Obama: GOP tried to “sneak” agenda into budget  —  In what he thought was a private chat with campaign donors Thursday evening, President Obama offered the most revealing behind-the-scenes account to date of his budget negotiations with GOP leaders last week.

Who's Serious Now?  —  Paul Ryan, the chairman of the House Budget Committee, sounds upset.  And you can see why: President Obama, to the great relief of progressives, has called his bluff.  —  Last week, Mr. Ryan unveiled his budget proposal, and the initial reaction of much of the punditocracy …

OLBERMANN: S.E. CUPP SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN BORN, PROVES ‘NECESSITY’ OF PLANNED PARENTHOOD  —  Keith Olbermann is not known for his candor.  In a sense, it's what's made him a popular figure on the left.  And sure, he makes off-the-wall comments sometimes in order to evoke a response.

Arizona birther bill in Gov. Jan Brewer's hands  —  Arizona's birther bill has cleared the state legislature and is headed to Republican Gov. Jan Brewer's desk.  —  After it easily cleared the state Senate Wednesday, the Arizona House on Thursday night voted 40-16 in favor …

Atlas Shrugged  —  I feel like my arm is all warmed up and I don't have a game to pitch.  I was primed to review “Atlas Shrugged.”  I figured it might provide a parable of Ayn Rand's philosophy that I could discuss.  For me, that philosophy reduces itself to: “I'm on board; pull up the lifeline.”

Obama Exclusive: I Was Born in Hawaii and I Don't ‘Have Horns’  —  I thought the president would take a pass when I asked him about Donald Trump's rise to the top of the Republican field in my exclusive interview today.  —  Far from it.  —  He grabbed at the chance with a big smile …

Then They Came for Dana Milbank  —  For the past 20 years, as the U.S. middle class has quietly collapsed, Dana Milbank has made a great living as a media liberal who constantly ridicules liberals.  But recently it seemed as though he'd suddenly noticed something was going on.  Why?

Tim Pawlenty: Obama gives ‘false choice’ on debt limit  —  NASHUA, N.H. — Tim Pawlenty endeared himself to enthused Republican activists here Thursday with an impassioned attack against President Barack Obama's rhetoric on the looming debt-ceiling fight, accusing him of misleading on the issue.

Trump defends Democratic donations  —  On Fox last night, Donald Trump defended his history of substantial donations to prominent Democrats. … Open Secrets notes that Trump has given more to Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY) since the 1990 election cycle than he has any other politician.

The rise and rise of the princelings, the country's revolutionary aristocracy  —  “THERE are some sour and smelly literati these days who are utterly abominable,” a retired military officer reportedly told a recent gathering in Beijing.  “They attack Chairman Mao and practise de-Maoification.

White House to Gang of Six: Wrap up work on deficit-reduction plan  —  Senate Democrats and the White House are pressuring Republican members of the Gang of Six to reach an agreement on a deficit-reduction package so it can be used as a credible alternative to the budget unveiled last week …

Ultimate Spoiler Alert  —  President Obama and Paul Ryan are two of the smartest, most admirable and most genial men in Washington.  It is sad, although not strange, that in today's Washington they have never had a serious private conversation.  The president has never invited Ryan over even for lunch.

How the Ice in Your Drink is Imperiling the Planet  —  Want to save the Earth?  Easy, just buy a couple of ice trays.  To the long list of human inventions that are wrecking global climate—the internal combustion engine, the industrial era factory—add the automatic ice maker.

Have the U.S. and NATO given up on Libya mess?  —  Chief Political Correspondent Follow Him @ByronYork  —  While Washington has been consumed by the battle of the budget, the people running the real war in Libya seem to have given up hope of using American and NATO firepower to drive Moammar Gadhafi from power.

RANT: VegNews is putting the MEAT into vegan issues  —  Do you like looking at pictures of meat?  How about a juicy beef burger, covered in egg mayonnaise with cow fat dripping off?  Perhaps some soft, meaty chunks of chicken breast in chicken stock and cream?

Another one of Ron Paul's children may run for Congress  —  First it was just Ron Paul.  —  An obstetrician-gynecologist and libertarian-leaning Republican from Lake Jackson, Paul was elected to the U.S. House more than 20 years ago and maintains a devout following of those who share his anti-war, anti-tax, limited-government beliefs.

This Lady Liberty Is a Las Vegas Teenager  —  As if further proof were needed that New York is not the center of the universe.  —  The United States Postal Service has issued a new stamp featuring the Statue of Liberty.  Only the statue it features is not the one in the harbor …

Barack Obama reelect's first job: Reconnect  —  CHICAGO — President Barack Obama's fledgling reelection campaign is building a volunteer network with the audacious goal of contacting every single person who voted for him in 2008, as part of a reinvented voter outreach that will be as focused …

Libya's Pathway to Peace  —  Together with our NATO allies and coalition partners, the United States, France and Britain have been united from the start in responding to the crisis in Libya, and we are united on what needs to happen in order to end it.  —  Even as we continue …

Having Met Todd Palin ...  . . . I would advise anyone to avoid ever insulting the man.  He is not particularly tall, nor ostensibly stocky, an easygoing, modest and quiet man by nature.  Mr. Palin reminds me very much, however, of certain fellows I grew up around and, if I judge the man rightly, you'd never want to make him angry.

Rein in government - starting with Obama  —  There's some good news and some bad news as we mark the unhappy occasion of the April 18 tax filing deadline.  Let's start with the good news.  —  For the first time in the post-World War II era, there is a significant popular movement to scale …

Japan's evacuees annoyed at compensation offer  —  TOKYO - The crisis at Japan's tsunami-crippled nuclear plant forced Kazuko Suzuki to flee her home without packing, ended her job at a welfare office and cost her 18-year-old son an offer for work of his own.

Jordan to try Danish artist over Mohammed cartoon  —  AMMAN — A Jordanian court will begin this month the trial of Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard over a controversial caricature of the Muslim Prophet Mohammed, but it was unclear if he will attend.  —  Zakarya Sheikh, spokesman for a group …