm  —  Michael Brown became a household name when Hurricane Katrina struck — and then a punch line when President George W. Bush sent him packing shortly after proclaiming that “Brownie” was doing “a heckuva job.”  —  Now that the storm has passed, Brown …

How Bush Ruined the Free Market  —  (or Why Your Cousin on Wall Street Can't Bet With Your Money Anymore)  —  Do you realize it took George Bush longer to “win” his war against a small, third world nation once led by a third-rate dictator than it took us the U.S. to defeat the two empires of Germany & Japan in World War II?

Taliban execute teenager, man for eloping  —  Afghan clerics impose death penalty after pair are accused of immoral acts  —  KABUL - Taliban gunmen executed a young couple in southern Afghanistan for trying to elope, shooting them with rifles in front of a crowd in a lawless, militant-controlled region, officials said Tuesday.

Views of Income Taxes Among Most Positive Since 1956  —  PRINCETON, NJ — A new Gallup Poll finds 48% of Americans saying the amount of federal income taxes they pay is “about right,” with 46% saying “too high” — one of the most positive assessments Gallup has measured since 1956.

Pakistan warns Kerry not to attach strings to aid  —  Pakistan warned visiting Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) Monday that Washington should not to attach conditions to the $7.5 billion in aid proposed by President Obama as part of his comprehensive Afghanistan strategy.

War By Any Other Name  —  Obama's new terminology has started a trend.  —  The Obama administration has come under intense criticism for replacing the term “war on terror” with the emaciated euphemism “overseas contingency operations,” and for referring to individual acts of terror as “man-caused disasters.”

White House Cheat Sheet: An Economic (Re)Focus?  —  President Obama will address the state of the economy in a major speech today at Georgetown University even as some Republicans are increasingly skeptical that his message is reaching the American people.  —  “The president wants the opportunity …

My Weekend on Tiger's Trail  —  Blogs and Stories  —  A day after one of the most operatic Masters finales in history, Condoleezza Rice on the weekend's heartbreaks and highlights.  —  Long before I picked up a golf club four years ago, I watched the Masters every year.

Freshmen reach across aisle  —  A small group of freshman Democrats think they've found a simple but effective way to signal to their constituents that they aren't part of the problem in Washington: frequently reaching across the aisle to co-sponsor bills with Republicans.

RPT-FEATURE-More Americans wary of U.S. tax man this year  —  As a deep recession strips Americans of their jobs, homes and investments, the 2009 U.S. tax season promises to see a large uptick in first-time delinquent income taxpayers.  —  “Our calls are up 280 percent,” said Richard Boggs …