Palin has book deal, memoir to come next year  —  NEW YORK - You knew it was coming: Sarah Palin is ready to tell her side, agreeing to publish a memoir with HarperCollins.  The book comes out in Spring 2010 — the year she is up for re-election.  —  “There's been so much written …

Democrats: CIA is out to get us  —  Democrats charged Tuesday that the CIA has released documents about congressional briefings on harsh interrogation techniques in order to deflect attention and blame away from itself.  —  “I think there is so much embarrassment in some quarters [of the CIA] …

A MESSAGE TO THE PUBLIC:  —  Each year the Trustees of the Social Security and Medicare trust funds report on the current and projected financial status of the two programs.  This message summarizes our 2009 Annual Reports.  —  The financial condition of the Social Security and Medicare programs remains challenging.

U.S. Eyes Bank Pay Overhaul  —  Administration in Early Talks on Ways to Curb Compensation Across Finance  —  WASHINGTON — The Obama administration has begun serious talks about how it can change compensation practices across the financial-services industry, including at companies …

Trump on Prejean: Same as Obama  —  President Barack Obama ended up in the middle of an unlikely controversy this morning — the debate over Miss California's position on gay marriage.  —  At a press conference addressing Carrie Prejean's disputed title in the Miss USA competition …

Jesse Ventura: You Give Me a Water Board, Dick Cheney and One Hour, and I'll Have Him Confess to the Sharon Tate Murders  —  You can view this video right here by getting the latest version of Flash Player!  —  On Larry King Live Jesse Ventura takes on the Bush administration chickenhawks and Rush Limbaugh, and defends Colin Powell.

FDA Blasts General Mills Over Cheerios Claim  —  Cereal Makers Scolded Because Claim Of Lowering Cholesterol 10 Percent In Month Makes It A “Drug”  —  Company Fires Back: This Is About Language, Not Science  —  NEW YORK (CBS) ― The Food and Drug Administration scolded the makers …

Richard Posner Throwing In the Towel on the Conservative Movement  —  I actually don't know that much about Richard Posner's political views, being primarily familiar with his (quite good, in my opinion) more abstract and philosophical work.  But he's definitely a political conservative …

N.Y. Assembly Passes Gay Marriage Bill  —  ALBANY — The State Assembly approved legislation on Tuesday night that would make New York the sixth state to allow same-sex marriage — a pivotal vote that shifts the debate to the State Senate, where gay rights advocates and conservative groups alike are redoubling their efforts.

Officials Knew of AIG Bonuses Months Before Firestorm  —  As American International Group chief executive Edward M. Liddy returns to Washington to face Congress today, new details are emerging about how long federal officials were aware of the company's recent bonus payments to its executives …

Clearing the Air  —  Media reports today are suggesting that OMB has found fault with EPA's proposed finding that emissions of greenhouse gases from motor vehicles contribute to air pollution that endangers public health and welfare.  Any reports suggesting that OMB was opposed to the finding are unfounded.

FAA Approves Plan to Give Stimulus Funds to Airport Named After Murtha  —  The Federal Aviation Administration, after reviewing concerns about a project at a regional airport named after Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.), has decided to go forward with plans to use $800,000 in stimulus funds to repave the airport's alternate runway.

GOP govs plan Tea Party sequel  —  Hoping to recapture the grassroots energy of last month's “tea parties,” Republican Govs. Mark Sanford of South Carolina and Rick Perry of Texas will host a tele-town hall Thursday that's being dubbed “Tea Party 2.0.”  —  The Republican Governors Association …

Ire Over a Columnist, an Author of Torture Memos  —  When The Philadelphia Inquirer hired as its new opinion columnist, John C. Yoo, an author of the Bush administration's widely criticized legal memos on harsh interrogation techniques, it was probably inevitable that the decision would draw complaints.

Obama Halves Chrysler's Planned Marketing Budget  —  Task Force Agrees Automaker Needs Advertising — Just Not $134 Million Worth  —  DETROIT (AdAge.com) — Chrysler wanted to spend $134 million in advertising over the nine weeks it's expected to be in bankruptcy — the U.S. Treasury's auto-industry task force gave it half that.

Kristol: Obama to Reverse on Release of Detainee Treatment Photos?  —  From White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs's press briefing today: … This sounds to me as if the president is getting ready to reverse the decision of his Justice Department.  I expect him to announce …

Send Us Your Credit Card Questions So We Can Ask 'Em At The White House  —  Consumerist is going to the White House this week, and we need your help!  Ben and Meg are hitting Washington to do an on-camera interview of a senior policy official in the Obama administration about the new credit card reforms …

5 Miami men convicted of Sears Tower attack plot  —  MIAMI - It took three trials, three juries and nearly three years, but federal prosecutors finally succeeded Tuesday in convicting five Miami men of plotting to start an anti-government insurrection by destroying Chicago's Sears Tower and bombing FBI offices.

Radio rage  —  The assassination jokes and “liberal” conspiracy theories on talk radio could be an ominous sign of things to come.  Plus: Madonna vs. Daniela, gay men's favorite divas, a charming TV show for kids and more.  —  In John Frankenheimer's taut 1964 film, “Seven Days in May,” …

It's War: Conservative Candidate Uses Image Of Obama To Attack Moderate GOPer  —  Another mark of just how far to the right the GOP has moved:  —  Barely moments after the news broke that Governor and stimulus-supporter Charlie Crist has entered the Florida GOP primary …

Used to be One of the Rotten Ones  —  What, with all the recent brow furrowing, chin scratching and contrarian preening set in motion by the suddenly controversial topic of whether or not torture works and, if so, whether we should consider adopting it as our official policy …

Obama administration threatens Britain to keep torture evidence concealed  —  (updated below - Update II)  —  Ever since he was released from Guantanamo in February after six years of due-process-less detention and brutal torture, Binyam Mohamed has been attempting to obtain justice for what was done to him.

Obama throws poetry jam at White House  —  Consolidating his reputation for cool, the US president has invited writers and musicians to perform  —  It is a jam, not a slam.  President Barack Obama and his cabinet colleagues were today preparing for the first White House poetry party.