Rahm Emanuel expected to quit White House  —  Rahm Emanuel, the White House chief of staff, is expected to leave his job later this year after growing tired of the “idealism” of Barack Obama's inner circle.  —  Washington insiders say he will quit within six to eight months in frustration …

Lax Oversight Cited in Failure of Oil Rig's Failsafe Device  —  It was the last line of defense, the final barrier between the rushing volcanic fury of oil and gas and one of the worst environmental disasters in United States history.  —  Its very name — the blind shear ram — suggested its blunt purpose.

Tried to Boycott Israeli Ship, Blocked Chinese Ship Instead  —  Follow Israel news on and .  —  Some 500 anti-Israel protestors arrived at the Oakland, California port early Sunday morning, hoping to block an Israeli ship from unloading its cargo.  However, the ship did not arrive …

Republicans' Midterm Voting Enthusiasm Tops Prior Years  —  Relative enthusiasm advantage for GOP over Democrats largest in Gallup history dating to 1994  —  PRINCETON, NJ — An average of 59% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents have said they are more enthusiastic than usual …

Large majorities on Hill back Israel's flotilla raid  —  Even as Israel shows signs of loosening its blockade of Gaze, large majorities in the House and Senate have signed off on letters supporting the blockade and defending Israel's enforcement of it against a Turkish vessel.

Op-Ed Columnist: Budget Deficits: Spend Now, Save Later  —  Spend now, while the economy remains depressed; save later, once it has recovered.  How hard is that to understand?  —  Very hard, if the current state of political debate is any indication.  All around the world, politicians seem determined to do the reverse.

Mika Admits: I'm ‘Working With White House’ On Oil Spill Talking Points  —  Cut out the middle-woman and install Obama's teleprompter on the Morning Joe set . . .  Give her high marks for candor: on today's show, Mika Brzezinski admitted that she has been “working with the White House” on oil spill talking points.

Zombies Have Already Killed The Deficit Commission  —  It must have sounded like a good idea (although not to me): establish a bipartisan commission of Serious People to develop plans to bring the federal budget under control.  —  But the commission is already dead — and zombies did it.

Doctors limit new Medicare patients  —  WASHINGTON — The number of doctors refusing new Medicare patients because of low government payment rates is setting a new high, just six months before millions of Baby Boomers begin enrolling in the government health care program.

PRODIGAL SON  —  Is the wayward Republican Mike Huckabee now his party's best hope?  —  Sun was bouncing off the miles of Jerusalem stone and the black hats of the Hasidim on the afternoon when Mike Huckabee went to visit the Wailing Wall, earlier this year.

High court upholds anti-terror law  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has upheld a federal law that bars “material support” to foreign terrorist organizations, rejecting a free speech challenge from humanitarian aid groups.  —  The court ruled 6-3 Monday that the government may prohibit …

O'Reilly Grills Bachmann On BP's $20B Gulf Spill Fund: 'You're Dodging My Question' (VIDEO)  —  You know Rep. Michele Bachmann has crossed a line when Bill O'Reilly grills her, and even says: “You're dodging my question.”  —  That's what happened on O'Reilly's Fox News show Friday when Bachmann …

W.H. says Kyl story not true  —  The White House on Monday denied Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl's claim that President Barack Obama told him privately that he would not work to secure the border unless it was part of a comprehensive immigration reform package.  —  In a video that started circulating …

Bork to publicly oppose Kagan for Supreme Court  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Failed conservative Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork is joining anti-abortion activists to publicly oppose confirming Elena Kagan as a justice.  —  Bork plans to detail his criticisms of Kagan during …

Oops: Dem Congressional Nominee in Texas Wins on Impeachment Platform  —  Kesha Rogers won the Democratic nomination in a suburban Houston district (TX-22) on a platform of impeachment of Obama and colonization of Mars.  A professional activist in the Lyndon LaRouche movement …

South African doctor invents female condoms with ‘teeth’ to fight rape  —  (CNN) — South African Dr. Sonnet Ehlers was on call one night four decades ago when a devastated rape victim walked in.  Her eyes were lifeless; she was like a breathing corpse.  —  “She looked at me and said …

House Dems prepare alternative to budget that would avoid deficit vote  —  House Democrats are readying an alternative budget measure that would set next year's spending levels without requiring a vote on deficits.  —  House Budget Committee Chairman John Spratt (D-S.C.) said the alternative would be the …

Crist's edge over Rubio appears to be growing  —  Gov. Charlie Crist, running as an independent for the U.S. Senate, is 11 points ahead of Marco Rubio, a poll says.  —  A new Florida Chamber of Commerce poll suggests Charlie Crist may be widening his lead over Republican Marco Rubio and Democrat Kendrick Meek in the U.S. Senate race.

French prisoner ‘killed cellmate and ate his lung’  —  A French prisoner killed his cellmate then sliced open his chest to remove and eat his heart, a court has heard.  —  However, the man removed the wrong organ, and ate his lung by mistake.  —  Nicolas Cocaign, 39 …