Barack Obama Chides Local Reporter For His Interruptive And Combative Interview  —  President Barack Obama conducted interviews with a number of reporters yesterday at the White House, talking up his administration's efforts to reduce the budget deficit.  One lucky reporter to get the plum assignment …

Why Trump Soars  —  Very few people have the luxury of being freely obnoxious.  Most people have to watch what they say for fear of offending their bosses and colleagues.  Others resist saying anything that might make them unpopular.  —  But, in every society, there are a few rare souls …

VIDEO: New Hampshire Tea Party Activists Don't See Harm From State Same-Sex Marriage Law  —  ThinkProgress filed this report from Concord, New Hampshire.  —  During a recent trip to Concord, New Hampshire, to cover a Tax Day Tea Party sponsored by Americans for Prosperity …

Gov. Jindal will sign ‘birther’ bill if it reaches his desk  —  BATON ROUGE — Gov. Bobby Jindal would sign a bill requiring presidential candidates to provide a copy of their birth certificate to qualify for the Louisiana ballot if it reaches his desk, a spokesman said Monday.

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 …

Proper Reaction to S&P Credit Downgrade Threat: Bursting Out Laughing  —  Dave Lindorff managed to scrounge up the best quote from an economist in reaction to S&P's threatened US credit downgrade: … That's about the right reaction to have.  As James Fallows points out …

Video: Obama uses false bridge-collapse argument to argue for more taxes  —  The headline really doesn't do justice to the actual offensive nature of this video from today's town hall in Annandale.  Obama keeps mentioning “potholes” on roads, but unless he's referring to interstate highways, the federal government doesn't fix potholes.

Secret memos expose link between oil firms and invasion of Iraq  —  Plans to exploit Iraq's oil reserves were discussed by government ministers and the world's largest oil companies the year before Britain took a leading role in invading Iraq, government documents show.

Petition to recall Wisconsin GOP Sen. Sheila Harsdorf to be filed Tuesday  —  More than enough signatures have been collected in an effort to recall Republican Wisconsin state Sen. Sheila Harsdorf, organizers announced Monday.  —  Democratic Party of Wisconsin spokesman Graeme Zielinski …

Donald Trump: Reagan Was A Con Man Who Couldn't ‘Deliver The Goods’  —  Today, real estate mogul Donald Trump proudly declares that Ronald Reagan is the President he admires most.  Here's Trump on the April 14 edition of Hannity: … Watch it:  —  But in his bestselling book, Art of the Deal …

Club for Growth to Sen. Lugar: Retire  —  The president of the Club for Growth encouraged longtime Sen. Dick Lugar (R-Ind.) to retire Tuesday rather than seek another term in 2012, warning that the group could get involved in the effort to oust Lugar in a primary.

Trump: I'll Release My Tax Returns When Obama Releases His Birth Certificate  —  Donald Trump has promised to disclose the details of his finances if he decides to run for president, but not necessarily his tax returns.  In our interview yesterday, he laid out a new condition for their release.

Poll: Best way to fight deficits: Raise taxes on the rich  —  WASHINGTON — Alarmed by rising national debt and increasingly downbeat about their country's course, Americans are clear about how they want to attack the government's runway budget deficits: raise taxes on the wealthy and keep hands off of Medicare and Medicaid.

A Sense Of Entitlement  —  The federal government offers numerous entitlement programs to assist the needy and the aged.  The principal ones include Social Security (which is self-funded for the most part), Medicare, and Welfare.  These programs have been installed by acts of Congress motivated …

Arab American Group Praises Mitch Daniels As ‘The Adult In The Room’  —  While some GOP presidential contenders ratchet up their anti-Muslim rhetoric to toxic levels, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniel (R) is set to accept a prestigious award next month from the Arab American Institute.

State launches probe into campaign to provide superhero capes to jobless  —  State labor officials asked their inspector general Monday to investigate why a Central Florida agency wants to spend public money to furnish the unemployed with capes.  —  Dubbed the “Cape-A-Bility Challenge,” …

Classic kids games like kickball deemed unsafe by state in effort to increase summer camp regulation  —  State bureaucrats have created a list of ‘risky activities’ for kids at summer camp.  The list includes freeze tag, Wiffle Ball and kickball, among other games and activities.