Breaking news: I am not white!  —  I'm still on the road and our wonderful guest-bloggers will be dropping in again today and tomorrow.  The hate mail is on an increase again thanks to my outspoken defense of Arizona's immigration enforcement measure.  Too many to choose from, but here's a typical response:

Republicans hope to win three symbolic Senate seats  —  Every now and then, there comes a congressional race so fraught with history and symbolism that it becomes as much about sending a message as winning a seat.  —  This year, Republicans are looking to hit the trifecta in the Senate.

Team Obama Calls Out Swat Team on Tea Party Patriots!  —  The SWAT Team was called in today at the Quincy Tea Party Rally.  Obama was speaking at the convention center this afternoon.  —  Unreal.  —  They didn't want any violence from these threatening protesters.  —  In Full Riot Gear!!

HEALTH CARE IMPROVEMENTS — AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.... Marc Thiessen recently urged Republicans to fight as hard as they can to repeal the Affordable Care Act.  The GOP need not fear political repercussions, the Bush speechwriter turned Washington Post columnist said, because Americans won't see the law's benefits kick in for several years.

White House seeks to soften Iran sanctions  —  Wants exemption for firms based in China and Russia  —  The Obama administration is pressing Congress to provide an exemption from Iran sanctions to companies based in “cooperating countries,” a move that likely would exempt Chinese …

The Insurance Mandate in Peril  —  First Congress said it was a regulation of commerce.  Now it's supposed to be a tax.  Neither claim will survive Supreme Court scrutiny.  —  A"tell" in poker is a subtle but detectable change in a player's behavior or demeanor that reveals clues about the player's assessment of his hand.

Obama: “I do think at a certain point you've made enough money”  —  Via News Alert and Breitbart TV, consider this Share the Wealth 2010.  Barack Obama went off the TelePrompter in his speech to a Quincy, Illinois audience about Wall Street reform.  After saying that Democrats don't begrudge success that's …

U.S. Subpoenas Times Reporter Over Book on C.I.A.  —  WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is seeking to compel a writer to testify about his confidential sources for a 2006 book about the Central Intelligence Agency, a rare step that was authorized by Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr.

Sarah Palin  —  If Sarah Palin played a loud, grinding instrument, she would be in my band.  The independent patriotic spirit, attitude and soul of our forefathers are alive and well in Sarah.  In the way she lives, what she says and how she dedicates herself to make America better …

The Night Beat: Sorry Charlie  —  What matters tomorrow...tonight.  Subscribe to @marcambinder  —  1. Gaggling on AF1 tonight, Obama sounds skeptical he'll see immigration bill this year; says there “may not be an appetite” in Congress ... praises Lindsey Graham by name... gives hints of new federal border protection measures. ...

Obama Says Passing Immigration Bill May Be Difficult  —  WASHINGTON — President Obama conceded Wednesday that Congress may not have the appetite to deal with the hot-button immigration issue this year, but he vowed to continue to press lawmakers to at least begin work soon on a comprehensive bill …

Five Dynamics to Watch on Financial Reform.  —  Here are five trends to watch:  — Dodd's Dealing.  Senate Banking Committee Chair Chris Dodd is still hunting for a deal that brings Republicans on board.  That means he'll be open to negotiating key Republican hang-ups with the bill …

Fallout from migrant law tars D-Backs  —  The Arizona Diamondbacks are like one of those fans in the lower deck at Chase Field who gets struck by a foul ball during a game.  They didn't see it coming.  —  Today at Chicago's Wrigley Field and in just about every city the team visits …

How Reversible Is The Euro?  —  For a long time my view on the euro has been that it may well have been a mistake, but that bygones were bygones — it could not be undone.  I was strongly influenced by the view expressed by Barry Eichengreen in a classic 2007 article (although I had heard that argument …

Cover girl Pelosi looking rather ... airy in D.C. glossy  —  If Kim Kardashian and Britney Spears get flak for airbrushing their photos, why not the speaker of the House?  —  If you haven't managed to score a copy of the May/June 2010 edition of Capitol File magazine (typically flanked …

Al Gore, Tipper Gore snap up Montecito-area villa  —  The Italian-style home has an ocean view, fountains, six fireplaces, five bedrooms and nine bathrooms.  —  Former Vice President Al Gore and his wife, Tipper, have added a Montecito-area property to their real estate holdings, reports the Montecito Journal.

Bill Clinton  —  There are professors who pretend to be populists and populists who pretend to be professors.  But there have never been a head and heart so perfectly matched as the pair within William Jefferson Clinton.  It's an impossible equilibrium: wonky intellectual meets “Oh, hell” card player, oxygen and hydrogen.

Charlie Crist's campaign giving donors partial refunds  —  The Charlie Crist campaign is already hearing from donors asking for their money back, and the campaign is giving donors pro-rated refunds.  —  You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.  —  Yeh, right.

Cantor: We're not your daddy's GOP  —  Eric Cantor is test-driving the latest 2010 sales pitch for Republicans: We're not the same guys you tossed out of office in 2006.  —  In an op-ed on Andrew Breitbart's BigGovernment.com, Cantor essentially argues that the Republican Party that wants …

Sen. Lindsey Graham: ‘I care equally about immigration and climate change’  —  Sen. Lindsey Graham has been in the news this week for threatening to vote against the climate bill he's crafted if the Democrats move on immigration reform this year.  Given that Graham is the only Republican on either bill, it's a very credible threat.

Suspicion greets Democrat's stated reason for opposing financial overhaul bill  —  For the third day in a row, Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) broke with his Democratic colleagues Wednesday and voted to block the start of formal Senate debate on a far-reaching bill to overhaul financial regulations.

How We Stomach Elitism  —  Sully notes that Laura Bush was “the most decent person in the White House for eight long years” and proffers this quote as evidence: … I agree, she was decent.  By all accounts, her husband was decent, too, and both treated all the gays they knew well.  So f**king what?