Rand Paul comments about civil rights stir controversy  —  Two days after becoming the newest symbol of “tea party” politics, Republican Senate candidate Rand Paul of Kentucky thrust himself, his party and the movement into an uncomfortable conversation about the federal government's role …

Exclusive: President Obama To Replace Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair*  —  ABC News has learned that President Obama will replace the Director of National Intelligence, Admiral Dennis Blair (ret.) His resignation will come as soon as tomorrow, sources tell ABC News.

Senate clears way to vote on financial reform  —  The Senate voted Thursday afternoon to end its three-week debate on a bill to rewrite the nation's financial regulations, paving the way for a final vote on the landmark legislation.  —  The 60-to-40 vote — the minimum required to end debate …

Rodent scurries by as Obama lauds Wall Street vote  —  WASHINGTON - In his battle with the titans of Wall Street, President Barack Obama almost got upstaged by a rat.  —  But he didn't even seem to notice.  Assuming that's what it was, scurrying in front of his podium Thursday in a sun-drenched Rose Garden.

And The Winner of The Everybody Draw Mohammad Contest is...  To remind readers of the stakes: In recent months, a Swedish cartoonist that sketched Mohammed as a “roundabout dog” as part of a planned street installation was assaulted during a lecture and, the following week, two extremists attempted to burn his house down.

Little Girl Who Challenged First Lady Is Right: Obama Is Deporting More Immigrants Than Ever  —  WHAT'S YOUR REACTION?  —  A little girl became the face of the nation's immigration debate on Wednesday, when she told First Lady Michelle Obama about her mother's fear.

Fox News Poll: States Should Have Right To Make Immigration Laws  —  Amid the ongoing controversy over Arizona's new immigration law, voters by a 2-to-1 margin think individual states should have the right to make their own immigration laws.  And a majority of voters would like their own state to follow Arizona's lead.

Lost Decade Looming?  —  Despite a chorus of voices claiming otherwise, we aren't Greece.  We are, however, looking more and more like Japan.  —  For the past few months, much commentary on the economy — some of it posing as reporting — has had one central theme: policy makers are doing too much.

House Panel Rejects a Plan to Shift Detainees to Illinois  —  WASHINGTON — The House Armed Services Committee has dealt a blow to President Obama's hopes to shutter the military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, by unanimously approving legislation that would prohibit creating a detention center inside the United States.

THE SITUATION ROOM  —  Interview with Mexican President Felipe Calderon; Analysis of Special Election Results  —  THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT.  THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.  —  WOLF BLITZER, HOST: Thanks very much, guys.  —  Happening now, the presidents …

Op-Ed Contributor: The Rush Limbaugh Victory  —  THERE are many theories for why very conservative Republicans seem to be doing so well lately, taking their party's Senate nominations in Florida, Kentucky and Utah, and beating Democrats head-to-head in Massachusetts, New Jersey and Virginia.

The New Term for the War on Terror  —  If you blinked, you might have missed it.  The Obama administration has unofficially rebranded “war on terror” phrase that dominated public discourse throughout the Bush administration.  The replacement phrase, carefully chosen, is “CVE” — Countering Violent Extremism.