McCain: ‘Serious mistake’ if car bombing suspect was Mirandized  —  It would have been a serious mistake to have read the suspect in the attempted Times Square car bombing his Miranda rights, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said Tuesday.  —  McCain, the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee …

Christian right leader George Rekers takes vacation with “rent boy”  —  The pictures on the Rentboy.com profile show a shirtless young man with delicate features, guileless eyes, and sun-kissed, hairless skin.  The profile touts his “smooth, sweet, tight ass” and “perfectly built 8 inch cock …

‘Los Suns’ jerseys set for Cinco de Mayo  —  PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns will wear “Los Suns” on their jerseys in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals on Wednesday night, owner Robert Sarver said, “to honor our Latino community and the diversity of our league, the state of Arizona, and our nation.”

President Obama: GOP Opposition to Stimulus ‘Helped to Create the Tea-Baggers’  —  Three days after he decried the lack of civility in American politics, President Obama is quoted in a new book about his presidency referring to the Tea Party movement using a derogatory term with sexual connotations.

Defending David Brooks From Brad DeLong's Smears  —  David Brooks has a Moynihanish column in which he says people overrate policy and underestimate the role of culture in determining outcomes.  “The influence of politics and policy,” he writes “is usually swamped by the influence of culture …

White House in P.R. ‘panic’ over spill  —  The ferocious oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico is threatening President Barack Obama's reputation for competence, just as surely as it endangers the Gulf ecosystem.  —  So White House aides are escalating their efforts to reassure Congress and the public …

Suspicious luggage incident at Bush Airport cleared  —  Authorities have given the “all clear” after investigating this afternooon a suspicious piece of luggage coming off an international flight at George Bush Intercontinental Airport.  —  Despite initial reports of an explosion …

“Socialism” Not So Negative, “Capitalism” Not So Positive  —  A Political Rhetoric Test  —  “Socialism” is a negative for most Americans, but certainly not all Americans.  “Capitalism” is regarded positively by a majority of the public, though it is a thin majority.

Sestak Gains On Specter Among Pennsylvania Democrats, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Onorato Tops Field Of Unknowns In Governor's Primary  —  U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak is within striking distance of U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter in the Pennsylvania Democratic primary, trailing the long-time incumbent 47 …

JPMorgan Chase Memo Sneers At ‘Ignorant’ Senators, ‘Time For The Grownups To Step In’  —  WHAT'S YOUR REACTION?  —  A top executive at JPMorgan Chase told clients Monday that senators displayed “an unnerving ignorance of fundamental principles of market economics” during last week's Goldman Sachs hearing …

Through oil-fouled water, big government looks better and better  —  There is something exquisite about the moment when a conservative decides he needs more government in his life.  —  About 10:30 Monday morning, Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), an ardent foe of big government …

Former Sen. Coats survives GOP primary  —  Former Sen. Dan Coats (R-Ind.) has won the Republican primary for his old seat, holding off a late charge from a state senator with conservative backing.  —  Coats led state Sen. Marlin Stutzman 40-30 with 65 percent of precincts reporting.

Mr. Cheney goes to Riyadh — mysteriously  —  In a move that is sure to set conspiracy theorists aflutter, former Vice President Dick Cheney popped up yesterday in Saudi Arabia, where he met with King Abdullah.  Accompanying him was former State Department diplomat and its top translator …