McConnell Turns the Tables on Budget Vote  —  Two can play this budget game. … A day after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) put Republicans on the spot by saying he will bring the House Republicans' budget proposal up for a vote, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R. …

CBS Reporter Recounts a ‘Merciless’ Assault  —  Lara Logan thought she was going to die in Tahrir Square when she was sexually assaulted by a mob on the night that Hosni Mubarak's government fell in Cairo.  —  Ms. Logan, a CBS News correspondent, was in the square preparing a report for …

Donald Trump Bristles at Claim He's a Racist  —  Donald Trump says it's “terrible” the host of CBS' “Face the Nation” accused him of racism.  —  Trump tells TMZ ... “That is a terrible statement for a newscaster to make.  I am the last person that such a thing should be said about.”

Obama Administration punishes reporter for using multimedia  —  The hip, transparent and social media-loving Obama administration is showing its analog roots.  And maybe even some hypocrisy highlights.  —  White House officials have banished one of the best political reporters in the country …

Frank Gaffney Accuses General David Petraeus Of ‘Submission’ To Sharia Law  —  This afternoon, President Obama announced a shakeup of his national security team, with CIA Director Leon Panetta tapped to head the Department of Defense and Gen. David Petraeus, commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, to take his vacated intelligence spot.

Oklahoma GOP Lawmaker Sally Kern: ‘Blacks’ Don't Work As Hard As White People (Updated)  —  The Republican-controlled Oklahoma House of Representatives passed a proposed constitutional amendment yesterday that would eliminate Affirmative Action in state government.

Rand Paul has ‘birther’ demand for Trump: Prove you're a Republican  —  Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on Thursday took a swipe at billionaire businessman Donald Trump, demanding to see his “Republican registration.”  —  While speaking at a breakfast with New Hampshire Republicans one day after …

Calling animals ‘pets’ is insulting, academics claim  —  Animal lovers should stop calling their furry or feathered friends “pets” because the term is insulting, leading academics claim.  —  The researchers say ‘pet’ is demeaning  —  Domestic dogs, cats, hamsters or budgerigars should be rebranded as …

Valerie Jarrett shutting down Trump: No college transcript release.  —  WASHINGTON—White House senior advisor Valerie Jarrett said President Obama will not release his academic records, commenting a day after Obama put out his “long form” birth certificate and Donald Trump decided to press …

Obama's Silence on Boeing Is Unacceptable  —  The president's appointees have moved to block the company from building planes in my state.  He owes us an explanation.  —  In October 2009, Boeing, long one of the best corporations in America, made an announcement that changed the economic outlook …

How America Must Respond to the Massacre in Syria  —  It's time for President Obama to back up his rhetoric with firm action.  The first step: Recall the U.S. ambassador from Damascus.  —  In recent days, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime has used its army to murder hundreds …

Several Tossed From Congressman's Town Hall Meeting  —  Heated Debate Stems From West's Position On Medicaid  —  BOCA RATON, Fla. — Police escorted a number of people out of a town hall meeting Wednesday night — the second night in a row that U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Fla., held what became a heated event.

Shiloh Baptist Church receives threats after comments from Sean Hannity  —  Shiloh Baptist Church in the District said it has received threatening phone calls and e-mails after an Easter visit from President Obama and a conservative television commentator's subsequent playing of a videotape …

Eric Bolling And The Case Of The Time Traveling Doctor  —  Last night on Fox Business, Eric Bolling hosted Pamela Geller to discuss in all seriousness whether Obama's long-form birth certificate was “photoshopped.”  Geller has been making a fool of herself over Obama's birth certificate for three years now …

Matthews: You'd never say that about a white person!  —  Chris Matthews was talking up the birther thing tonight as if it just started yesterday, arguing that birthers are nothing more than petty racists.  He brought Trump into the conversation, of course, noting that Trump was now suggesting …

Citigroup Drops Ben Stein Speech After Complaint Jokes Disparaged Women  —  Citigroup Inc. (C) canceled a planned keynote speech by writer, actor and TV personality Ben Stein after getting a complaint that he told jokes disparaging women at a private-equity conference in Dallas earlier this year.

Populism is Not Conservatism  —  BEGIN TRANSCRIPT  —  RUSH: Libby in Miami.  Great to have you.  I'm glad you waited.  —  CALLER: Hey, Rush.  A pleasure speaking to you.  Thanks for taking my call.  —  RUSH: Yes, sir.  —  CALLER: Rush, I have to make a quick comment getting back to Trump.

Wal-Mart: Our shoppers are ‘running out of money’  —  NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — Wal-Mart's core shoppers are running out of money much faster than a year ago due to rising gasoline prices, and the retail giant is worried, CEO Mike Duke said Wednesday.  —  “We're seeing core consumers under a lot of pressure …

U.S. Economic Growth Slows to 1.8% Rate in Quarter  —  The American economy slowed to a crawl in the first quarter, but economists are hopeful that the setback will be temporary.  —  Total output grew at an annual pace of 1.8 percent last quarter, the Commerce Department said Thursday …