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 …

GOP votes to defund Obama's policy ‘czars’  —  The House GOP approved an amendment to a government-spending bill that would block funding for the Obama administration's so-called policy “czars,” appointed advisers to the president that have been much-criticized by Republicans.  —  The vote was 249-171.

On Long Island, Palin Opens Up and Plays Coy  —  WOODBURY, N.Y. — Sarah Palin did not visit Iowa or New Hampshire on Thursday, and she did not drop by South Carolina or Nevada.  But inside a country club ballroom here, as she logged another stop as a paid speaker, she said she could not wait much longer to decide her future.

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 …

GOP activists in Iowa divided on whether Palin can carry 2012 banner  —  WEST DES MOINES, IOWA - A group of Republican activists was sorting out the field of prospective 2012 presidential candidates on a cold night here recently when talk turned to Sarah Palin.

Bahrain protests: Angry mourners bury clashes victims  —  The BBC's Caroline Hawley in Manama: “I saw men with tears in their eyes”  —  Thousands of people have been voicing anger against Bahrain's authorities at the funerals of victims of Thursday's clashes which left four dead.

Kaine to decide on Senate run by early next month  —  Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine won't make a decision on a bid for the seat of retiring Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) until later this month or early next.  —  Kaine is speaking Saturday at the Virginia Democratic Party's Jefferson-Jackson dinner …

Sen. Conrad worries Democrats by calling to revisit the healthcare debate  —  Unshackled by the need to get reelected, Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) suggested Thursday that Democrats reopen the bitter healthcare debate, arguing that the reform law's provisions could yield opportunities to cut the federal deficit.

Facebook Adds ‘Civil Union,’ ‘Domestic Partnership’ To Relationship Status Options … Facebook has added two new relationship status options users can include in their online profiles: “in a civil union” and “in a domestic partnership.”  —  The new fields are being rolled out in the U.S …

Sen. Portman Warns Republicans: Beware ‘the 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.