Once critical of financial regulation bill, Republicans change their tone  —  Key Senate Republicans on Tuesday began to back away from their sharp criticism of proposed new financial regulations and expressed optimism that a bipartisan deal on a bill that would drastically change …

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.

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.”

Ariz House: Check Obama's Citizenship  —  PHOENIX — The Arizona House on Monday voted for a provision that would require President Barack Obama to show his birth certificate if he hopes to be on the state's ballot when he runs for reelection.  —  The House voted 31-22 to add the provision to a separate bill.

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.

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 …

Both national party committees spend big chunks on fancy meals, hotels, travel  —  Both the national Democratic and Republican party committees spend about two-thirds of the money they take in on the care and comfort of committee staffs and on efforts to raise more funds, with lavish spending on limousines …

Matthews: Republicans Like Rubio Taking Part in ‘Stalinesque’ Purge of GOP  —  Chris Matthews — who was offended by Rush Limbaugh calling the Obama administration the “regime”— claimed the Republicans were engaged in a “Stalinesque” purge.  On Tuesday's Hardball Matthews charged …

Earthquake in New Jersey: Majority of School Budgets Defeated  —  In a crushing rejection of the thug tactics of the teacher's unions, voters turned out in unusually high numbers Tuesday to reject a majority of proposed school budgets across the state of New Jersey, handing Governor Chris Christie …

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 …

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.

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.

Insider: Top Ohio homeland security officials falsify credentials, obtained fake diploma mill degrees  —  ***Sticky until noon.  Scroll down for more updates.  Our correspondent inside the Ohio Department of Homeland Security brings even more troubling news.

Losing faith in government  —  Data continues to pour in from a variety of sources indicating that faith in government is at a record low.  Pew Research Center's latest survey found that only 22 percent of those polled trust the federal government “almost always or most of the time.”

Deal Reached Averting Doorman Strike in New York  —  The union members were represented by a team led by Mike Fishman, second from left.  The owners had a committee of about a dozen led by Howard Rothschild, second from right, president of the Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations.

Democrats maintain solid cash edge heading into 2010 midterms  —  1. The three Democratic campaign committees ended March with approximately $22 million more in the bank than their Republican counterparts, a financial edge that party strategists hope will insulate them from considerable losses in the coming midterm elections.

RNC Spent $340K On Hawaii Meeting  —  The RNC spent more than $340K at a semi-annual meeting in Honolulu in Jan., the latest example of the party spending lavishly on itself while GOP officials worry they won't have enough money to take advantage of a promising national landscape this fall.

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 …