This Year's Maverick  —  Lindsey Graham was sitting in a sedan early one morning and contentedly discussing the various fellow South Carolina conservatives who dislike him — Tea Partiers, Constitutionalists, immigration hardliners — when Van Cato, his upstate regional director …

In Clarence Thomas's gun rights opinion, race plays a major role  —  He hardly ever speaks during oral arguments, often appearing asleep on the bench.  But in his written opinion Monday supporting the right to bear arms, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas roared to life.

Senate denies C-SPAN coverage  —  As the late Sen. Robert Byrd's coffin lies in repose on the Senate floor, C-SPAN has been refused permission to broadcast the event, causing members of the Radio-Television Correspondents Association to send a formal complaint to Senate Rules Committee Chairman Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).

The Most Unhappy Fellow  —  Our Independence Day weekend winner of the title of Most Unhappy Person in Washington is: John Boehner, the House minority leader.  —  I know this is a bit of a surprise since the award almost always goes to the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, whose job is frequently compared to herding cats.

‘Everything in My Power’: Obama Launches Massive Push for Immigration Reform  —  With Arizona Law Set to Take Effect, Obama Revisits ‘Unwavering Commitment’ to Immigration Reform  —  One month before Arizona's new immigration law is slated to take effect, President Obama will today try …

Jobless Benefits Repeat  —  Once again, the Congress is going to go on a break without having extended long term jobless benefits, as the Senate failed to get 60 votes last night on another plan from Democrats.  —  By my count, this is the third time that Senators will have gone …

Portland police will investigate accusations that Al Gore groped woman  —  Portland police announced today that it will re-open and investigate a Portland massage therapist's allegations that former Vice President Al Gore sexually assaulted her at a downtown hotel in October 2006.

Speier: 5 years for ENDA  —  Congresswoman Jackie Speier put a damper on hopes for swift House passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, telling the Bay Area Reporter over the weekend that she doesn't see the LGBT workplace protections becoming law anytime soon.

Breitbart, Sullivan in Journolist spat  —  Andrew Breitbart's $100,000 offer for the full archives of the now-defunct liberal listserve Journolist has prompted a fight between himself and Atlantic blogger Andrew Sullivan.  —  Breitbart has not yet had any takers for the offer …

An Update from Christopher Hitchens  —  I have been advised by my physician that I must undergo a course of chemotherapy on my esophagus.  This advice seems persuasive to me.  I regret having had to cancel so many engagements at such short notice.  —  Keywords:

Democrats to punt on taxes  —  Democratic leaders are likely to punt the task of renewing Bush-era tax cuts until after the election.  —  Voters in November's midterms will thus be left without a clear idea of their future tax rates when they go to the polls.

Trashing Thurgood Marshall  —  Just because Elena Kagan is white didn't stop Republicans from injecting race into her Supreme Court confirmation hearings.  —  The second day of the confirmation hearings of Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court was marked by some substantive dialogue …

2 Suitors for Newsweek Are Said to Be Ruled Out  —  WITH a 5 p.m. Thursday deadline approaching for the final round of bids, at least two people were preparing to make offers for Newsweek while two others were told by the magazine's owners that their bids would not be considered.

Health site promotes vodka, P. Diddy  —  With HHS's rollout of a new web portal, HealthCare.Gov, you can investigate health insurance plans and provisions of the new health care law.  And for a while, you could also learn some not so health-related information, like that HealthCare.Gov enjoys P. Diddy and Indian politicians.

Independent Voters Favor GOP in 2010 Election Tracking  —  Prefer Republican candidate to Democrat by an average of 45% to 35%  —  PRINCETON, NJ — By an average 10 percentage-point margin since March, 45% to 35%, independent registered voters have consistently preferred the Republican …

Deficit Panel Stresses Spending Cuts  —  Democrats on a blue-ribbon deficit-reduction panel suggested spending cuts would likely have to outweigh tax increases if the nation is to seriously tackle its ballooning financial obligations.  —  The discussions came as congressional budget analysts projected …

Pentagon recommends Medal of Honor for a living soldier  —  The Pentagon has recommended that the White House consider awarding the Medal of Honor to a living soldier for the first time since the Vietnam War, according to U.S. officials.  —  The soldier, whose nomination must be reviewed by the White House …

Google to Add Pay to Cover a Tax for Same-Sex Benefits  —  Working for a company as rich as Google comes with an incredible number of fringe benefits: the free food, the free laundry, the doctor on duty at company headquarters and the impressive five months of maternity leave with full pay and benefits, to mention a few.

Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis  —  EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION  —  Program Contact:  —  TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL  —  (202) 693-4676  —  UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT  —  SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

Reporters lobby for votes to White House correspondents' board  —  Bloomberg reporter Hans Nichols used his time in the White House briefing room before press secretary Robert Gibbs's Tuesday afternoon spin session to do some politicking of his own.  —  “The basic issue for me is access,” …