Defending Rand Paul, Part II  —  A number of liberal writers have included or featured me in essays about the Rand Paul flap.  —  First, Adele Stan:  —  Then, Gabriel Winant: … This is complicated stuff, but the Pauls are used to it.  I first grappled with it in a 2008 story …

Cuomo makes NY governor bid official  —  New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo announced Saturday he is officially running for governor.  —  Cuomo had long been expected to enter the race to replace unpopular Gov. David Paterson (D), who is not running for reelection this fall.

Man Who Shot Police Had Antigovernment Views  —  LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — An antigovernment Ohio man who had had several run-ins with the police around the country was identified Friday as one of two people suspected of gunning down two officers during a traffic stop in Arkansas.

Key Al Qaeda Figure Accidentally Blows Himself Up, U.S. Officials Say  —  U.S. officials had been watching him, but Fox News' sources insist the U.S. had nothing to do with his death

Tiger willing to give Elin $750M - to keep quiet … TIGER SCANDAL SCORECARD … EDITORS' PICKS … BEST OF NYDN.COM

Obama campaigns against Bush - again  —  President Barack Obama is trying to ride the wave of anti-incumbency by taking on an unpopular politician steeped in the partisan ways of Washington.  —  It doesn't matter that George W. Bush left office 16 months ago.

Blumenthal allies turn tables on NYT  —  What at first appeared to be a potentially career-ending New York Times exposé of Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has generated a messy fight between the newspaper, Blumenthal's liberal supporters, and his leading Republican rival …

Top Official Says Feds May Not Process Illegals Referred From Arizona  —  A top Department of Homeland Security official reportedly said his agency will not necessarily process illegal immigrants referred to them by Arizona authorities.

Judge Weinstein Takes On Child Pornography Laws  —  In his 43-year career as a federal judge, Jack B. Weinstein has come to be identified by his efforts to combat what he calls “the unnecessary cruelty of the law.”  His most recent crusade is particularly striking because of the beneficiary …

Mark Levin throws down the gauntlet - challenges David Gregory to have him on ‘Meet the Depressed’  —  Since Rand Paul has canceled his Sunday appearance on MTP, there's an opening, and Levin wants in.  He challenges Gregory to have a real conservative on for a change.

D.C. Metro Police Escorted SEIU Protesters to Bank Of America Executive's Home  —  The family of Greg Baer, Bank of America executive, is located in a jurisdiction protected by the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD), which responded promptly to a disturbance call from his neighborhood last weekend.

THE PARTY OF CIVIL RIGHTS.... Given the new-found electoral relevance of the Civil Rights Act, I suppose this was inevitable. … This comes up from time to time, whenever Republicans are feeling particularly defensive about the civil rights issues.  But in light of the party's confusion, it's probably time for a quick refresher.