Kagan's friends: She's not gay  —  Elena Kagan is not a lesbian, one of her best friends told POLITICO Tuesday night, responding to persistent rumors and innuendo about the Supreme Court nominee's personal life.  —  “I've known her for most of her adult life and I know she's straight,” …

Suspicions about Specter aid Sestak  —  PITTSBURGH - The first time Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) slipped up here Tuesday night at the Allegheny County Democratic Committee's Jefferson-Jackson Dinner, most in the audience pretended not to notice.  —  But at the end of his remarks when Specter again thanked the …

Arizona bans ‘ethnic studies’  —  Arizona GOP Gov. Jan Brewer has signed a law banning the state's schools from teaching ethnic studies classes.  —  Brewer signed the bill Tuesday that targets Chicano studies programs currently being taught in Tucson schools.

Broad Approval For New Arizona Immigration Law  —  Democrats Divided, But Support key Provisions  —  The public broadly supports a new Arizona law aimed at dealing with illegal immigration and the law's provisions giving police increased powers to stop and detain people who are suspected of being in the country illegally.

Top senators introduce comprehensive energy bill  —  Sens. John Kerry, D-Massachusetts (left), and Joe Lieberman, I-Connecticut (right), introduced a sweeping energy and climate change bill Wednesday.  —  Washington (CNN) - Two leading senators on Wednesday introduced a sweeping energy …

Milbloggers call for end to 'Don't Ask'  —  A group of leading military bloggers has issued a joint statement urging Congress to repeal “Don't Ask, Don't Tell.”  —  The community of “mil-bloggers” — often hawkish, critical of White House and military leadership, devoted …

Obama won't golf with Limbaugh  —  When President Obama was asked if he would play a round of golf with his talk-radio nemesis Rush Limbaugh, the response, relayed by a top Democrat, was: “Limbaugh can play with himself.”  —  This is according to Zev Chafets in his new book, “Rush Limbaugh: An Army of One,” due May 25 from Sentinel.

Are We Greece?  —  David Leonhardt tries to draw parallels.  But how strong is the parallel, really?  —  I would really question this comparison: … Um, that's comparing a (highly uncertain) projection of debt 20 years from now — a projection that's based on the assumption of unchanged policy — with actual debt now.

Tired of Big Government Spending?  Then YouCut it!  —  Two weeks ago, I wrote on BigGovernment that the GOP Today is much different than the party was a few years back.  I was glad that my post generated attention, and very pleased to read through the different responses - both positive and skeptical.

Caving To NRA, Tennessee Legislature Passes ‘Guns In Bars’ Bill  —  Last month, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) signed legislation to allow “concealed carry permit holders to bring loaded guns” into establishments that serve alcohol.  The law does not permit gun holders to consume alcohol …

It's official: Charlie Crist won't give campaign refunds  —  Gov. Charlie Crist told MSNBC's Joe Scarborough on April 30 that he would “probably” give refunds to donors who don't approve of him leaving the GOP.  Some donors to his U.S. Senate campaign were told before the switch …

Books of The Times: ‘The Promise: President Obama, Year One’ by Jonathan Alter  —  With relentless 24/7 media coverage of President Obama and a floodlet of books about him, the reader might well ask: Why another study of him and his White House, when his presidency is less than a year and a half old?

“Jobs” Drops to No. 2 on Americans' List of Top Problems  —  Economy ranks No. 1, while mentions of immigration are up sharply  —  PRINCETON, NJ — After two months as the clear No. 1 perceived problem facing the country, unemployment/jobs dipped to No. 2 in May, while “the economy” in general moved back into the top position.

Galbraith: The danger posed by the deficit ‘is zero’  —  James Galbraith is an economist and the Lloyd M. Bentsen Jr. chair in government and business relations at the University of Texas at Austin.  He's also a skeptic of the prevailing concern over America's long-term deficit.

Senate Passes Merkley-Klobuchar Amendment to Protect Homeowners from Deceptive Mortgage Practices  —  WASHINGTON, DC - Today, an amendment put forth by Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley and Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar to the Wall Street reform bill passed the Senate by a vote of 63-36.

TRENDING: Sanford reunites with Argentine mistress  —  Washington (CNN) - South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford confirmed Wednesday that he spent last weekend trying to rekindle a relationship with an Argentine woman he once called his “soul mate.”  —  “As a matter of record …

‘Secret’ telecom anti-Net neutrality plan isn't  —  The Center for American Progress seemed to have blockbuster news on Tuesday: an expose titled “Telecoms' Secret Plan To Attack Net Neutrality.”  —  On its Think Progress blog, the liberal advocacy group announced it had “obtained” …

Backing Off the Tax Pledge?  —  Hungry Beast Giving Beast Women in the World  —  Blogs and Stories  —  White House Budget Director Peter Orszag, grilled about Obama's pledge not to raise middle-class taxes, left the president wiggle room.  Lloyd Grove reports.

The Shocking Rashad Hussain Interview  —  A friend of COMMENTARY calls my attention to this interview with the controversial Rashad Hussain, the U.S. Special Envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference.  You will recall that his nomination raised concerns when his comments alleging a …