Senator Kyl Drops Out of the Debt Talks, Leaving Zero Republicans at the Table  —  ABC News' Sunlen Miller (@sunlenmiller) reports:  —  Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., will also drop out of the debt talks, a source within his office confirms today.  The Arizona Republican's office will issue a formal statement shortly.

Whitey Bulger arrested  —  Boston gangster surrenders quietly in Calif. after 16 years on run  —  Fugitive South Boston gangster James “Whitey” Bulger, wanted for 19 murders, was captured last night in Southern California, the result of a tip from FBI television spots that began airing this week.

Drafting Rubio  —  The Republican nomination for president is completely up for grabs, but there's a lot of agreement on who the vice presidential pick should be: freshman senator Marco Rubio.  —  The Republican nomination for president is completely up for grabs, but there's a lot of agreement …

Is Rick Running?  —  A Republican campaign veteran tells us that Texas Governor Rick Perry has decided to run for President, though the official word from Team Perry is still a definite maybe.  —  A Republican campaign veteran tells us that Texas Governor Rick Perry has decided to run for President …

EXCLUSIVE — Herman Cain: Jon Stewart Attacked Me 'Because I'm Black'  —  ThinkProgress filed this report from Iowa Falls, Iowa.  —  Earlier this month, ThinkProgress reported that GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain told an audience in Pella, Iowa that he would not sign a bill longer than three pages.

Senate Republicans moving closer to saying ‘I do’ to gay marriage in New York State  —  ALBANY - Senate Republicans on Wednesday were close to signing off on a religious protection provision that could boost the chances that gay marriage will pass in New York.

Why Obama Is Likely to Lose in 2012  —  Even a small drop in the share of black voters would wipe out his winning margin in North Carolina.  —  President Barack Obama is likely to be defeated in 2012.  The reason is that he faces four serious threats.  The economy is very weak and unlikely …

W.H. to release 30M barrels of oil  —  The Obama administration will release 30 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in an effort to offset oil supply disruptions in the Middle East, the Energy Department announced Thursday morning.  —  Other International Energy Agency countries …

Dutch populist Geert Wilders acquitted of hate speech  —  (Reuters) - Dutch populist politician Geert Wilders was acquitted of inciting hatred of Muslims in a court ruling on Thursday that may strengthen his political influence and exacerbate tensions over immigration policy.

Jews In America And Israel  —  “Of course, I do think we all have a responsibility to make the world better - but specifically Israel, because I am Jewish?  No,” - Alison Benedikt, whose essay has kicked up an online ruckus.  —  Jeffrey launched a punchy attack on this provocative but obviously heartfelt and over-sharing piece.

President Obama's Afghanistan speech confirms America's decline  —  The American Century just ended.  This was the phrase coined by Henry Luce, which so aptly described America as the modern-day colossus, more powerful than any nation had ever been.  Wednesday night, President Obama said that power had reached its limit.

Ryan Medicare Plan Would Make Americans Worse by 57%-34%, Poll Shows  —  Representative Paul Ryan, the House Budget Committee chairman who has become a star in the Republican Party with his plan to overhaul Medicare, is emerging as a polarizing figure among Americans.

The Haunting of Rick Perry  —  Should Gov. Rick Perry of Texas enter the 2012 presidential race, he would enjoy a strange and remarkable escort — the irrepressible ghost of Cameron Todd Willingham.  —  Charged with the horrific crime of intentionally torching his home and leaving …

Democrats Blue as Senate Acquires a Reddish Tinge  —  Larry J. Sabato and Kyle Kondik, U.Va. Center for Politics  —  As we take a fresh look at next year's Senate races, one thing is clear: Barring an unexpected reelection landslide by President Obama, Republicans are at least slightly favored to take the Senate.

I Liked the ‘Chinese Professor’ Ad, But This Is Stupid and Offensive  —  (See update below.)  Unlike many people, I admired the panache and artistry of the “Chinese Professor” ad used during last fall's campaign to warn about the self- destructive tendencies of America's borrow-and-spend era.

Ron Paul, Barney Frank: Legalize it  —  A group of House members led by Reps. Ron Paul (R-Texas) and Barney Frank (D-Mass.) plan to introduce legislation Thursday that would legalize the use of marijuana and allow states to develop their own rules on the drug's use within their borders.

Romney backers launch super PAC  —  A group of prominent Mitt Romney backers has quietly launched a “super PAC” to raise and spend unlimited amounts of money in support of his bid for the White House, according to organizers and others involved in the effort.

TRENDING: Palin Sudan trip a no-go  —  (CNN) - Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin canceled a July trip to Sudan due to “scheduling problems,” a source with knowledge of the trip confirmed to CNN Thursday.  —  Palin was scheduled to travel to the southern part of the war-savaged country with Franklin Graham …

EXCLUSIVE: Interview with Chris Christie  —  When I last spoke to Chris Christie in 2009 he was locked in a primary battle for the New Jersey governorship with an opponent who claimed he was insufficiently conservative.  He was brimming then with ideas about cutting employee benefits …

Who Is Jose Antonio Vargas?  —  A prominent journalist comes out as an illegal immigrant, raising additional questions about his real identity.  —  A prefatory note before I join the Jose Antonio Vargas commentary: I am an immigration dove, to pluck a pungent phrase from today's Twitter-stream.

White House threatens to veto Defense bill  —  The White House on Thursday threatened to veto the 2012 defense appropriations bill.  —  “The administration strongly opposes a number of provisions in this bill.  If a bill is presented to the President that undermines his ability as commander …