Obama joins Wisconsin's budget battle, opposing Republican anti-union bill  —  MADISON, WIS. - President Obama thrust himself and his political operation this week into Wisconsin's broiling budget battle, mobilizing opposition Thursday to a Republican bill that would curb public-worker benefits …

Sen. Bingaman to retire  —  Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) will retire from the Senate, a Democratic source with knowledge of Bingaman's plans confirmed Friday.  —  Bingaman is the fourth senator to caucus with the Democrats to announce his retirement this election cycle.

Bahrain troops ‘fire on crowds’  —  Bahraini security forces have opened fire on anti-government protesters, witnesses and opposition activists say.  —  The protesters were fired on after they had streamed into the centre of the capital Manama from the funerals of protesters killed in a security crackdown earlier this week.

Firefighter refused call to Tucson shooting spree scene  —  A veteran city firefighter's refusal to respond to the Jan. 8 shooting spree, citing “political bantering,” may have slowed his Tucson Fire Department unit's response to the incident that left six dead and 13 wounded, city memos show.

Willie Sutton Wept  —  There are three things you need to know about the current budget debate.  First, it's essentially fraudulent.  Second, most people posing as deficit hawks are faking it.  Third, while President Obama hasn't fully avoided the fraudulence, he's less bad than his opponents …

House Dem reveals abortion on the House floor  —  Strong stuff from Dem Rep. Jackie Speier of California, who delivered an emotional speech on the House floor last night, revealing she had an abortion as she dressed down a Republican colleague for trivialing the decisionmaking that goes into deciding whether to undergo the procedure:

Ont. couple's appeal to bring baby home dismissed  —  A Superior Court judge has dismissed a Windsor couple's appeal of a decision to have their dying baby's breathing tube removed in hospital.  In this undated handout photo, Joseph Maraachli, a one-year-old boy from Windsor, Ont. …

Nancy Pelosi aide says a government shutdown is likely  —  A high-ranking aide to Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told Democratic chiefs of staff that a government shutdown is more likely than not, according to attendees.  —  Speaking at a regular meeting of the top aides to House Democrats …

Administration asks judge to tell the states that healthcare law isn't optional  —  The Obama administration is asking a federal judge who struck down the healthcare reform law to clarify that states must still implement the overhaul as the appeals process plays out.

Democrat suggests ‘ObamaCare’ rhetoric should be banned from House floor  —  House Republicans and Democrats started Friday morning's debate over whether to defund last year's healthcare law, and as part of this debate sparred over whether members should be allowed to call that law “ObamaCare.”

Tomorrow Never Comes  —  Jonathan Alter wrote a book about Barack Obama's first year in office called “The Promise.”  That's a great title because it works on so many levels.  For example, over the past four years, Obama's career has been marked by a constant promise: He has continually …

Obama administration replaces controversial ‘conscience’ regulation for health-care workers  —  The Obama administration rescinded most of a federal regulation Friday designed to protect health workers who refuse to provide care they find objectionable on personal or religious grounds.

Unions badgering Wisconsin's finances?  —  Co-director, Center for Economic and Policy Research :  —  You have to give Gov. Walker and his wealthy patrons credit.  Here we have a situation where Wall Street fat cats wrecked the economy - people like Richard Fuld, Robert Rubin, and Angelo Mozilo …

Who's Polarizing America?  —  American politics just keeps getting more polarized.  Be assured that Obama wants it that way.  I argue in Radical-in-Chief that Obama's long-term hope is to divide America along class lines (roughly speaking, tax payers versus tax beneficiaries).

Napolitano says no to Senate bid in Arizona  —  (CNN) - Remember all that talk over the past week that Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano was thinking of running next year for the open Senate seat in her home state of Arizona?  —  Well, you can forget about it.

David Paterson: If Eliot Spitzer Doesn't Work Out 'I'm Always There To Take His Place"  —  Former New York governor David Paterson called in to Don Imus' show, broadcast on Fox Business Network, and discussed new governor Andrew Cuomo's success as well as his own relationship with Eliot Spitzer …

Groups supporting 'don't ask, don't tell' repeal or gay marriage will no longer be allowed to participate at CPAC  —  Al Cardenas, the new chairman of the American Conservative Union (ACU), announced on CSPAN Wednesday that the his organization, which hosts the annual CPAC event …

Warning for GOP: Beware ‘Arrogance of Power’  —  The Ohio Republican Says His Party Could Suffer Same Fate as Dems at the Polls  —  Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) has a warning for his fellow Republicans: Beware “the arrogance of power,” or voters will do to you what they did to Democrats last year.