McDonnell's Confederate History Month proclamation irks civil rights leaders  —  RICHMOND — Gov. Robert F. McDonnell, reviving a controversy that had been dormant for eight years, has declared that April will be Confederate History Month in Virginia, a move that angered civil rights leaders Tuesday …

Reporter's notebook: What really happens at Tea Party rallies  —  (CNN) — When it comes to the Tea Party movement, the stereotypes don't tell the whole story.  —  Here's what you often see in the coverage of Tea Party rallies: offensive posters blasting President Obama and Democratic leaders …

FIRST THOUGHTS: THE GOP'S VOID  —  The GOP's leadership void... The hits keep on coming for Steele, though the RNC reported raising $11.4 million in March... But that is less than the $13 million-plus the DNC is reporting... Is Bart Stupak going to call it quits?... Obama heads to Prague this evening …

U.S. Approves Targeted Killing of American Cleric  —  WASHINGTON — The Obama administration has taken the extraordinary step of authorizing the targeted killing of an American citizen, the radical Muslim cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, who is believed to have shifted from encouraging attacks …

Obama weighs new peace plan for the Middle East  —  Despite recent turbulence in U.S. relations with Israel, President Obama is “seriously considering” proposing an American peace plan to resolve the Palestinian conflict, according to two top administration officials.

AP sources: FBI arrests man for threatening Pelosi  —  WASHINGTON — The FBI arrested a northern California man Wednesday for allegedly making threatening phone calls to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi over health care reform, law enforcement officials told The Associated Press.

Voters Issue Strong Rebuke of Incumbents in Congress  —  Fewer than half (49%) would re-elect own member, 28% for most members  —  PRINCETON, NJ — A record-low percentage of U.S. voters — 28% — say most members of Congress deserve to be re-elected.  The previous low was 29% in October 1992.

Health care overhaul spawns mass confusion for public  —  WASHINGTON — Two weeks after President Barack Obama signed the big health care overhaul into law, Americans are struggling to understand how — and when — the sweeping measure will affect them.  —  Questions reflecting confusion …

Upheaval in Kyrgyzstan as Leader Flees  —  MOSCOW — Large-scale protests on Wednesday appeared to overthrow the government of Kyrgyzstan, an important Amerian ally in Central Asia.  Government officials said at least 41 people had been killed in bloody fighting between riot police …

For the wealthy, less in taxes is not always more  —  You thought only conservatives got mad about taxes?  —  Tea partiers, eat your hearts out: A group of liberals got together Tuesday and proved that they, too, can have a tax rebellion.  But theirs is a little bit different: They want to pay more taxes.

Spitzer acknowledges he has toyed with political comeback  —  For the first time, Eliot Spitzer is acknowledging in an interview with Fortune what The Post first reported last year — that he is itching for a way back into politics and, even at this late date, hasn't totally closed the door on a race this year.

GOP will win House, Senate  —  Stanley Greenberg and James Carville claim that the Republican Party has peaked too soon.  —  Stanley Greenberg and James Carville claim that the Republican Party has peaked too soon.  Incredibly, Greenberg says that “when we look back on this, we're going to say Massachusetts is when 1994 happened.”

In rare letter to shareholders, Goldman denies double-dealing  —  WASHINGTON — Goldman Sachs' top officers denied in a letter to shareholders made public Wednesday that the company bet against investors who bought its subprime mortgage securities in 2006 and 2007 as the firm readied itself for a sharp drop in the U.S. housing market.

Behind Obama's Cool  —  In 2004, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky of Illinois attended a White House event wearing the campaign pin of her state's candidate for the United States Senate.  When she saw President Bush do a double take at the one word on her pin, she assured him that it spelled “Obama,” not “Osama.”

New Duke Policy Renders Students Unwitting Rapists; Removes Protections for Those Accused of Sexual Misconduct  —  Duke University has instituted a new “sexual misconduct” policy that can render a student guilty of non-consensual sex simply because he or she is considered “powerful” on campus.

Nearly half of US households escape fed income tax  —  Recession, new tax credits have nearly half of US households paying no federal income tax  —  FILE - In this April 5, 2010 file photo, Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Douglas Shulman gestures while speaking at the National Press Club in Washington.

55% Say Media Bias Bigger Problem in Politics Than Big Contributions  —  Voters agree that big money talks in politics but apparently not as loudly as big media.  —  Fifty-five percent (55%) of U.S. voters continue to think that media bias is a bigger problem in politics today …

House liberals shift climate change tactics, will not draw ‘lines in the sand’  —  Liberal House Democrats are shifting their political tactics on climate change after failing to secure a public option in the new healthcare reform law.  —  The move comes in the wake of liberals having to walk …

NYT: O-Care is really No-Care  —  For months, media outlets like the New York Times scolded conservatives over their concerns about rationed medical care.  Sarah Palin outraged them by referring to “death panels” when the ObamaCare bill wound up containing language enabling “comparative effectiveness” …

United and US Airways Said to Be in Merger Talks  —  Updated The UAL Corporation, the parent of United Airlines, and US Airways are in talks to merge, in a potential deal that would create one of the world's largest airlines, people briefed on the matter told DealBook on Wednesday.

Specter claims Reid deal for Judiciary chair  —  Sen. Arlen Specter says he has an agreement with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to become the next chairman of the Judiciary Committee, but three senior Democrats are blocking the deal.  —  Specter (D-Pa.) has worked diligently behind …