Hoyer questions Pelosi's CIA charge UPDATED  —  House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) isn't exactly rushing to support Nancy Pelosi's claim she was “misled” by CIA officials during a 2002 intel briefing on waterboarding.  —  Hoyer — a polished floor debater — was drawn into an extended exchange …

Obama Says U.S. Long-Term Debt Load ‘Unsustainable’  —  President Barack Obama, calling current deficit spending “unsustainable,” warned of skyrocketing interest rates for consumers if the U.S. continues to finance government by borrowing from other countries.

Obama Planning to Keep Tribunals for Detainees  —  WASHINGTON — President Obama has decided to keep the military commission system that his predecessor created to try suspected terrorists but will ask Congress to expand the rights of defendants to contest the charges against them, officials briefed on the plan said Thursday.

Trade Wars Launched With Ruses, End Runs  —  Outrage in Canada as U.S. Firms Sever Ties To Obey Stimulus Rules  —  Is this what the first trade war of the global economic crisis looks like?  —  Ordered by Congress to “buy American” when spending money from the $787 billion stimulus package …

Treasury Agrees To Aid Insurers  —  The Treasury yesterday granted preliminary approval for some of the nation's largest insurance companies to receive capital infusions under the government's Troubled Assets Relief Program, Treasury spokesman Andrew Williams said.

Dead People Get Stimulus Checks  —  MYFOXNY.COM - This week, thousands of people are getting stimulus checks in the mail.  The problem is that a lot of them are dead.  A Long Island woman was shocked when she checked the mail and received a letter from the U.S. Treasury — but it wasn't for her.

My Personal Credit Crisis  —  If there was anybody who should have avoided the mortgage catastrophe, it was I. As an economics reporter for The New York Times, I have been the paper's chief eyes and ears on the Federal Reserve for the past six years.  I watched Alan Greenspan and his successor, Ben S. Bernanke, at close range.

Health Care Leaders Say Obama Overstated Their Promise to Control Costs  —  WASHINGTON — Hospitals and insurance companies said Thursday that President Obama had substantially overstated their promise earlier this week to reduce the growth of health spending.

Meltdown With Keith Olbermann!  [Exclusive]  —  If you regularly tune in to Countdown with Keith Olbermann on MSNBC, you may remember that Olbermann was mysteriously absent from the show for three days at the end of April.  But Olbermann didn't just “have the night off,” as David Shuster …

Leon Panetta's mission to stop Israel bombing Iranian nuclear plant  —  America's spy chief was sent on a secret mission to Israel to warn its leaders not to launch a surprise attack on Iran without notifying the US Administration.  —  As Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister …

Miss California on Cable News: Fox & Friends Gives Carrie Prejean Her Chance  —  Miss California and Miss USA runner-up, Carrie Prejean, tossed around in the battle over gay marriage, will be a one-day guest host for Fox News Channel's popular morning show Fox & Friends, Whispers learns.

Empire of Carbon  —  I have seen the future, and it won't work.  —  These should be hopeful times for environmentalists.  Junk science no longer rules in Washington.  President Obama has spoken forcefully about the need to take action on climate change; the people I talk to are increasingly optimistic …

Election 2009: New Jersey Governor  —  NJ Governor: Christie Leads Corzine by Nine  —  In his bid for re-election, New Jersey's Democratic Governor Jon Corzine trails Republican challenger Chris Christie by nine percentage points.  The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey …

Anti-tobacco crusader to CDC  —  I profiled Tom Frieden, the New York City health commissioner whom Obama has chosen to run the Centers for Disease Control for the New York Observer back in 2004.  —  He's a relentless, effective, and uncompromising character, a key figure in a smoking ban …

Gov. Lynch Statement Regarding Same-Sex Marriage Legislation  —  CONCORD - Gov. John Lynch released the following statement today regarding same-sex legislation in New Hampshire:  —  “The gay marriage debate in New Hampshire has been filled with passion and emotion on all sides.

Specter raises hopes for deal on major labor bill  —  WASHINGTON - Sen. Arlen Specter said Thursday the “prospects are pretty good” for a compromise on legislation making it easier for workers to form unions.  —  Specter had come out against the bill in March, disappointing labor leaders.