Why I don't back Ryan Medicare plan  —  As part of the 2012 budget discussions, Congress is dealing with Medicare reform.  This debate is long overdue, since its increasing cost must be addressed if we are serious about the nation's growing $14 trillion debt and $1.6 trillion annual deficit.

Obama monitors response to Joplin, Missouri tornado from abroad  —  President Obama was in Ireland Monday, kicking off a week-long tour through Europe, but he is monitoring the aftermath of the Missouri, tornado that killed at least 89 people Sunday.  —  The president received multiple updates …

Behind the Daniels family veto  —  On Friday, the pieces were coming together nicely for a Mitch Daniels-for-president campaign.  Some top potential staffers were told they would have a job, and to keep their powder dry just a little bit longer.  Several Washington Republicans expected a declaration in the next few days.

Gingrich: 'I'm not a Washington figure'  —  Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R) said he doesn't view himself as a “Washington figure,” positioning himself as an anti-D.C. candidate in his campaign for president.  —  Gingrich railed against the Washington, D.C. establishment …

Pawlenty Campaign Already Dead?  —  Tim Pawlenty's hometown newspaper, the St. Paul Pioneer Press, ran the story of his presidential campaign announcement on the Obituary page this morning, City Pages reports.

Biden tells donors: Keep me in mind for 2016  —  Vice President Joe Biden surprised a gathering of donors in Cincinnati last week when he floated the prospect of his succeeding President Barack Obama in the White House.  —  Biden, who started in the Senate young and would be just 70 in 2012 …

Obama digging up dirt on potential opponent Chris Christie  —  President Obama's re-election campaign is trying to dig up dirt in the Garden State.  —  Despite New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's repeated pronouncements that he will not seek the GOP presidential nomination …

Obama's achievement: the mouse that roared  —  I don't know what strategic purpose Obama had in mind for addressing the Middle East impasse when last Thursday he made the first of a series of speeches on the subject.  Whatever this may have been, that speech produced one satisfactory result.

The Next President Isn't Currently Running (Updated)  —  There's no GOP operative for whom I have higher regard than former RNC chair and senior Bush advisor Ed Gillespie.  He deserves to be taken seriously when he says (according to Politico): “For all intents and purposes, the field is set.

Harold Camping ‘flabbergasted’; rapture a no-show  —  (05-22) 19:18 PDT ALAMEDA — The man who said the world was going to end appeared at his front door in Alameda a day later, very much alive but not so well.  —  “It has been a really tough weekend,” said Harold Camping …

Steele to MSNBC  —  This has been in the works, in retrospect, since about January 2009:  —  New York - May 23, 2011 - Former Republican National Committee (RNC) chairman Michael Steele has been named MSNBC political analyst.  The announcement was made today by Phil Griffin, President of MSNBC, and is effective immediately.

Is Donald Trump Back in the 2012 Race?  —  ABC News' Sheila Marikar and Rick Klein report: Perhaps Donald Trump didn't really bow out after all.  —  The billionaire business mogul phoned into Fox News' “Fox & Friends” this morning to lament the state of the Republican field.

When Austerity Fails  —  I often complain, with reason, about the state of economic discussion in the United States.  And the irresponsibility of certain politicians — like those Republicans claiming that defaulting on U.S. debt would be no big deal — is scary.

Hochul continues to lead in NY-26  —  Democrat Kathy Hochul continues to appear poised for an upset victory in Tuesday's special election for Congress in New York's 26th Congressional District.  She is polling at 42% to 36% for Republican nominee Jane Corwin and 13% for Tea Party candidate Jack Davis.