Meghan McCain a real pain at D.C. dinner  —  Political blogger Meghan McCain isn't exactly the toast of D.C. right now.  —  Sen. John McCain's daughter — who writes online for The Daily Beast and will soon release a book about life as a Republican — lost it after getting stopped by security …

U.S. Replaces Commander in Afghanistan in War Overhaul  —  WASHINGTON — The Pentagon is replacing the top American commander in Afghanistan, Gen. David McKiernan, less than a year after he took over, marking a major overhaul in military leadership of a war that has presented President Obama with a worsening national security challenge.

White House To Declassify “Holy Grail” Torture Report That Could Undercut Cheney  —  There's a big piece of news about Dick Cheney and torture buried toward the end of this big Washington Post piece about the torture wars.  —  Specifically: The White House has decided to declassify and release …

U.S. Soldier Kills 5 Comrades in Iraq, Military Says  —  BAGHDAD — The United States military said Monday that five American soldiers had been shot to death by a fellow soldier who opened fire on them at one of the biggest American bases in Baghdad, and that the suspected shooter was in custody.

Biden insults President Obama's dog at Syracuse  —  It was as though Vice President Biden time-warped back to last fall.  Because on Sunday he was in full campaign attack mode.  —  Oh, it was an idyllic setting.  Nobody saw it coming.  The vice president had just finished delivering …

SEIU may be linked to ultimatum on withholding stimulus funds  —  California officials say the union may have influenced a federal requirement that a pay cut be reversed for home healthcare workers.  —  Reporting from Sacramento — Officials in the governor's office say a politically powerful union …

Deficit Now Projected at $1.8 Trillion for 2009  —  The director of the Congressional Budget Office today updated his projections for the budget and economic outlook and is now anticipating a $1.8 trillion deficit this year, and $1.4 trillion in 2010.  —  This is up from CBO director Douglas …

Republicans and the ‘Public Option’  —  A case in which compromise means government health care.  —  Printer  —  Friendly  —  So Democrats have declared their willingness to use a parliamentary tactic to force a far-reaching restructuring of U.S. health care through Congress on a partisan vote.

Obama Approval Picks Up in May  —  Still, only 25% say they would definitely vote to re-elect him in 2012  —  PRINCETON, NJ — President Barack Obama appears to be slightly more popular with Americans at the start of his second 100 days in office than he was, on average, during his first 100.

Poll: Obama, headed to Middle East, is winning Arab hearts  —  WASHINGTON — As President Barack Obama prepares to journey to Egypt on June 4 to address the Muslim world, his overtures to the Middle East are paying off in positive feelings towards him from Arab peoples that far outpace …

Pete Sessions: Obama Hurting Economy To Consolidate Power  —  Rep. Pete Sessions, head of the House Republican committee tasked with electing more GOP members, has a unique theory as to why unemployment continues to rise: Obama wants to wipe out capitalism.  —  Deep into a New York Times item Monday …

Who Monitored The Torture?  —  The interrogation and torture of Abu Zubaydah was documented very carefully as it was pursued.  The FBI claims it got a lot of valuable intelligence from him by legal methods in line with Western values and the rule of law.  And Cheney yesterday seemed to confirm this: