Romney, Obama in Tight Race as Gallup Daily Tracking Begins  —  Romney voters slightly more certain they will vote  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Mitt Romney is supported by 47% of national registered voters and Barack Obama by 45% in the inaugural Gallup Daily tracking results from April 11-15.

Romney Tells Obama to ‘Start Packing’ in ABC News Exclusive Interview  —  Acting very much like the GOP nominee, Mitt Romney sent a curt message to President Obama today: “Start packing.”  —  The message, delivered with a chuckle, came in an exclusive interview with “World News” …

Spanking Goes Mainstream  —  From the steamy bestseller Fifty Shades of Grey to HBO's Girls, sexual domination is in vogue.  Katie Roiphe on why women's power at work may be fueling the craze.  Plus, Fifty Shades of Grey's naughtiest bits.  —  If every era gets the sadist it deserves …

Truth or Consequences  —  Eight years ago, Dan Rather broadcast an explosive report on the Air National Guard service of President George W. Bush.  It was supposed to be the legendary newsman's finest hour.  Instead, it blew up in his face, tarnishing his career forever and casting a dark cloud …

Herman Cain Rally at the Capitol Fails Spectacularly … - Vincent Kartheiser on What It's Like To Play Mad Men's Pete Campbell - Cocaine Is Unbelievably Cheap Now.  Why?  - Guys on Girls: What a Pack of Dudes Thought of the Premiere - Girls on Girls: What a Bunch of Ladies Thought …

Column: GOP hopeful Newt Gingrich cuts interview short with UNC student  —  As a reporter, I'm rarely at a loss for words when it comes to interviewing almost anyone.  By now, I've heard and seen a lot.  —  But there I was Saturday, standing alone with my recorder in a quiet stupor, as my subject, Newt Gingrich, rushed away.

In Conversation: Barney Frank  —  On the eve of his departure from Washington, the candid, caustic Massachusetts congressman talks with Jason Zengerle about Jon Stewart, Newt Gingrich, Tip O'Neill, Hillary Clinton, Fannie and Freddie ...  Think back a little bit to 1981, when you ­arrived here in Washington.

Barack Obama makes Falklands gaffe by calling Malvinas the Maldives  —  Barack Obama made an uncharacteristic error, more akin to those of his predecessor George W Bush, by referring to the Falkland Islands as the Maldives.  —  Barack Obama made a gaffe more associated with predecessor George W Bush

Newt Gingrich Bitten By Penguin At St. Louis Zoo … REACT:  —  FOLLOW:  —  Elections 2012, Elections 2012, Gingrich 2012, Gingrich 2012, Elections 2012, Newt Gingrich, Video, Election 2012, Gingrich, Gingrich Penguin, Gingrich St. Louis Zoo, Newt Gingrich Penguin, Newt Gingrich St. Louis Zoo …

Less Than Half of Americans Consider Tax Bill Too High  —  Solid majority believe what they pay is fair, although low-income Americans are less satisfied  —  PRINCETON, NJ — As tax filing day looms, Americans fall into two closely matched camps: those who believe the amount they pay …

WANKER OF THE DECADE - 1st Runner Up  —  Fred Hiatt.  —  As editorial page editor of the Washington Post, Fred Hiatt has presided over what is perhaps the world greatest gaggle of wankers.  Fred's a true wanker connoissuer, a collector of fine wankers.  Whenever a new wanker appears on the market …

Is Hillary Clinton becoming an embarrassment as Secretary of State?  —  The pictures of Hillary Clinton dancing the night away in Colombia during the Summit of the Americas are now all over Twitter, and were first reported by ABC News: … The overwhelmingly liberal US media is treating …

WI-Gov: Scott Walker takes leads, but sits right at the 50% mark  —  Public Policy Polling for Daily Kos. 4/13-15.  Likely voters.  MoE: ±2.9% (2/23-26 results): … These numbers show a drop for Democrats from PPP's last survey of the race, which of course makes you ask, why?  What's changed?

The Palin Counterfactual  —  After Rick Santorum's exit from the race last week, Philip Klein and HotAir's Allahpundit considered what would have happened if Sarah Palin rather than Santorum had been Mitt Romney's right-wing foil.  I think that this point from Klein is interesting ...

Cheers!  Photos Show Embattled GSA Official Enjoying Wine and Soak in Spa Tub at M Hotel During “Pre-Conference” Meeting  —  The government official on the frontlines of the scandal involving a wasteful government conference, U.S. General Services Administration regional commissioner Jeffrey Neely …

A Conservative Law Professor on the Obvious Constitutionality of Obamacare  —  The Constitution of the United States creates a national government of enumerated and therefore limited powers.  Accordingly, troubled members of the Court should be applauded for their efforts to search for the limits …

73% Think Photo ID Requirement Before Voting Does Not Discriminate  —  Despite his insistence that voter fraud is not a serious problem, Attorney General Eric Holder was embarrassed last week when a video surfaced of someone illegally obtaining a ballot to vote under Holder's name …

Zimmerman's lawyer: I want a new judge  —  George Zimmerman's attorney on Monday asked the judge in the case to step down because of a possible conflict of interest.  —  On Friday, O'Mara told Circuit Judge Jessica Recksiedler he was on the verge of asking her to step aside.

Two Federal Judges Suggest All Labor, Business or Wall Street Regulation Is Unconstitutional  —  Judges David Sentelle and Janice Rogers Brown  —  For more than two years, ThinkProgress has tracked “tentherism,” a radical misreading of the Constitution which claims that pretty much everything …

Where's the outrage over Republican's ‘communist’ claim?  —  Editor's note: John Avlon is a CNN contributor and senior political columnist for Newsweek and The Daily Beast.  He is co-editor of the book “Deadline Artists: America's Greatest Newspaper Columns.”