Seized Phone Offers Clues to Bin Laden's Pakistani Links  —  ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — The cellphone of Osama bin Laden's trusted courier, which was recovered in the raid that killed both men in Pakistan last month, contained contacts to a militant group that is a longtime asset …

Plurality of Americans love Gadaffi  —  Hillary Clinton, yesterday, when asked about those questioning the Libya War: … Gallup, yesterday (click image to enlarge):  —  It's not only a plurality of Americans who are “on Gaddafi's side,” but also the head of the Arab League …

Bombing the Moon  —  Following up on my GOP mind games post, Ezra Klein makes a smart observation in this morning's Wonkbook on how the GOP transformed tax increases from a important, necessary option in the deficit debate into something evil and extremist.  To prove his point …

New Jersey Lawmakers Approve Benefits Rollback for Work Force  —  TRENTON — New Jersey lawmakers on Thursday approved a broad rollback of benefits for 750,000 government workers and retirees, the deepest cut in state and local costs in memory, in a major victory for Gov. Chris Christie …

Fighting Words: DeMint Warns Republicans They May Be ‘Gone’ if They Support Debt Ceiling Increase  —  Conservative firebrand Sen. Jim DeMint has a message to fellow Republicans in Congress: If you support increasing the debt ceiling without first passing a balanced budget amendment …

Politicians Who Fear the Public Light  —  As we wrote this editorial on Thursday evening, we were still waiting for the New York State Senate to do what it should have done long ago — end a basic inequality under the law by allowing same-sex couples the full right to marry.

Commander In Chief Misspeaks About Soldier Killed in Afghanistan  —  During his remarks to troops at Fort Drum today, the President was reminiscing about the times he has spent with the US Army's 10th Mountain Division, when he got something wrong. … The problem is, Jared Monti was killed in action in Afghanistan, on June 21, 2006.

Johnson proves to be a big spender - and taker: Firm pays him $10 million  —  After dropping nearly $9 million from his own pocket to win a seat in the U.S. Senate, Ron Johnson didn't have to feel the pain for very long.  —  Johnson's plastics company paid him $10 million in deferred compensation shortly …

Mr. Kelly goes to Washington  —  When we sent the new class of freshman off to Washington after the 2010 cycle, we knew - or at least hoped - there were going to be some “Mr. Smith goes to Washington” moments where real people stepped up to challenge the beltway status quo.

Iran giving out condoms for criminals to rape us, say jailed activists  —  Smuggled letters allege authorities are using mass rape as a weapon inside Iran's most notorious prisons  —  Prison guards in Iran are giving condoms to criminals and encouraging them to systematically rape young …

Airline to Jewish rumor: ‘Delta does not discriminate.’  —  Earlier today some Jewish and Christian readers in the blogosphere were fired up about stories that Delta Airlines, in its new alliance with Saudi Arabian Airlines, might wind up enforcing a Saudi policy of not admitting Iraelis …

Romney dominates GOP cash dash  —  Everyone knows Mitt Romney is going to outpace the GOP presidential field when next month's fundraising reports come out.  But the scale of his money advantage is finally coming into shape: the rest of the field is going to be eating his dust.

Geithner: Taxes on ‘Small Business’ Must Rise So Government Doesn't ‘Shrink’  —  (CNSNews.com) - Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told the House Small Business Committee on Wednesday that the Obama administration believes taxes on small business must increase so the administration does not have to …

Officials Say Two Planned Armed Attack in Seattle  —  SEATTLE — Federal law enforcement officials have arrested two men who they say planned to attack a military processing center here using machine guns and grenades.  —  The men — Abu Khalid Abdul-Latif, also known as Joseph A. Davis …

Sterilization victim “raped by the state of NC”  —  PLAY CBS NEWS VIDEO  —  RALEIGH - At 57, Elaine Riddick has a house full of god children, great nieces and nephews, but only one child of her own - a son.  When she was 14, Riddick was raped.  The day she gave birth …

Can liberals start their own tea party?  —  Van Jones is hoping to rival the tea party movement.  (Carlos Osorio - AP Photo)  —  At last weekend's Netroots Nation gathering in Minneapolis, liberal activists expressed frustration that they lacked the political power or media focus given to the conservative tea-party movement.

Lamar Smith Unveils Plan To Block Obama's Power On Deportations … WASHINGTON — Rep. Lamar Smith is working to gather support for a bill that would block the Obama administration's ability to take executive action on deportations, even though the Texas Republican pushed previous administrations to use the same authority.

Osama wanted new name for al-Qaida to repair image  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — As Osama bin Laden watched his terrorist organization get picked apart, he lamented in his final writings that al-Qaida was suffering from a marketing problem.  His group was killing too many Muslims and that was bad for business.

Poll: Gov. Rick Scott's Unpopularity Handicapping GOP Pres Candidates In Florida  —  A plurality of Florida voters say they are less inclined to support a Republican presidential candidate in 2012 because of the way their freshman GOP governor has acted since taking office, according to a PPP poll to be released Friday morning.

Palin film to debut in Iowa next week  —  A pro-Sarah Palin documentary film will make its premiere in the first in the nation caucus state of Iowa next week, according to sources familiar with the plans.  —  The film, titled “The Undefeated,” had been scheduled to debut in key early primary states …

Romney Goes Classic  —  Clicking around on In These Times (!), I noticed this ad directing me to Mitt Romney's campaign site.  —  Those people aren't dressed like Americans in the year 2011, are they?  No. That's because this is copied from (or lovingly designed in tribute to!) …