New sex revelations fuel calls for resignation  —  Latest details tip scales for many  —  Six of 27 members of the conservative Senate Republican Caucus Tuesday night issued a letter calling on Gov. Mark Sanford to resign.  —  Two additional senators considered among Sanford's staunchest allies …

Palin story sparks GOP family feud  —  A hard-hitting piece on Sarah Palin in the new Vanity Fair has touched off a blistering exchange of insults among high-profile Republicans over last year's GOP ticket - tearing open fresh wounds about leaks surrounding Palin and revealing …

Inhofe says climate change bill will be “dead in the water” in Senate  —  WASHINGTON — U.S. Jim Inhofe, who earlier said a criminal investigation “probably should be” conducted into allegations the EPA suppressed a climate change report, conceded Tuesday he is not qualified to make that determination.

Lieberman: I Stand With The Small Minority Of Americans Who Oppose Public Option  —  The surfeit of polling data showing broad public support for the public option hasn't swayed Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, who's joining conservative Democrats and moderate Republicans in staunch opposition.

Firefighter case shows seamy side of racial politics  —  The Supreme Court's decision in Ricci v. DeStefano, the case of the New Haven, Conn., firefighters, was a ringing endorsement of the Civil Rights Act of 1964's ban on racial discrimination and a repudiation of Supreme Court nominee Sonia …

Michael Scheuer on Fox: America's only hope is for another terrorist attack  —  You can view this video right here by getting the latest version of Flash Player!  —  DOWNLOADS: (665)  —  PLAYS: (2871)  —  Good God.  They really are wishing and hoping for a terrorist attack.

Joe the Plumber won't run for office: “You know, I talked to God about that and he was like, ‘No.’”  —  Last year at the height of his “fame,” Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher — aka “Joe the Plumber” — said that he was considering a run for public office.  “I'd be up for it,” he said.

The ‘Absentee’ Senator  —  Franken wins by changing the rules.  —  Printer  —  Friendly  —  The Minnesota Supreme Court yesterday declared Democrat Al Franken the winner of last year's disputed Senate race, and Republican incumbent Norm Coleman's gracious concession at least spares the state any further legal combat.

Bush's ‘Town Halls’ vs. Obama's Town Halls  —  The New York Times is covering President Obama's health care town hall-style meeting today in Northern Virginia rather credulously.  This is the orchestrated political event that will feature a hand-picked audience and pre-screened questions about Obama's health care plan for the nation.

The Wages of Chavismo  —  The Honduran coup is a reaction to Chávez's rule by the mob.  —  Printer  —  Friendly  —  As military “coups” go, the one this weekend in Honduras was strangely, well, democratic.  The military didn't oust President Manuel Zelaya on its own but instead followed an order of the Supreme Court.

Wal-Mart Backs Insurance ‘Mandate’  —  WASHINGTON — In a major break with most other large companies, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Tuesday told the White House that it supports requiring employers to provide health insurance to workers, a centerpiece of President Barack Obama's effort to provide near-universal coverage to Americans.

Morning Joe: Palin a “Circus Act,” “Joke”  —  Take a look at this Wednesday Morning Joe exchange between Willy Geist, Joe Scarborough and Mike Allen of the Politico.  You've got the full range of Sarah Palin two minutes hate in this one.  Mike Allen calls her a “circus act.”

The GOP's Real Problems for 2012  —  The Ensign and Sanford scandals are beside the point.  The Republican Party is going to have a hard time coming up with a strong presidential nominee in 2012.  —  The conventional wisdom, as recorded in the New York Times, is that the Republican party …

6 Mousavi supporters reportedly hanged  —  Article's topics: Iran, Iran Elections, Mir Hossein Mousavi  —  As the Iranian authorities warned the opposition on Tuesday that they would tolerate no further protests over the disputed June 12 presidential elections, a report emerged of the hangings …

Parsing the Health Reform Arguments  —  Some of the shibboleths we've heard in recent weeks don't make much sense.  —  Printer  —  Friendly  —  The health-care debate continues.  We have now heard from nearly all the politicians, experts and interested parties: doctors, drug makers …

U.S. Rep. Bob Inglis on Mark Sanford  —  If you saw the wire story we ran in today's paper about embattled S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford, you may have noticed quotes from a few local fellows inserted in.  What started out as a localized story (with me helping out master reporter Bob Dalton) …

Girls With Guns Get It  —  In both Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S. Army and Marines found it useful to send a female soldier along on raids, as it was less disruptive to have a woman search the female civilians.  There was no shortage of volunteers for this duty.  The marines, as is their custom, saw more opportunities in this.

A Forecast With Hope Built In  —  In the weeks just before President Obama took office, his economic advisers made a mistake.  They got a little carried away with hope.  —  To make the case for a big stimulus package, they released their economic forecast for the next few years.

Panel Recommends Ban on 2 Popular Painkillers  —  ADELPHI, Md. — A federal advisory panel voted narrowly on Tuesday to recommend a ban on Percocet and Vicodin, two of the most popular prescription painkillers in the world, because of their effects on the liver.

After Call From Senator Inouye's Office, Small Hawaii Bank Got U.S. Aid  —  Sen. Daniel K. Inouye's staff contacted federal regulators last fall to ask about the bailout application of an ailing Hawaii bank that he had helped to establish and where he has invested the bulk of his personal wealth.