Altered mural fuels racial debate in Prescott  —  A group of artists has been asked to lighten the faces of children depicted in a giant public mural at a Prescott school.  —  The project's leader says he was ordered to lighten the skin tone after complaints about the children's ethnicity.

Helen Thomas: Go home to Europe, Jews  —  Tony Snow once accused her of stating “the Hezbollah view” in her questions during the Israel/Lebanon war.  Little did he know how right he was.  Or maybe he did know: Watching this, it occurred to me that an 89-year-old reporter who's moved …

Liz Cheney attacks Obama for saying flotilla deaths were “tragic”  —  It's not surprising that Liz Cheney is now faulting Obama's handling of the Israeli raid on the flotilla.  What is noteworthy is how she's doing it: She's faulting the President for describing the loss of life as “tragic.”

THIS JUST IN  —  With a bead of sweat rolling down the side of his face outside a Columbia bar, Republican S.C. Sen. Jake Knotts called Lexington Rep. Nikki Haley, an Indian-American Republican woman running for governor, a “raghead” several times while explaining how he believed she was hiding her true religion from voters.

NOTE TO GOP: LET IT BE.... President Obama hosted an event this week with Paul McCartney, where the legendary artist was awarded the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize.  That wouldn't be especially noteworthy, were it not for a 17-word joke the songwriter told.  Salon's Alex Pareene had this report:

Flotilla passengers: Go back to Auschwitz  —  Audio: IDF soldiers warn flotilla vessels they are nearing area under naval blockade, latter respond with anti-Semitic slurs  —  The IDF released on Friday an audio reproduction of the moments before Monday's raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla.

Report: Obama knew from the beginning that oil leak would likely last months  —  This makes all those golf outings, sports-team photo ops, and celebrity jams with Paul McCartney over the past six weeks feel extra special, doesn't it? … That's from frequent Olbermann guest Richard Wolffe.

BP hives off ‘toxic’ oil spill operation  —  Chief executive Tony Hayward hands responsibility for clean-up to American as new containment cap is placed on top of leak  —  BP is to hive off its Gulf of Mexico oil spill operation to a separate in-house business to be run by an American …

Israel Derangement Syndrome  —  To read Charles Krauthammer today is to enter a twilight zone of an alternate reality.  A country permanently occupying and colonizing a neighboring region, and treating its original inhabitants as dangerous interlopers, is the victim.

Eyewitnesses, both activists and reporters, contradict Israeli account  —  As Israel releases detained activists and journalists after the assault on the Gaza relief flotilla, they are beginning to tell their version of events.  The story has so far been dominated by Israeli offical releases and …

Obama to Nominate Clapper for DNI Tomorrow  —  President Obama intends to nominate Gen. James Clapper (Ret)., the current undersecretary of defense for intelligence, as Director of National Intelligence.  —  Pending weather, the announcement will be made in the Rose Garden tomorrow.

Palin Backs Branstad - Vander Plaats Supporters Howl  —  In a surprise move just days before Iowa Republicans go to the poll to nominate a gubernatorial candidate, Sarah Palin decided to weigh in and endorsed former Governor Terry Branstad yesterday.  —  Her endorsement caught many off guard, including Branstad himself.

Glimpses of Kagan's Views in Clinton White House  —  WASHINGTON — A new cache of documents from Elena Kagan's days as an adviser to President Bill Clinton shows that she frequently scribbled notes in the margins of memorandums yet rarely expressed forceful views.

State parole board votes to release 1973 cop killer  —  A state parole board has voted to release a cop-killing kidnapper involved in a 47-hour hostage standoff in Brooklyn in 1973, officials said today.  —  Shuaib Raheem was initially granted parole three years ago in a decision …

Predator B drones deployed on Texas-Mexico border  —  Predator B aerial drones, which have proved successful fighting insurgents in Afghanistan, were deployed this week along the border between Texas and Mexico.  —  U.S. Customs and Border Protection began flying unmanned surveillance missions along …

The Morning Plum  —  * There's no getting around the fact that the public is unhappy with Obama's handling of the Gulf spill: A new CBS poll finds that nearly two thirds of Americans want Obama to be doing more.  —  * Which prompts the question o' the day: Is it possible the public is unhappy …

Democrat Tells Libtalker He Wants Republicans Sent To Prison  —  JAIL MY FOES  —  Grayson: Michael Steele Should Be Imprisoned  —  While it's already no secret that far-left Rep Alan Grayson (D-FL) is a loose cannon, there's no question his fiery rhetoric has been cranked up a few notches in recent days.

AR-Sen: Halter maintains narrow lead, 49%-45%  —  Research 2000 for Daily Kos. 6/2-4.  Likely Democratic primary voters.  MoE 4% (5/24-26 results)  —  Democratic primary  —  Blanche Lincoln (D) 45 (44)  —  Bill Halter (D) 49 (47)  —  Undecided 6 (9)  —  Favorable/Unfavorable (among Democrats)