Trouble on Daley's watch  —  Bill Daley is off to a very rocky start.  —  The 63-year-old scion of Chicago political royalty was brought in as President Barack Obama's chief of staff to provide fresh blood, corporate-world experience and adult supervision to a young, free-wheeling White House staff.

Clinton Popularity Prompts Buyer's Remorse  —  The most popular national political figure in America today is one who was rejected by her own party three years ago: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.  —  Nearly two-thirds of Americans hold a favorable view of her and one-third are suffering …

Tom Ridge to endorse Huntsman at St. Anselm  —  CONCORD — Republican presidential hopeful Jon Huntsman will announce the endorsement of former U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Gov. Tom Ridge Friday in an event at St. Anselm College in Goffstown.  —  Ridge, a former governor of Pennsylvania …

Boehner gives the government too much credit  —  If you listened to Speaker John Boehner's speech before the D.C. Economic Club today, you heard a very specific story explaining why unemployment is stuck at 9 percent: “it's not because the American people have lost their way,” he said.

Perry “Ponzi Scheme” Remark Doesn't Faze Most Republicans  —  Solid majority believe Social Security should be preserved  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Texas Gov. and presidential candidate Rick Perry's comments on Social Security, which include calling it a “Ponzi scheme,” appear to be a non-issue for most Republicans.

New Gallup: Obama slips with Jews  —  President Barack Obama's support among Jews has dropped, new data shows.  —  Four out of 10 Jewish Americans currently disapprove of Obama, according to polling data provided to POLITICO by Gallup, which has yet to post the numbers on its website.

Dallas + Austin + Houston + San Antonio = ‘Texas Miracle’  —  The entry of Rick Perry, swashbuckling Texas governor, into the contest for the Republican presidential nomination focused the country's attention on his state's strikingly anomalous labor market.

Free to Die  —  Back in 1980, just as America was making its political turn to the right, Milton Friedman lent his voice to the change with the famous TV series “Free to Choose.”  In episode after episode, the genial economist identified laissez-faire economics with personal choice and empowerment …

High court blocks Houston killer's execution  —  Duane Buck was sentenced to die for the July 1995 shooting deaths of his former girlfriend, Debra Gardner, and her friend, Kenneth Butler.  / Texas Department of Criminal Jus  —  HUNTSVILLE — The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday issued a stay …

Dakota Meyer Is Awarded Medal of Honor  —  WASHINGTON — President Obama awarded the Medal of Honor on Thursday to a young former Marine who ignored orders to stay put and fought his way five times into an ambush in an Afghan ravine, helping to rescue three dozen comrades and to recover the remains of four dead American servicemen.

Republicans rewriting state election laws in ways that could hurt Democrats  —  Looking to capitalize on their historic gains last year, Republican lawmakers in several states are rewriting their election laws in ways that could make it more difficult for Democrats to win.

Senate passes FAA, highway funding  —  The Senate on Thursday approved legislation that extends taxes funding the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through January, and extends taxes funding federal highway spending through March.  —  The bill passed the House with ease on Tuesday and won Senate approval in a 92-6 vote.

Obama: Election Odds Better in 2012 Than 2008  —  At a campaign fundraiser Thursday night in Washington, D.C., President Obama said he believes his chances of being reelected in 2012 are “much higher” than they were in 2008.  —  “Over the last couple of months there have been Democrats …

Former President Carter has kind words for Romney, Bachmann  —  Former President Jimmy Carter had some kind words for two Republicans vying to become president —Mitt Romney and Michele Bachmann— but he said nobody is likely to beat President Obama in 2012.

White House Weighs Limits of Terror Fight  —  WASHINGTON — The Obama administration's legal team is split over how much latitude the United States has to kill Islamist militants in Yemen and Somalia, a question that could define the limits of the war against Al Qaeda and its allies …

Pete Sessions: Pa. Electoral College Change Would Put House Races at Risk  —  Rep. Pete Sessions, chairman of the House Republicans campaign arm, said Thursday he is no fan of a proposal to overhaul the way Pennsylvania awards its votes in the Electoral College.

Shutdown Chances Increase Over Disaster Relief, Program Cut Disputes  —  Two separate but related Republican efforts are increasing the odds that the government will shut down at the end of September, despite repeated assurances from both GOP and Democratic leaders that neither party has an appetite for another round of brinksmanship.