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.

Resigned USDA official says racial story misconstrued  —  The USDA's rural development director for Georgia says she was forced out of her federally appointed job after a “snippet” of a speech she gave in March appeared to show her admission to only half-heartedly aiding a struggling white farmer because of his race.

Opposing view on the Supreme Court: A big-government vision  —  After carefully reviewing Elena Kagan's record and testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, I must oppose her nomination.  —  OUR VIEW: Kagan deserves bipartisan backing, but won't get it

GOP leery of Tea Party Caucus  —  With the official formation of a congressional Tea Party Caucus, Rep. Michele Bachmann has thrust an existential question before House Republican leaders: Are you in or are you out?  —  Indiana's Mike Pence, chairman of the Republican Conference, was adamant.

Unemployment Extension: The GOP's Nearly Unprecedented Deficit Demands  —  WHAT'S YOUR REACTION?  —  Republicans say the federal deficit can't bear the $33 billion cost of reauthorizing unemployment benefits, so the spending should be offset with cuts from another part of the budget.

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.

SEIU: Elizabeth Warren is the Right Person to Head the CFPB  —  Just released:  —  What do America's families need?  We need banking products that help us buy a home, help us save for retirement and our children's education.  We need an end to trick mortgages, an end to predatory bank and overdraft fees …

Times loses almost 90% of online readership  —  Less than three weeks after the Times paywall went up, data shows a massive decline in web traffic  —  The registration page for thetimes.co.uk - 25.6% of users sign up and proceed to the Times site  —  The Times has lost almost 90% …

Manchin makes WV Senate run official  —  Just hours after signing a compromise bill setting a special election for November 2, West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin (D) announced this morning that he would be a candidate in the race to complete the late Robert Byrd's unexpired term.

Poll: Faith in Social Security system tanking  —  WASHINGTON — Battered by high unemployment and record home foreclosures, most Americans seem to have lost faith in another fundamental part of their personal finances: Social Security.  —  A USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds that a majority …

Who is Barack Obama?  —  On Sunday, both The Post and the New York Times assembled more than 20 savants and asked them, as the Times put it, “How Can Obama Rebound?”  Good question.  Not only do six out of 10 voters “lack faith in the president to make the right decisions for the country …

Race Card Fraud  —  Credit card fraud is a serious problem.  But race card fraud is an even bigger problem.  —  Playing the race card takes many forms.  Judge Charles Pickering, a federal judge in Mississippi who defended the civil rights of blacks for years and defied the Ku Klux Klan …

Reid holds slight lead  —  Given the gift of an opponent who's even more unpopular than him, Harry Reid leads Sharron Angle 48-46 in the Nevada Senate race.  When PPP last looked at the state in January Reid trailed Sue Lowden by ten points.  —  Reid continues to have upside down approval numbers …