GOP elite see Mitch Daniels as 2012 savior  —  Top Republicans are increasingly convinced that President Barack Obama will be easily reelected if stronger GOP contenders do not emerge, and some are virtually begging Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels to add some excitement to the slow-starting nomination race.

Catholic Church Investigation Says Hippies Made Catholic Priests Sexually Abuse Children  —  Laurie Goodstein reports on the release of an inquiry by American bishops into sex abuse scandals: … This hippie-blaming strategy seems unlikely to persuade anyone.

White House shuts out Herald scribe  —  The White House Press Office has refused to give the Boston Herald full access to President Obama's Boston fund-raiser today, in e-mails objecting to the newspaper's front page placement of a Mitt Romney op-ed, saying pool reporters are chosen based on whether they cover the news “fairly.”

Senate Refuses to End Tax Breaks for Big Oil  —  WASHINGTON — The Senate on Tuesday blocked a Democratic proposal to strip the five leading oil companies of tax breaks that backers of the measure said were unfairly padding industry profits while consumers were struggling with high gas prices.

Ben Stein Watch, DSK edition  —  Without further ado, the top ten lines from Ben Stein's article on Dominique Strauss-Kahn:  — If he is such a womanizer and violent guy with women, why didn't he ever get charged until now?  — This is a case about the hatred of the have-nots for the haves, and that's what it's all about.

Obama: “My People, You Continue to Have My Blessing.”  —  What kind of political leader tells his supporters this? … President Obama does.  That's what he said toward the end a speech at a campaign fundraiser last night in Washington to a relatively youthful crowd of supporters …

‘Gang of Six’ on verge of collapse as Republican Sen. Coburn withdraws  —  View Photo Gallery —  "You've got to have Republicans and Democrats talking and trying to find common ground," says Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.).  But in these immoderate times, his aisle-reaching is politcially dangerous.

State Department snubs the Elders  —  Former President Jimmy Carter and former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari were hoping to visit the State Department this week to brief officials on their recent trip to North Korea, but nobody at the State Department was available to meet with them.

Prayer request for Osama bin Laden at Catholic Church in West Palm Beach  —  Priest to honor request at Sunday Mass  —  Last Updated: 3 hours and 54 minutes ago  —  WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The name of Osama bin Laden appears in the Holy Name of Jesus Sunday bulletin.  There's a cross next to it.

Healthcare reform waivers part of ‘crony politics,’ Pawlenty says  —  Likely GOP presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty on Tuesday added to already widespread criticism of healthcare reform law waivers, calling the practice an example of “crony politics.”  —  Pawlenty, the former Minnesota governor …

Fewer Emergency Rooms Available as Need Rises  —  Hospital emergency rooms, particularly those serving the urban poor, are closing at an alarming rate even as emergency visits are rising, according to a report published on Tuesday.  —  Urban and suburban areas have lost a quarter …

What CNN's story on political sex scandals left out: Eliot Spitzer  —  A TVNewser reader Tweeted at us today: … The answer: yes it did.  —  Suzanne Malveaux's story, which aired at 2:30pmET, made mention or showed images of politicians ranging from John F. Kennedy to John Edwards …

BREAKING: Jerome Corsi's Birther Book Pulled from Shelves!  —  In a stunning development one day after the release of Where's the Birth Certificate?  The Case that Barack Obama is not Eligible to be President, by Dr. Jerome Corsi, World Net Daily Editor and Chief Executive Officer Joseph Farah …

CIA flew stealth drones into Pakistan to monitor bin Laden house  —  The CIA employed sophisticated new stealth drone aircraft to fly dozens of secret missions deep into Pakistani airspace and monitor the compound where Osama bin Laden was killed, current and former U.S. officials said.

Pakistan arrests ‘senior al-Qaeda operative’  —  A senior Yemeni al-Qaeda operative has been arrested in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi, Pakistan's army says.  —  Mohammed Ali Qasim, also known as Abu Suhaib al-Makki, had been working under al-Qaeda leaders along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, a statement said.