EXTREMELY GRAPHIC IMAGES IN THIS POST  —  It's been written countless times that Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino is something of a walking contradiction.  But let's take him at his word that the tragic death of his son Patrick in 2009 caused him to re-assess his life, his past, and his values.

Sarah Palin Has Earned an Estimated $12 Million Since July  —  With A Steady Stream of Six-Figure Speaking Gigs, The Former Alaska Governor's Haul May Be Even Bigger  —  Pundits can debate the political costs and benefits of Sarah Palin's decision to step down as Alaska governor …

Staffers' accounts paint more detailed, troubling picture of Massa's office  —  Just three months after Eric Massa was elected to Congress, his young male employees on Capitol Hill began complaining to supervisors that the lawmaker was making aggressive, sexual overtures toward them, according to new interviews and internal documents.

34% Say They Or Someone Close To Them Part of Tea Party Movement  —  Twenty-four percent (24%) of U.S. voters now say they consider themselves a part of the Tea Party movement, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.  That's an eight-point increase from 16% a month ago.

Street Execs Give Pols Earful on Financial Reform  —  As a financial reform bill starts to take shape in Washington, two key lawmakers came to New York City last week to explain what it means for Wall Street, and how financial executives might help prevent some of its least market-friendly aspects …

GOP warns Obama over SCOTUS litmus test on Citizens United  —  The landmark Citizens United case has become a flash point in the ideological fight over President Barack Obama's next Supreme Court choice.  —  Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) took to the Senate floor Tuesday to warn Obama …

Lieberman: ‘Thank God’ political momentum now with Republicans  —  Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman (Conn.) suggested in a new interview that he was grateful that political momentum now seemed to be on the side of Republicans.  —  Lieberman, an Independent senator who caucuses with Democrats …

Barney Frank gets a high-altitude haranguing on health care  —  Barney Frank has enemies, even 30,000 feet in the air.  —  Flying back to Boston from LA yesterday, the congressman was assailed by a pair of ophthalmologists upset about the health care reform bill.

Washington Memo: Baffled by Health Plan?  So Are Some Lawmakers  —  WASHINGTON — It is often said that the new health care law will affect almost every American in some way.  And, perhaps fittingly if unintentionally, no one may be more affected than members of Congress themselves.

What's the Matter With Fox News?  —  I've been reading the debates touched off by Julian Sanchez's post on “a systematic trend toward “epistemic closure” in the modern conservative movement.”  I'm nervous about wading in because almost anything I say is bound to offend someone I like.

Obama team points to smaller deficit numbers  —  The federal deficit is running significantly lower than it did last year, with the budget gap for the first half of fiscal 2010 down 8 percent over the same period a year ago, senior Obama administration officials said Monday.

Okla. tea parties and lawmakers envision militia  —  OKLAHOMA CITY - Frustrated by recent political setbacks, tea party leaders and some conservative members of the Oklahoma Legislature say they would like to create a new volunteer militia to help defend against what they believe are improper federal infringements on state sovereignty.

Andy Stern, You Were Never Ruthless Enough  —  Most news coming out of the American labor movement can be categorized as “depressing.”  The news of Service Employees International Union president Andy Stern's impending resignation is no exception.  It means that Stern's aggressive …

Hoyer criticizes Bachman for denying racial epithet  —  House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) on Tuesday chided Rep. Michelle Bachmann (D-Minn.) for denying that a protester shouted a racial epithet at Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) during last month's healthcare battle.

Lehman Channeled Risks Through ‘Alter Ego’ Firm  —  It was like a hidden passage on Wall Street, a secret channel that enabled billions of dollars to flow through Lehman Brothers.  —  In the years before its collapse, Lehman used a small company — its “alter ego,” in the words of a former Lehman trader …

Republicans Lead by 48% to 44% on Congressional Ballot  —  Republican Party maintains an advantage on voter enthusiasm  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Gallup Daily tracking for the week ending April 11 puts Republicans slightly ahead of Democrats, 48% to 44%, in the congressional voting preferences of registered voters nationally.

Colbert Owns Wiki Leak (UPDATE: Video and More PWNAGE Added)  —  ***Bumped because we're all posting at the same time***  —  When my students tell me how much they love John Stewart I usually tell them that Stephen Colbert is way better.  Sure, I tell them, John Stewart has the smartest writers …

Andrew Ross Sorkin Owes Several People An Apology … I certainly never said anything like that, and I don't think Nouriel did either.  First of all, I never called for “nationalizing the entire banking system” — I wanted the government to take temporary full ownership of a few weak banks …

O'Reilly: I Don't Report On ‘African-Americans Or Their Problems’ Much Because I'm Afraid Of Being Called Racist  —  In 2007, Fox News host Bill O'Reilly came under heavy criticism after attending Harlem soul food restaurant Sylvia's with the Rev. Al Sharpton.

‘A Different Creature’  —  Nancy Pelosi, at lunch, was making the point that this latest recession was not a typical cyclical downturn.  —  “This is a different creature,” she said, “and it demands that we see it in a different way.”  —  The evidence is stark.

Cuomo Stomps Little-Known Republicans 2-1, Quinnipiac University New York State Poll Finds; Pataki Would Top GOP Field, Lead Gillibrand  —  New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has a 74 - 14 percent job approval rating and commanding leads of 2-1 or more against the little-known Republican contenders …

Virginia pharmacy had plenty of moral convictions, few clients  —  The Divine Mercy Care Pharmacy in Chantilly proudly and purposefully limited what it would stock on its shelves.  But it turns out that no birth control pills, no condoms, no porn, no tobacco and even no makeup added up to one thing: