Obama Calls for Alliances With Muslims  —  CAIRO — President Obama pledged on Thursday to “seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world,” imploring America and the Islamic world to drop their suspicions of one another and forge new alliances to confront violent extremism and heal religious divides.

A sheep in Wolffe's clothing?  —  It was Barack Obama himself who first proposed that Newsweek reporter Richard Wolffe make a play to be this generation's Theodore White—the legendary journalist whose insider account of the 1960 election painted John F. Kennedy in heroic light.

RED ALERT: Did White House order FBI to “back off” anti-terror investigations of radicalized Muslim converts?  —  Today's update from Stratfor Research describes the background of a recent attack on U.S. soldiers in Little Rock, Arkansas.  One soldier was killed and another critically wounded …

N.H. becomes sixth state where gays can marry  —  Governor Lynch makes history with the stroke of a pen.  —  By Eric Moskowitz and Martin Finucane, Globe Staff  —  Traditionally conservative New Hampshire today became the sixth state in the nation — and the fifth state in New England …

Experts: Prognosis grim as Coleman runs out of legal options  —  Al Franken Photo: Paul Demko, Minnesota Independent  —  The end is near in the U.S. Senate contest.  That might seem difficult to believe given that the fight has now dragged on for nearly seven months, but the bottom line …

Sotomayor's Supporters May Spin Her Out Of A Job  —  The White House explanation for Sonia Sotomayor's 2001 “wise Latina” statement was that Sotomayor used a “poor” choice of words and certainly would “restate” the language.  This spin made no sense, as the full text of the 2001 speech …

What Socialism Looks Like  —  Have you heard that the United States is headed toward socialism?  Jonah Goldberg says it is.  Alabama Senator Richard Shelby says it is.  Phyllis Schlafly says it is.  Richard Viguerie says it is.  The Republican National Committee says it is.  We must be getting pretty close.

TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT TO  —  Dear Senator Kennedy and Senator Baucus:  —  The meeting that we held today was very productive and I want to commend you for your leadership — and the hard work your Committees are doing on health care reform, one of the most urgent and important challenges confronting us as a Nation.

SELF-PARODY WATCH.... During a visit with Saudi King Abdullah today, President Obama briefly responded to praise by saying, “Shukran,” which is “thank you” in Arabic.  It was only a matter of time before we saw a post like this one from Michael Goldfarb.  The headline readers, “Does Obama Speak Arabic?”

Washington Sketch: Liberals Are Taken Aback by Obama's Take-Back of America  —  President Obama is just killing the progressive movement.  —  For the past few years, liberal activists have gathered in Washington each spring for the Take Back America conference, where speaker after speaker …

“Brotherhood” Invited To Obama Speech By U.S.  —  A sign that the Obama administration is willing to publicly challenge Egypt's commitment to parliamentary democracy: various Middle Eastern news sources report that the administration insisted that at least 10 members of the Muslim Brotherhood …

Israelis Say Bush Agreed to West Bank Growth  —  JERUSALEM — Senior Israeli officials accused President Obama on Wednesday of failing to acknowledge what they called clear understandings with the Bush administration that allowed Israel to build West Bank settlement housing within certain guidelines …

It's the Economy, Stupid  —  The Obama presidency will rise or fall on results.  —  Printer  —  Friendly  —  Tomorrow will likely bring more bad news for President Barack Obama on the number one issue for voters — the economy.  The Labor Department's monthly job report …

Gritty First Job Shaped Nominee  —  Years as N.Y. Prosecutor Gave Sotomayor Firsthand Look at Crime and Punishment  —  Former New York police detective Chris Montanino remembers his frustration nearly three decades ago, when he was ready to go after child-porn distributors but couldn't find …

Plan to Help Banks Clear Their Books Is Halted  —  WASHINGTON — The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation indefinitely postponed a central element of the Obama administration's bank rescue plan on Wednesday, acknowledging that it could not persuade enough banks to sell off their bad assets.