The rush to judge Israel  —  Unsure if Israel has acted in self-defense?  Just check whether the United Nations has called for an “emergency session.”  At the U.N., Jews wielding guns always precipitates an international crisis.  —  Now, I'm not one of those who reflexively accuses critics of Israel of anti-Semitism.

Obama's ‘Chicago Way’ plunders the private sector  —  An interesting thing about Barack Obama is that he chose, on two occasions, to live in Chicago — even though he didn't grow up there, had no family ties there, never went to school there.  —  It was a curious choice.

Davis loss in Alabama a sign of black establishment's clout  —  His strategy was unconventional, but in the days before the election, it appeared to be working.  Davis held a steady lead over Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks in the weeks leading up to the primary, but when the votes came in Tuesday night …

Blago trial rattles insiders  —  The corruption trial of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is already shaping up to be a political circus, promising to lay bare the underbelly of Chicago politics.  —  But while the stakes are clear for Blagojevich - he could be the fourth Illinois governor …

Ex-Florida GOP chairman Jim Greer arrested  —  Jim Greer, former chairman of the Republican Party of Florida who has been under criminal investigation for his financial handling of the organization, was arrested this morning.  —  Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents brought Greer …

Signing Arizona immigration law was never a question for governor  —  Despite report Brewer agonized over SB 1070, she had no doubts  —  When Gov. Jan Brewer stepped to the podium in front of a national television audience on April 23, she was resolute and unwavering in her declaration.

What Does MoDo Want?  —  In her column today, she doesn't offer any substantive proposals for the president to stop the oil-gush.  His language has been full of rage; he has launched a criminal investigation; he is obviously exasperated; and this is a narrative he simply cannot control.

Barney Frank calls for probe of Gaza raid  —  U.S. Rep. Barney Frank had harsh words yesterday for the Israeli Navy after a bloody raid on a pro-Palestinian flotilla outside of Gaza, describing nine activists killed in the conflict as “innocent” and calling for an independent inquiry into the showdown.

CBS Decides Al and Tipper's Separation is the Fault of....George W. Bush  —  Is there anything a journalist cannot or will not twist to bring the topic back to how life would be so much better if only not for that awful George W. Bush?  On Tuesday's CBS Evening News, with the help …

Kirk campaign acknowledges another misrepresentation of military service  —  Mark Kirk's Senate campaign has now acknowledged a second misrepresentation of his service record, admitting to me that his Web site falsely claimed that he was “the only member of Congress to serve in Operation Iraqi Freedom.”

NBC runs Palin statement day later  —  NBC's “Today” show on Wednesday read a statement from Sarah Palin intended for the previous day's broadcast after the former Alaska governor's complaint that the program ignored her rebuttal to a critical interview.  —  On Tuesday, the show broadcast …

Republicans Move Ahead in Generic Ballot for Congress  —  GOP lead of 49% to 43% is largest in 2010 thus far  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Gallup tracking of 2010 congressional voting preferences shows Republicans moving back ahead of Democrats, 49% to 43%, by two points their largest lead of the campaign to date.

Study Finds Blacks Blocked From Southern Juries  —  In late April in a courthouse in Madison County, Ala., a prosecutor was asked to explain why he had struck 11 of 14 black potential jurors in a capital murder case.  —  The district attorney, Robert Broussard, said one had seemed “arrogant” and “pretty vocal.”

Parker Griffith concedes, Mo Brooks is the GOP nominee for Congress  —  Five months after U.S. Rep. Parker Griffith switched parties, the voters of North Alabama switched congressmen.  —  On Tuesday, Republican challenger and long-time conservative Mo Brooks handily won the three-way GOP primary …

Rep. Tom Cole on oil spill: ‘Acts of God are acts of God.’  —  Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK), an ardent supporter of the oil industry and adherent of the “drill here, drill now” chant, appeared on KTOK radio yesterday to discuss BP's oil disaster in the Gulf.  Like Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX) …

Effort to contain Gulf oil spill stalls with stuck saw  —  SCHRIEVER, La. — The latest attempt at containing oil spilling into the Gulf of Mexico — a plan to saw off a leaking pipe and slide a cap over it — has been stopped because the saw is stuck, a Coast Guard official said Wednesday morning.