Democrats Jump Into Six-Point Lead on Generic Ballot  —  At the same time, Republican enthusiasm for voting in November surges  —  PRINCETON, NJ — In the same week the U.S. Senate passed a major financial reform bill touted as reining in Wall Street, Democrats pulled ahead of Republicans …

Racist New Hampshire State House Candidate Advises Tea Party To Be More Open With Its Racism  —  While the tea party movement is desperately trying to fight off charges of “racist elements” from the NAACP, Ryan J. Murdough, a Republican candidate for New Hampshire State House, has no qualms about expressing his views on race.

Video Shows USDA Official Saying She Didn't Give ‘Full Force’ of Help to White Farmer  —  Shown here is USDA Georgia official Shirley Sherrod.  (YouTube)  —  Days after the NAACP clashed with Tea Party members over allegations of racism, a video has surfaced showing an Agriculture Department …

It was the moment of greatest peril for then-Sen. Barack Obama's political career.  In the heat of the presidential campaign, videos surfaced of Obama's pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, angrily denouncing whites, the U.S. government and America itself.  Obama had once bragged of his closeness to Wright.

Is Palin Lucky, Good, or ...  When she writes on her palm and uses words like refudiate, Sarah Palin is lucky.  That is, all her success, all the adulation, her approval rating with Republican voters — all of these pieces of evidence suggest that she needs more seasoning and is resonating …

Republican immigration position likely to alienate Latinos, Obama officials say  —  President Obama and his political aides privately acknowledge that the government's decision to sue Arizona over its new immigration law is helping to fuel an anti-immigration fervor that could benefit some Republicans in elections this fall.

Nevada Senate Poll Preview  —  We're going to have Nevada Senate numbers tomorrow.  What I found most amazing in comparing where Harry Reid is now and when we last polled in January and found him down 51-41 to Sue Lowden is the numbers among moderates:  —  Sharron Angle is getting 9% …

Another Senate Charade  —  This note comes courtesy of my friend David Sirota out in Colorado.  This is a classic example of how the Senate works.  If the public understood better how rigged this game is, and how few issues are actually left to an honest vote in the legislature …

Spy Swap  —  The latest in a long line.  —  With the just completed exchange of spies between the United States and Russia, the media storm will undoubtedly soon disappear.  Amid all the accounts of such arcana as steganography, brush passes, and dead drops, the fascination with Internet photos …

Crist Uses His Old Party as a New Foil  —  Senate Push Gains as Florida Governor Sets Himself Off Against State's GOP, With Some Firepower From Obama Camp  —  Gov. Crist has shored up some conservative positions, such as his support for gun rights, while shifting to the left on core issues like abortion, education and gay rights.

London ‘Times’ Sees 66% Traffic Drop, Post-Paywall  —  NEW YORK  —  Depending on its spin, News International could report its latest paywall experiment as retaining one-third of its traffic, or losing two-thirds of it.  —  According to data from Experian Hitwise, which charts Internet traffic …

Back From A Breather II  —  I love Dave Weigel and enjoyed all his posts in my absence and was delighted he took on the Trig question.  The aim of the Dish has been to air this debate on all sides in order to get as close as we can to the readily available evidence Sarah Palin insists on keeping from us.

Bob Schieffer Defends Himself Against Fox News On New Black Panthers Story (VIDEO)  —  WHAT'S YOUR REACTION?  —  CBS News' Bob Schieffer defended himself against Fox News Sunday on CNN's “Reliable Sources.”  —  Schieffer, who interviewed Attorney General Eric Holder last weekend on …

Kerry holds closed-door climate talks  —  Sen. John Kerry led more closed-door talks on Monday with top electric utility and environmental officials in the search for a sweet spot on a bill capping greenhouse-gas emissions from power plants.  —  Edison Electric Institute President Tom Kuhn …

David Cameron reveals ‘big society’ vision - and denies it is just cost cutting  —  • PM: central control led to a ‘passive, soulless’ Britain  —  • Labour warns of return to Victorian philanthropy  —  David Cameron today pledged to create communities with “oomph” …

Obama Sends Berwick Nomination to the Senate  —  President Barack Obama “sent the Senate his nomination of Donald Berwick as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Monday — a move that comes two weeks after Obama bypassed Congress to put his stalled nominee …