Schumer: Obama's ‘counter-productive’ Israel policy ‘has to stop’  —  New York Senator Chuck Schumer harshly criticized the Obama Administration's attempts to exert pressure on Israel today, making him the highest-ranking Democrat to object to Obama's policies in such blunt terms.

Redactions Revealed: The Six Secrets You Need to Know From the Obama Subpoena Request  —  Former governor Rod Blagojevich's defense team asked Thursday to issue a trial subpoena to the President of the United States of America.  —  The motion, intended to be heavily redacted …

SEC staffers watched porn as economy crashed  —  WASHINGTON - Senior staffers at the Securities and Exchange Commission spent hours surfing pornographic websites on government-issued computers while they were being paid to police the financial system, an agency watchdog says.

Don't Cry for Wall Street  —  On Thursday, President Obama went to Manhattan, where he urged an audience drawn largely from Wall Street to back financial reform.  “I believe,” he declared, “that these reforms are, in the end, not only in the best interest of our country, but in the best interest of the financial sector.”

VIDEO: Bank Lobbyists Huddle For Another Secret Meeting With GOP Senators  —  Earlier today, President Obama traveled to New York to tell the nation's most influential bankers to call off their “battalions of financial industry lobbyists” and embrace a new regulatory structure meant to avert another economic crisis.

Liberty, Tyranny, and the Globe — By: NRO Staff  —  I don't know Jim Manzi, but given his out-of-nowhere rant, you'd think I ran over his dog or something.  Feel free to read my book, and the chapter Manzi distorts and cherry-picks, yourself.  You don't need Manzi to interpret it.

Cheney: Telling Leahy to ‘f*ck’ himself was ‘sort of the best thing I ever did.’  —  In 2004, then-Vice President Dick Cheney had a “frank exchange of views” with Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) on the Senate floor over Cheney's ties to Halliburton and President Bush's judicial nominees.

Democrat “Outs” Another Democrat For Being Straight  —  If you've been looking for further proof that American politics is going thoroughly bonkers as partisans claw for increasingly personal labels to hurl at and discredit foes or those who don't agree — it's a lot easier doing …

Franklin Graham Regrets Army's Decision to Rescind Invite to Pentagon Prayer Service  —  Evangelist Franklin Graham said Thursday that he regrets the Army's decision to rescind its invitation to him for the Pentagon's National Day of Prayer service on May 6, but expressed “strong support” for the U.S. military.

Puss-TV vs Non-Puss TV  —  If you try to access the latest episode of South Park online, you get the message above.  —  I know I'm a broken record, but the two-part 200th episode was about as close to genius - and hardcore fan-pandering - as you can get.  Hennifer Lopez, Mr Hat …

Report says health care will cover more, cost more  —  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law is getting a mixed verdict in the first comprehensive look by neutral experts: More Americans will be covered, but costs are also going up.  —  Economic experts at the Health …

Democrats at the Edge of the Cliff  —  Democrats are spending trillions at the worst possible moment, with a new poll showing public trust in government at a historic low of 22%.  —  There was always something eerie about the way the Democrats said their health-care legislation was what the American people had waited “70 years” for.

Probe Turns to Buffett Deal  —  Government Suspects Goldman Director Told Galleon of Berkshire's 2008 Investment  —  A Goldman Sachs Group Inc. director tipped off a hedge-fund billionaire about a $5 billion investment in Goldman by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. before a public announcement …

Potential Supreme Court pick Garland could find foes on left  —  Unlike several other possible candidates to succeed retiring Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Merrick B. Garland probably won't face conservative opposition.  Instead, it could be liberals lining up against him.

David Cameron edges second leaders' debate, according to Times poll  —  David Cameron scored a narrow victory over Nick Clegg in the second leaders' debate last night after an impassioned contest turned personal.  —  The Tory leader scraped a win — on 37 per cent to Mr Clegg's 36 per cent — according to a Populus poll for The Times.

Pawlenty makes moves in South Carolina  —  Tim Pawlenty is scheduled to visit South Carolina in May.  —  Washington (CNN) - His top advisers have already started talks with key political players in South Carolina, and now Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a potential 2012 presidential contender …

Andrea Lafferty's inability to pinpoint truth: SPLC edition  —  In addressing the fact — THE.FACT! — that her organization, the Traditional Values Coalition, is one of only twelve groups on the Southern Poverty Law Center's list of active anti-gay hate groups, Andrea Lafferty is again doing the thing for which she is best known.

In Coal Country, a Culture of Fear  —  Massey Intimidates Workers, Families Into Silence … Charleston, W.Va. — Two weeks after the horrific explosion that killed 29 coal miners in southern West Virginia, it's business as usual for the owner of the project.