Most transparent White House ever...  Police chased reporters away from the White House and closed Lafayette Park today in response to a gay rights protest in which several service members in full uniform handcuffed themselves to the White House gate to protest “Don't Ask, Don't Tell.”

Is Goldman Obama's Enron?  No, it's worse (Updated)  —  Campaign contributions from Goldman Sachs employees to President Obama are nearly seven times as much as President Bush received from Enron workers, according to numbers on OpenSecrets.org.  —  President Bush's connections to Enron …

Ronald Reagan and James Dean: Rare Video From 1954  —  Today, it's an astonishing, even eerie, scene: the icon of modern American conservatism, whose rise to political prominence was galvanized by the cultural rebellion of the 1960s, fighting off an attack-at-gunpoint by the quintessential modern American rebel.

Arizona legislature demands immigrants and President of the United States verify their status.  —  Just a few days after Arizona lawmakers passed an immigration law that will essentially require anyone who is or looks like an immigrant to carry their proof of residency at all times …

Arizona has turned into a police state: ‘Show me your papers’  —  I had a friend who isn't into politics, but would say that Bush's goal was to enact martial law over the country.  I told her she was not based in reality.  But this new law in Arizona gives the police exactly that type of power …

Next Up?  Obama Calls Sen. Scott Brown About Immigration  —  President Barack Obama called Massachusetts' new Republican senator, Scott Brown, from Air Force One today to deliver some news: Democrats are moving forward with an immigration overhaul in a month.

McCaskill presses GOP to reveal holds  —  Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) is trying to flush out Senate Republicans who have placed secret holds on nearly 80 of President Barack Obama's nominees.  —  McCaskill asked for unanimous consent to vote on the 18 nominees.

Lindsey Graham Gay?  Conservative Group ALIPAC Demands Senator ‘Admit Homosexuality’  —  WHAT'S YOUR REACTION?  —  William Gheen, head of the conservative, anti-"amnesty," anti-illegal immigration group Americans for Legal Immigration PAC (ALIPAC), spoke at a Greenville …

U.S. attorney, IRS and FBI investigating Florida GOP credit card use  —  Federal law enforcement agencies have launched a criminal investigation into the use of American Express cards issued by the Republican Party of Florida to elected officials and staff, according to sources familiar with the probe.

GOPer Tries to Ape My Snark  —  I'm not quite sure what to make of this.  A couple weeks ago our Eric Kleefeld came up with video showing Nevada Senate candidate Sue Lowden suggesting that “bartering” for medical care would be a good way to rein in spiraling health care costs.

Hitler Is Very Upset That Constantin Film Is Taking Down Hitler Parodies  —  For my money, memes on the Internet don't get any better than the Hitler one.  You know, the one in which you take some current event (the more mundane, the better) and shove it into the scene from the German film Downfall …

McCain: I won't support Crist if he runs as an Independent candidate  —  Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said Tuesday he will not support Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R) in his Senate race if he runs as an Independent.  —  Crist, who helped McCain win Florida in the 2008 presidential GOP primary …

Lucy And The Football  —  Talking Points Memo reports that Democrats are largely unprepared for the possibility that Republicans will filibuster financial reform.  —  Is this really possible?  I'm afraid it is.  My own conversations with administration officials over the past few weeks …

McCain's Integrity  —  There is a new round of “where have you gone, John McCain?” liberal commentary starting up.  I used to find this amusing, but it is all based on a profound misunderstanding of McCain the politician.  Recently, McCain has been making a fool of himself by repudiating …

Halperin Takes A Stand  —  It isn't every day that a consumate inside-game reporter/pundit type like Mark Halperin aggressively calls out one party for lying, but that's exactly what Halperin did early this morning on MSNBC, talking about the GOP claim that the Dem financial reg reform bill will lead to a permanent bailout.

Obama Approval Slips Further in Fifth Quarter to 48.8%  —  Ranks among lowest fifth-quarter averages for elected presidents  —  PRINCETON, NJ — President Barack Obama averaged 48.8% job approval for his fifth quarter in office, spanning Jan. 20-April 19 Gallup Daily tracking.

420 Meaning: The True Story Of How April 20 Became ‘Weed Day’  —  WHAT'S YOUR REACTION?  —  This piece was first published last year on April 20.  —  Warren Haynes, the Allman Brothers Band guitarist, routinely plays with the surviving members of the Grateful Dead, now touring as The Dead.

Bill Black Testimony on Lehman Bankruptcy - Transcript and Video  —  FDL Contributor Bill Black scorched everyone with his testimony on the failure of Lehman Brothers before the House Financial Services Committee today.  His prepared remarks can be found here (PDF).

U.N.'s Ballooning $732 Million Haiti Peacekeeping Budget Goes Mostly to Its Own Personnel  —  The United Nations has quietly upped this year's peacekeeping budget for earthquake-shattered Haiti to $732.4 million, with two-thirds of that amount going for the salary, perks and upkeep of its own personnel …

Cameron Douglas, son of actor Michael Douglas, gets 60 months in jail for drug rap; faced 10 years  —  Cameron Douglas - son of Michael Douglas and grandson of Kirk Douglas - is going to prison for more than four years despite the pleas of his famous family.

Senate Democrats' budget to allow use of reconciliation rules  —  The budget resolution being drafted by Senate Democrats will include reconciliation instructions, according to Democrats briefed on the matter.  —  The reconciliation instructions, which allow legislation to move through …