First thoughts: Pelosi on the midterms  —  In an interview with NBC, Pelosi's confident that Dems will hold the House... She also urges Obama to make the distinction between criticizing Washington and criticizing Republicans... And she defends continuing to blame Bush …

The myth of Iran's ‘isolation’  —  In announcing the passage of a U.N. Security Council resolution imposing sanctions on Iran, President Obama stressed not once but twice Iran's increasing “isolation” from the world.  This claim is not surprising considering that after 16 months of an …

Obama BP gambit could fall short  —  The Obama administration's latest anti-BP volley is a call on the oil giant to pay up big time — not just for economic damages from the Gulf spill but also for lost wages of workers idled by the president's drilling moratorium.

In South Carolina, Greene is mystery man despite winning Democratic Senate nod  —  MANNING, S.C. — Alvin M. Greene never gave a speech during his campaign to become this state's Democratic nominee for Senate.  He didn't start a Web site or hire consultants or plant lawn signs.

New Estimates Double Rate of Oil That Flowed Into Gulf  —  A government panel on Thursday doubled its estimate of the amount of oil that had gushed for weeks from the out-of-control BP well even before the latest attempt to cap it.  —  The new calculation suggested that an amount of oil equivalent …

Billions for ‘green jobs,’ whatever they are  —  Buried deep inside a federal newsletter on March 16 was something called a “notice of solicitation of comments” from the Bureau of Labor Statistics at the Department of Labor.  —  “BLS is responsible for developing and implementing the collection …

Pentagon Manhunt  —  Blogs and Stories  —  Anxious that Wikileaks may be on the verge of publishing a batch of secret State Department cables, investigators are desperately searching for founder Julian Assange.  Philip Shenon reports.  —  Pentagon investigators are trying to determine …

Developed Economies Fear Deflation  —  Worries about consumer price deflation are resurfacing in the world's developed economies after weeks of financial-market turmoil driven by Europe's fiscal crisis.  —  The fears are most pronounced in Europe, where policy makers are under pressure …

US 16-year-old sailor found safe  —  A 16-year-old US sailor who went missing while sailing solo around the world has been found safe and well.  —  Abby Sunderland's yacht was spotted by an aerial search team in the southern Indian Ocean, midway between Australia and Africa.

‘Saint Sarah’ on Newsweek cover — Eric Cantor unveils new message in Detroit today — Roger Simon returns — Linda Douglass to Atlantic Media — World Cup kickoff, 10 a.m.  —  MORNING JOE is live on the beach in Pensacola, Fla., ahead of President Obama's Monday visit.

Chaos at Arlington Cemetery: Mismarked graves, dumping of urns  —  Army investigators at Arlington National Cemetery have found more than 100 unmarked graves, scores of grave sites with headstones that are not recorded on cemetery maps, and at least four burial urns that had been unearthed …

South Korean general held for spying  —  A SENIOR Korean military commander has been arrested on suspicion of leaking the South's military defence plans to Kim Jong-il's regime.  —  The major general, identified only as Kim, arrested by military authorities yesterday, faces charges of supplying confidential information to North Korea.

With Revolutionaries ‘Looking On,’ Teachers Take Kids on a Protest Trip to Arizona  —  May 28: Jose Lara, a social studies teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District, took students on an overnight “freedom ride” to Phoenix to protest what he called the “racist and outrageous” new immigration law in Arizona.

On cable TV and talk radio, a push toward polarization  —  Any conversation about political polarization would be incomplete without a look at the media's role in shaping opinions.  From my view on the front lines, I have seen a rapid escalation of extreme dialogue — sadly, something sure to guarantee high ratings.

Roger Simon makes his return  —  Since last Oct. 9, POLITICO readers have endured a hardship: the absence of Roger Simon's columns.  Happily, that ends today and Simon's POLITICO family is delighted to welcome him back.  —  The return of Ask Dr. Politics!  —  Q: Where have you been?  It's been months.

Why Japan's Leaders Keep Quitting  —  TOKYO - Many Western commentators on Japan's recent change of leadership focused on the extraordinary short tenure of former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, who resigned last week after spending fewer than nine months in office, and that of his immediate predecessors …

Under Pressure, Teachers Tamper With Test Scores  —  The staff of Normandy Crossing Elementary School outside Houston eagerly awaited the results of state achievement tests this spring.  For the principal and assistant principal, high scores could buoy their careers at a time when success is increasingly measured by such tests.

McChrystal Discusses Progress, Setbacks In Pakistan And Afghanistan  —  General Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, spoke with RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan (Radio Azadi) and Radio Mashaal in Brussels.  The interview was jointly conducted by Gul Ayaz …

Senators fret over Big 12 collapse, explore options  —  Plains state senators fretted Thursday over a major impending realignment in college football's major conferences.  —  Lawmakers representing states with universities in the Big 12 conference urged against moves that would break up the conference …

Shocking Video: Gaza O Gaza!  —  Muslim propaganda video.  —  h/t Star

Gay Couples Gain Under Violence Against Women Act  —  WASHINGTON — The Justice Department has decided that federal prosecutors should enforce criminal provisions in the Violence Against Women Act in cases involving gay and lesbian relationships, a newly disclosed memorandum shows.

Cato scholar jokes about using undocumented immigrants to soak up oil: 'they're very absorbent.'  —  Michael Cannon, a health policy expert for Cato, the libertarian think tank founded by Charles Koch of the oil conglomerate Koch Industries, took to Twitter today to trade jokes about the oil spill.