Republican dirty tricks in NY 23  —  A brand-new organization calling itself Common Sense in America is up with a major television ad buy in the New York special election, praising Republican Dede Scozzafava as the “best choice for progressives.”  —  At first glance, the group's ad looks like it's an endorsement of Scozzafava.

Fox News and White House: “Truce”  —  A very reliable source tells FishbowlDC that Fox News SVP Michael Clemente met with White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs this morning and reached what some are calling a “truce.”  —  Clemente then met with the FNC Washington bureau and encouraged staff to remain “fair and balanced.”

Kristol: Breaking News: Pelosi Tries to Lead Democrats off a Cliff  —  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is expected to release the text of the Democratic health care proposal tomorrow, with the hope of bringing it to the floor as early as next Friday.  Pelosi will claim that the Congressional Budget Office …

Bayh: If 50 Senators Really Want a Public Option, They Can Get It with Reconciliation  —  Evan Bayh (D-IN) said on CBS's Washington Unplugged said that if fifty senators were dead set on getting a real public option they could always do that by using reconciliation.

Palin: Levi Johnston ‘Mean-Spirited,’ ‘Malicious,’ Selling ‘Body for Money’  —  ABC News' Rick Klein reports: Former Gov. Sarah Palin is blasting away at the father of her grandson, issuing a blistering statement today that impugns Levi Johnston's motives in continuing to speak out against the Palin family …

Parents banned from watching their children in playgrounds... in case they are paedophiles  —  Parents are being banned from playing with their children in council recreation areas because they have not been vetted by police.  —  Mothers and fathers are being forced to watch their children …

CORRECTED: Lieberman Proposed Public Option In 2004, Opposes It Now  —  [CORRECTION: We have been told that Joe's program here was not properly termed a public option, but was two different concepts — an expansion of government-run health care programs for the young, extending it up to age 25 …

Obama Signs Hate Crimes Bill: “Another Step Forward In Creating A More Perfect Union”  —  This law champions the leftist value of partisan tolerance.  Medved pointed out on his radio show that the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Bill is named after a 21-year-old killed by two young men because of his homosexuality.

Obama Visits Returning War Dead  —  President Obama traveled to Dover Air Force Base early Thursday morning to meet with family members and pay his respects as the flag-draped coffins carrying bodies of 18 American troops killed this week in Afghanistan were returned to the United States.

Republican vs. Conservative  —  Which side are the Democrats against?  —  Printer  —  Friendly  —  You might have heard about the unusual election next week in New York's 23rd Congressional District.  It's unusual for several reasons: It's taking place in an odd-numbered year, there was no primary, and there are three candidates.

BCBS plea to customers on reform hits a nerve  —  This letter asks recipients to contact lawmakers to oppose a public health-care option.  —  Maybe it was just lousy timing, but many customers of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina are ticked off at the mail they've received recently from the state's largest insurer.

Rush's Response: Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) Grills Goodell on Rush  —  Watch It!  YouTube  —  Rush's Response to Commissioner Goodell's Answer:  —  Of course, Goodell's a total weasel.  He had no answer about the Dolphins' owners so wouldn't even address the question …

Victory for Obama Over Military Lobby  —  When the Obama administration proposed canceling a host of expensive weapons systems last spring, some of the military industry's allies in Congress assumed, as they had in the past, that they would have the final say.

Palin's high-risk, high-reward strategy  —  Washington (CNN) — When Sarah Palin weighed in last week on the contentious special congressional election in New York, she did so in her trademark way: unconventionally.  —  While other potential 2012 presidential contenders largely stayed quiet …

Heckling congressman to appear at Morristown rally  —  Rep. Joe Wilson, who gained fame for heckling President Obama with the words “you lie” while Obama spoke about health care to a joint session of Congress last month, will join a rally Sunday in Morristown.

Police: SC state attorney caught with stripper  —  COLUMBIA, S.C. — A deputy assistant attorney general who said he was on his lunch break when an officer found him with a stripper and sex toys in his sport utility vehicle has been fired, his boss said Wednesday.

LameStream Media: Why Did You Bypass These Juicy ACORN Nuggets?  —  The “Pimp and Pro” ACORN story hit America hard a few weeks ago.  It is a ripe story with endless angles to report on, and yet the Mainstream Media's favorite approach seems to be the method in which James and I orchestrated and gathered the information.

Price to PepsiCo for Not Being in Court: $1.26 Billion  —  Company asks court to excuse corporate bureaucracy that buried legal document for weeks  —  What's the cost of not showing up to court?  For PepsiCo Inc., it's a $1.26 billion default judgment.  A Wisconsin state court socked …

RADIO CLAIMS: Reid jabs generate backlash  —  Supporters decry joking about effort to rig family car to blow up in 1981  —  The wife of Sen. Harry Reid and others are striking back at unsubstantiated talk radio claims that seem to downplay or dismiss the story of a 1981 attempt to blow up the Reid family car.

How Dems outmaneuvered GOP on ACORN  —  Last Thursday was a confusing day at the House Financial Services Committee.  The committee was preparing to vote on legislation to create a new Consumer Financial Protection Agency when a fight erupted over ACORN, the community organizing group …

Rep: Finance Safeguards Just ‘TARP on Steroids’  —  Reform Proposal Offers Fewer Oversight Protections Than Original Bailout  —  In the wake of the recent financial meltdown, it sounds like a reasonable idea: A proposal granting the White House broad new authority to take over when a failing …