Positive Initial Reaction to Sotomayor Nomination  —  Americans believe intellect, experience most important in Obama's choice  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Americans' first reactions to the news of President Obama's nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court are decidedly …

THERE IS NO CAR-DEALER CONSPIRACY.... A whole lot of right-wing blogs are worked up today over a report about the political affiliations of Chrysler dealers who've been shut down. … Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.), who has a dealership that will close, called this “an outrage.”

Abu Ghraib abuse photos ‘show rape’  —  Photographs of alleged prisoner abuse which Barack Obama is attempting to censor include images of apparent rape and sexual abuse, it has emerged.  —  At least one picture shows an American soldier apparently raping a female prisoner while another …

The Peter Principle  —  We hang together or hang separately. … All of us, every single person regardless of political persuasion who reads this, have a tendency to deny our friends and fellow travelers at times.  All of us.  —  Peter, under pressure and fear, denied Christ not just once, but three times.

Specter Tops Toomey By 9 Pts.  In Pennsylvania Senate Race, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; New Democratic Senator Has Big Primary Lead  —  Former U.S. Rep. Pat Toomey, the likely Republican challenger in the 2010 Pennsylvania Senate race, has gained some ground and now trails newly-converted Democratic …

Kicking & Screaming: Journo Dragged From Near AF1  —  A reporter for a small newspaper was forcibly removed from a press area near Air Force One shortly before President Barack Obama arrived at Los Angeles International Airport to depart California early Thursday.

Senator Nelson becomes target of ad campaign  —  OMAHA — Sen. Ben Nelson is being targeted in a mailing and Internet ad campaign asking people to withhold their political contributions to him and other members of Congress.  —  The campaign takes issue with the Nebraska Democrat's opposition …

More Homeowners Facing Foreclosure  —  More homeowners than ever before are falling behind on their mortgage payments and sliding into foreclosure, according to figures released on Thursday, a sign that the country's housing crisis is spreading through the ranks of previously stable borrowers.

FBI planning a bigger role in terrorism fight  —  Bureau agents will gather evidence to ensure that criminal prosecutions of alleged terrorists are an option.  The move is a reversal of the Bush administration's emphasis on covert CIA actions.  —  Reporting from Washington …

Please uncover your face.  It's our custom  —  Why are women's faces concealed in East London but not in Damascus?  —  Funny to return from Lebanon, Syria and Turkey - where women go unveiled - and return to Britain, the land of the full hijab.  I see more women with their faces covered in Tower Hamlets than I did in Damascus.

Shhhh.  Newspaper Publishers Are Quietly Holding a Very, Very Important Conclave Today.  Will You Soon Be Paying for Online Content?  —  Here's a story the newspaper industry's upper echelon apparently kept from its anxious newsrooms: A discreet Thursday meeting in Chicago about their future.

Gov. Crist signs $66.5 billion budget, breaks tax pledge  —  TALLAHASSEE — Breaking a pledge against raising taxes, Gov. Charlie Crist signed Florida's $66.5 billion budget into law Wednesday and barely used his veto pen.  —  Crist vetoed only two items: a small pay cut for some state workers …

Ald.  Carothers, developer accused of corruption  —  Ald.  Isaac Carothers (29th), a staunch ally of Mayor Richard Daley, was indicted today on charges he accepted about $40,000 in improvements to his residence as well as meals and tickets to sporting events in exchange for backing a major project by a developer.