The Two Jokes  —  What makes Wanda Sykes's witless vulgarity amusing to the president?  —  Printer  —  Friendly  —  The White House Correspondents Dinner took place this weekend.  As usual, the president was in attendance and a comedian provided the evening's entertainment.

Pelosi: Torture protest improper in '03  —  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi learned in early 2003 that the Bush administration was waterboarding terror detainees but didn't protest directly out of respect for “appropriate” legislative channels, a confidant of the San Francisco Democrat said Monday.

Commander's Ouster Is Tied to Shift in Afghan War  —  WASHINGTON — The top American commander in Afghanistan, Gen. David D. McKiernan, was forced out Monday in an abrupt shake-up intended to bring a more aggressive and innovative approach to a worsening seven-year war.

Sheikh attacks Israel, pope walks out  —  Article's topics: Sheikh Tamimi, Benedict XVI  —  Chief Islamic Judge of the Palestinian Authority, Sheikh Tayseer Rajab Tamimi, launched a poisonous verbal attack at Israel at a Monday night gathering attended by Pope Benedict XVI.

It's Time for Michael Steele To Resign  —  On Friday, Michael Steele guest hosted Bill Bennett's radio show - and he got into a conversation with a caller on the subject of Mitt Romney's presidential candidacy.  This caller - “Jay” (not me!)  - had suggested that Mitt Romney could have won …

Lieberman breaks with Cheney: 'We're not less safe' under Obama.  —  Yesterday on CBS's Face the Nation, former Vice President Cheney repeated his claim that President Obama is making the country less secure.  Notably, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT), who has largely agreed with Cheney on national security policy, disagrees.

Pageant Double Standard?  Steamy Photos of Miss Rhode Island Won't Threaten Her Crown  —  While racy photos of Miss California Carrie Prejean could cost the outspoken first runner up in the Miss USA pageant her crown, pageant officials don't seem to care about even steamier photos of Miss Rhode Island that appeared in a men's magazine.

Social Conservative Leaders Feel Scapegoated  —  There is a brooding sense within top social conservative circles that they have become the revolving scapegoat of the Republican Party.  Many of the longtime leaders of the Christian right, from Richard Land to Tony Perkins to Gary Bauer …

“You don't need banks and bondholders to make cars”?  —  The WSJ's “USA Inc” series continues today with detail on how the US got secured lenders to abandon their fight to get paid more than 30% of their claims, as against giving more than half the company to unsecured workers.

The Edwards 2008 What-If  —  The publication of a new book by Elizabeth Edwards, and especially the revelation that she advised her husband against running in 2008, has created a lot of “what if” speculation about how the race might have been different.  Two weeks ago, for example …

Here comes California's May 19 Rebellion  —  California voters head to the polls next week with predictions of doom echoing in their ears if they decline to endorse the massive tax hikes prescribed for them by big Democratic majorities in the statehouse, Arnold and a handful of now ruined-politically Republican legislators.

Jon Stewart to Make History Special  —  ‘The Naturalized’ highlights the network's most ambitious programming slate  —  Jon Stewart, who knows a thing or two about irony, will create a two-hour special on a perfect target—the U.S. naturalization process—for History Channel, to air in the fourth quarter.

Should Coleman Concede?  Steele Says, “Hell No”  —  Embattled RNC Chair Michael Steele let his 100th day at the GOP helm slip by with little fanfare amid last weekend's White House Correspondents Dinner festivites.  But in an interview after the gala, Steele said that if the state Supreme Court …

Meghan McCain at WHCD: “Does he even know who the f*** I am?”  —  Sadly obligatory.  I've been monitoring her Twitter feed all day in hopes of an angry denial, but no dice.  What are the odds that the daughter of a senator and a millionaire heiress would turn out to be a brat?

Taleban using white phosphorus, some of it made in Britain  —  Taleban fighters have been using deadly white phosphorus munitions, some of them manufactured in Britain, to attack Western forces in Afghanistan, according to previously classified United States documents released yesterday.

Limbaugh on Cheney's Motivations  —  What motivates Dick Cheney?  —  He doesn't need the money.  He has no further political ambitions.  He is not hot for interns.  He is not a torture freak.  He knows that he is toxic and despised by the drive-by media and the Democrat party and the left in this country.