Political Memo: Democrats Are Skipping Town Halls to Avoid Voter Rage  —  BEL AIR, Md. — The reception that Representative Frank Kratovil Jr., a Democrat, received here one night last week as he faced a small group of constituents was far more pleasant than his encounters during a Congressional recess last summer.

With Regrets  —  I concur with the following response from my agent to Helen Thomas' lamentable remarks about Israel, and will no longer be working with Helen on our book projects.  — Craig Crawford

U.S. Intelligence Analyst Arrested in Wikileaks Video Probe  —  Federal officials have arrested an Army intelligence analyst who boasted of giving classified U.S. combat video and hundreds of thousands of classified State Department records to whistleblower site Wikileaks, Wired.com has learned.

Barack Obama Ignores D-Day Anniversary - Goes to Theatre Party Instead  —  On June 6, 1944, the D-Day invasion of Europe took place during World War II as Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy, France.  America lost 2,499 of its finest men that day.  —  (Enterprise News)

Bernie Madoff, Free at Last  —  In prison he doesn't have to hide his lack of conscience.  In fact, he's a hero for it.  —  Last August, shortly after his arrival at the federal correctional complex in Butner, North Carolina, Bernard L. Madoff was waiting on the evening pill line …

Excelsior!  Upwards of Eight Thousand Protest 911 Mega Mosque on D Day!  —  Despite weather forecasts of thunderstorms and rain, the skies were clear and beautiful — but not as beautiful as this patriotic crowd of great Americans and Europeans.  It was a real cross section of humanity . …

Damage Will Go On After Well Is Plugged, Admiral Says  —  HOUSTON — The Coast Guard commander in charge of the federal response to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico warned on Sunday that even if the flow of crude was stopped by summer, it could take well into autumn — and maybe much longer …

Did Reuters Crop a Photo to Remove a Peace Activist's Weapon?  —  A Turkish newpaper has released photos taken by the “peace activists” aboard the Mavi Marmara, showing them attempting to take injured Israeli soldiers hostage.  —  Here's one of the pictures; notice the knife held by a “peace activist” in the lower right corner:

Apple's Magic Trackpad revealed?  —  Of all the surprises we expected to hear about in the WWDC keynote, a multitouch trackpad peripheral didn't exactly pop into our brains.  But — whoomp — here it is.  What we appear to be looking at is a brand new input device that Apple has dreamed …

Obama 2008: I ran a big campaign, so I can handle a Gulf emergency  —  It's not mentioned much now, but in the late summer of 2008, a major hurricane, Gustav, was in the Gulf of Mexico and headed toward New Orleans, threatening a replay of the disastrous Katrina experience.

Haley Staying Strong  —  Nikki Haley hasn't suffered any damage whatsoever after accusations of multiple extramarital affairs and is headed for an easy first place finish in Tuesday's Republican primary for Governor of South Carolina.  —  Haley has a 20 point lead, getting 43% of the vote.

More Obama change to believe in: Americans now see him as a partisan Democrat  —  One of the 2007-08 Obama presidential campaign's changes that Americans believed in by the many millions was his oft-repeated promise to work with all sides no matter what and change the harsh political tone of Washington.

Elton John Sings at Rush Limbaugh's 4th Wedding  —  Talk about an odd couple: conservative radio commentator Rush Limbaugh and outspoken gay-marriage advocate Elton John.  —  But, according to a News Corporation (which owns Fox News) wire report, the Rocket Man, 63, serenaded the 400 guests …

Gaza blockade: Iran offers escort to next aid convoy  —  • Aide threatens use of Revolutionary Guard  —  • Netanyahu warns of Jerusalem missile danger  —  Iran has warned that it could send Revolutionary Guard naval units to escort humanitarian aid convoys seeking to break …

New Jersey Terrorism Arrests: Two NJ Men Arrested At JFK Airport On Terrorism Charges  —  WHAT'S YOUR REACTION?  —  ELMWOOD PARK, N.J. — They were recorded talking jihad against their fellow Americans.  But they hadn't talked the jihadists into accepting them.