Weiner Tells Friends He Will Step Down  —  WASHINGTON — Representative Anthony D. Weiner has told friends that he plans to resign his seat after coming under growing pressure from his Democratic colleagues to leave the House in the wake of revelations of his lewd online exchanges with women, said a person told of Mr. Weiner's plans.

Senate kills off ethanol tax credits in possible break with tax pledge  —  The Senate voted 73-27 Thursday to kill a major tax break that benefits the ethanol industry, handing a political win to a bipartisan group of lawmakers that call the incentive needless and expensive.

Romney: 'I'm Also Unemployed'  —  TAMPA, Fla. — Mitt Romney sat at the head of the table at a coffee shop here on Thursday, listening to a group of unemployed Floridians explain the challenges of looking for work.  When they finished, he weighed in with a predicament of his own.

Jon Huntsman Cancels Appearance At Republican Leadership Conference Due To Illness  —  ABC News' Michael Falcone (@michaelpfalcone) reports:  —  Although he was slated to speak at a major gathering of Republicans taking place in New Orleans this weekend — just days before the official rollout …

2012 Voter Preferences for Obama, “Republican” Remain Close  —  Forty-four percent prefer the Republican; 39%, Obama  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Forty-four percent of registered voters say they are more likely to vote for “the Republican Party's candidate” and 39% for Barack Obama …

My Job Offer for Anthony Weiner  —  Mr. Weiner:  —  After having learned of your sudden and compelled resignation from your Congressional post, I would like to make you an offer of employment at Flynt Management Group, LLC in our Internet group.  As a Congressman, you are known for your intensity and perseverance.

Union leader compares NJ gov to Hitler at rally  —  Thousands participate in a rally to protest a Senate Budget Committee hearing on employee benefits at the State House Annex in Trenton, N.J.,Thursday, June 16, 2011.  Labor leaders rallying for collective bargaining rights in New Jersey went …

Dan Choi Rips Up Obama Flyer: 'I Won't Support Obama If He Doesn't Endorse Marriage Equality'  —  Lt. Dan Choi ripped up an Obama For America (OFA) flyer this afternoon during a panel at Netroots Nation when he was confronted by an Obama volunteer who attempted to explain away the President's opposition to same-sex marriage:

John Edwards Sought Millions From Heiress as Feds Closed In - ABC News Exclusive  —  Just weeks before federal prosecutors charged John Edwards in a six-count felony indictment, ABC News has been told, the two-time Democratic presidential candidate requested millions of dollars from Rachel …

Obama Fails to Justify the Legality of War in Libya  —  In a letter to John Boehner and a 38-page report, the White House could not prove it complied with the War Powers Resolution  —  Is the U.S. at war in Libya, putting President Obama in violation of the War Powers Resolution?

Michele Bachmann and the Empathy Card  —  I am a long-time friend and admirer of Michele Bachmann, but nevertheless was disappointed when it became clear that she was going to run for president.  I did not think she would be a serious candidate—sorry, Michele!—and believed she would distract needlessly …

Southern Baptists urge path to citizenship for illegal immigrants  —  The Southern Baptist Convention has passed a resolution advocating a path to legal status for illegal immigrants.  —  The resolution was passed on Wednesday at the annual meeting of the nation's largest protestant denomination in Phoenix.

45% of GOP Primary Voters Say It's Bad for Party If Palin Enters Presidential Race  —  A plurality of Republican primary voters think it would be good Texas Governor Rick Perry to jump into the party's presidential race and bad for the party if former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin joined the field.

Ex-Spy Alleges Bush White House Sought to Discredit Critic  —  WASHINGTON — A former senior C.I.A. official says that officials in the Bush White House sought damaging personal information on a prominent American critic of the Iraq war in order to discredit him.

Bloomberg: Marriage Bill Passes With More Than ‘Bare Majority’  —  New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg met privately with Senate Republicans for about 45 minutes today to discuss the same-sex marriage bill and emerged to say at a Q and A that he expects the measure to pass beyond just 32 votes.

How Today's Conservatism Lost Touch with Reality  —  “Conservatism is true.”  That's what George Will told me when I interviewed him as an eager student many years ago.  His formulation might have been a touch arrogant, but Will's basic point was intelligent.  Conservatism, he explained, was rooted in reality.