Nation's Mood at Lowest Level in Two Years, Poll Shows  —  Americans are more pessimistic about the nation's economic outlook and overall direction than they have been at any time since President Obama's first two months in office, when the country was still officially ensnared in the Great Recession …

The Electoral Implications of Ensign's Resignation  —  Gov. Brian Sandoval of Nevada is expected to appoint Dean Heller, currently the Republican incumbent in the state's Second Congressional District, to replace Senator John Ensign, who is resigning.  —  Mr. Heller was already expected …

9/11 Responders To Be Warned They Will Be Screened By FBI's Terrorism Watch List (EXCLUSIVE) … WASHINGTON — A provision in the new 9/11 health bill may be adding insult to injury for people who fell sick after their service in the aftermath of the 2001 Al Qaeda attacks, The Huffington Post has learned.

Media's Spotlight Shines Less Brightly on Palin  —  One of the few pieces of statistical evidence that we can look toward at this early stage of the presidential campaign is the number of media hits that each candidate is receiving.  Apart from being interesting unto itself, it's plausible that this metric has some predictive power.

Obama makes ‘birther’ joke at fundraiser  —  President Obama on Thursday lightened up talk of high gas prices and the budget deficit on his West Coast swing with a joke about those who question his citizenship.  —  “A lot of you got involved when the prospect of electing Barack Hussein Obama to the Oval Office was slim.

Krauthammer: Trump is running  —  Conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer says Donald Trump reached out to him after a piece he wrote that laced into the developer's potential 2012 bid — a phone call he said convinced him The Donald is running for president.

Patients Are Not Consumers  —  Earlier this week, The Times reported on Congressional backlash against the Independent Payment Advisory Board, a key part of efforts to rein in health care costs.  This backlash was predictable; it is also profoundly irresponsible, as I'll explain in a minute.

Birtherism: Where it all began  —  Just when it appeared that public interest was fading, celebrity developer Donald Trump has revived the theory that President Barack Obama was born overseas and helped expose the depth to which the notion has taken root—a New York Times poll Thursday found that a plurality of Republicans believe it.

Ayn Rand's adult-onset adolescence  —  The movie “Atlas Shrugged,” adapted from Ayn Rand's 1957 novel by the same name, is a triumph of cinematic irony.  A work that lectures us endlessly on the moral superiority of heroic achievement is itself a model of mediocrity.

Getting Real About Obama's Chances, Part 1  —  As of this writing, the Intrade futures markets give the Democrats a 62 percent chance of holding the White House in 2012, essentially unchanged from a peak of 63 percent a month ago.  Washington conventional wisdom seems to agree.

Obama: Think about ditching those gas-guzzling SUVs  —  President Obama urged the public Thursday to think about trading in their SUVs for more fuel-efficient vehicles, arguing that gas-guzzlers keep the country dependent on foreign oil.  —  “When you do decide to buy a new car …

Iraq Troop Talks Falter  —  Allies Want U.S. to Stay Past Withdrawal Date but Baghdad Fears Unrest  —  WASHINGTON—Senior U.S. and Iraqi military officials have been in negotiations about keeping some 10,000 American troops in Iraq beyond the scheduled withdrawal of all U.S. forces at year's end …

Millionaire Tax Didn't Chase the Rich From New Jersey, Study Says  —  Anti-tax advocates contend that higher taxes on the wealthy lead to millionaire flight.  They say this has been seen in Maryland, Rhode Island, New Jersey and New York.  The rich are mobile, they say.

Debt elimination is a national priority  —  Seeking to put our economy on the path to prosperity and fiscal responsibility, the House passed the Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 budget, which aims to cut $6.2 trillion in government spending over the next ten years.  The Senate must still approve a budget …

Sebastian Junger Remembers Tim Hetherington  —  The death of an incomparable photojournalist, killed on April 20 while covering the conflict in Libya, is recounted by his collaborator, confrère, and friend.  —  Tim, man, what can I say?  For the first few hours the stories …

Democrats Sue to Force U.S. Election Agency to Reveal Political Donations  —  WASHINGTON — Unable to stanch the flow of corporate money to Republican causes, Democrats tried a new tack on Thursday by bringing a lawsuit against the Federal Election Commission to force the disclosure of tens of millions of dollars in secret donations.

[Proclamation] Gov. Perry Issues Proclamation for Days of Prayer for Rain in Texas  —  Gov. Perry Issues Proclamation for Days of Prayer for Rain in Texas  —  Gov. Rick Perry has proclaimed the three-day period from Friday, April 22, to Sunday, April 24, as Days of Prayer for Rain in the State of Texas …

'Don't say gay' bill clears Senate panel  —  Register or log in using your account on these websites.  —  Web Search powered by YAHOO! SEARCH  —  NASHVILLE - After some convoluted maneuvers, a Senate committee Wednesday approved a bill that will prohibit teachers from discussing homosexuality …

McCain Lauds Anti-Qaddafi Forces During Libya Visit  —  BENGHAZI, Libya — U.S. Sen. John McCain, one of the strongest proponents in Congress of the American military intervention in Libya, said Friday that Libyan rebels fighting Muammar Qaddafi's troops are his heroes.

EXCLUSIVE: MEL GIBSON FINALLY TALKS  —  EXCLUSIVE: On May 6th, Mel Gibson's much-delayed comeback picture, The Beaver, will open in limited release.  It's directed by his longtime friend and co-star Jodie Foster.  The movie has already garnered reviews praising Gibson's performance as …