White House Deficit Talks Coming Apart At The Seams … WASHINGTON — The White House's proposed deficit talks with Congress appear to be unraveling before they've even begun.  —  House and Senate Republican leaders announced Tuesday that their sole appointees to the May 5th meeting …

Pay Attention to Sarah Palin!  —  In the two years and eight months that Sarah Palin has been a political celebrity, I've never heard a conservative complain about the media ignoring her.  Not until last night.  That was when Palin's web consigliere Rebecca Mansour loaded up Twitter …

Obama's Young Mother Abroad  —  The photograph showed the son, but my eye gravitated toward the mother.  That first glimpse was surprising — the stout, pale-skinned woman in sturdy sandals, standing squarely a half-step ahead of the lithe, darker-skinned figure to her left.

‘I wanted to be free’: Muslim model upsets family by posing nude for Playboy cover  —  Sila Sahin, a 25-year-old Turkish German living in Berlin, had until now been regarded as a glowing example of how a modern Muslim girl should behave in a multicultural society.

Plane with Michelle Obama had to abort landing because of mistake  —  A White House plane carrying Michelle Obama came dangerously close to a 200-ton military cargo jet and had to abort its landing at Joint Base Andrews on Monday as the result of an air traffic controller's mistake …

Newt Gingrich struggles to raise hard money  —  Newt Gingrich raised a meager $53,000 into his political action committee in the first three months of the year, highlighting potential fundraising difficulties as the former House Speaker girds for a campaign for the GOP presidential nomination.

“Amazon.com Is Doomed!”  —  Tom Friedman isn't the worst pundit at the New York Times.  On the contrary, in that group he may be above average.  Still, Friedman must be one of the most overrated people in the world.  —  At Ricochet, Rob Long resurrects a 1999 column in which Friedman predicted the demise of Amazon.com:

Obama Panel to Curb Medicare Finds Foes in Both Parties  —  WASHINGTON — Democrats and Republicans are joining to oppose one of the most important features of President Obama's new deficit reduction plan, a powerful independent board that could make sweeping cuts in the growth of Medicare spending.

A Rational Budget for the Pentagon  —  In their budget-cutting zeal, Republicans are demanding harsh sacrifices from the country's most vulnerable citizens.  At the same, they are determined to leave one of the biggest areas of wasteful government spending untouched: the Pentagon budget.

(video) Left wing DC activist to TWT: ‘Drop dead’  —  During a press conference last Thursday held by D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray regarding his opposition to Congress's re-authorization of DC's school voucher program, an anti-school voucher activist became angry with me over questions I asked Mr. Gray.

Playgirl Woos Michele Bachmann's Son; He Says ‘No’  —  EXCLUSIVE: You can't make this stuff up, kids.  Following their successful partnership with Levi Johnston, Playgirl magazine informs me they've set their sights on another young man with a Republican media star in his life: Lucas Bachmann …

Bachmann Says Obama's Certificate ‘Settles’ Birther Issue  —  For the first time, Rep. Michele Bachmann - who is actively considering a run for the White House in 2012 — has said that the birth certificate President Obama has released to the public puts an end to the “birther” issue.

Obama administration officials tried to keep S&P rating at ‘stable’  —  The Obama administration privately urged Standard & Poor's in recent weeks not to lower its outlook on the United States — a suggestion the ratings agency ignored Monday, two people familiar with the matter said.

Obama Reaffirms Desire to Lift Social Security Payroll Cap  —  Pres. Obama speaks at a town hall meeting at Northern Virginia Community College, 4/19/11.  (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)  —  The President held a town hall meeting in Annandale, Virginia, and these are usually events …

Bachmann's bid: The what-if game  —  Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) has gained considerable momentum over the past few weeks.  —  She raised more money than any of her presidential rivals in 2011's first quarter, her presence at political events regularly swells crowds …

CHARLIE SHEEN PERFORMS IN D.C.  —  During Charlie Sheen's Tuesday performance at Washington, D.C.'s DAR Constitution Hall, the actor-turned-sideshow confessed that he's one of those who are unconvinced of President Barack Obama's citizenship.  —  Sheen cited a Huffington Post presidential poll that …

Extended Unemployment Benefits Expire In These States Next … Robin St. Louis of Charlotte, N.C. lost her job as a sales rep just before Christmas in 2009 and said she hasn't had much luck with her job search since then.  —  “Looking for a job, it seems your résumé goes into a black hole …

Democrats seek funds to air Medicare ad in Boehner's district  —  Democrats are seeking funds to air a 30-second spot on Republicans' Medicare plans in House Speaker John Boehner's (R-Ohio) district.  —  Rep. Steve Israel (N.Y.), the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee …

Fidel Castro at Cuba congress alongside Raul  —  Fidel Castro, left, looked frail as he appeared alongside his brother, Raul  —  Former Cuban President Fidel Castro has made an unannounced appearance at a Communist Party Congress alongside his brother, current President Raul Castro.

Does Paul Ryan's admiration for Ayn Rand make him pro-terrorist?  Possibly, warns MSNBC guest  —  If a fictional character in a piece of literature from an author you admire commits some acts that would likely result in a felony conviction, does that mean you're a proponent of felonious acts?

Facebook Seeking Friends in Beltway  —  President Barack Obama will travel to Facebook Inc.'s Silicon Valley headquarters Wednesday to hold a “town hall” meeting on the economy with users of the social-networking site.  —  But Facebook is still trying to find a path to Washington …

Understanding the S&P report  —  Yesterday's report by Standard & Poor's on the U.S. government's credit rating is driving headlines.  You can learn a lot more from reading the primary source document than from news coverage of it.  —  Here is what S&P did:

LEAKED: Obama Executive Order Intends to Implement Portions of DISCLOSE Act  —  Download the PDF here.  —  An impeccable source has provided me with a copy of a draft Executive Order that the White House is apparently circulating for comments from several government agencies.