Behind Richard Grenell's Departure, a Right-Wing Storm  —  It was the biggest moment yet for Mitt Romney's foreign policy team: a conference call last Thursday, dialed into by dozens of news outlets from around the globe, to dissect and denounce President's Obama record on national security.

Activist Chen Guangcheng: Let Me Leave China on Hillary Clinton's Plane  —  In an exclusive interview with The Daily Beast's Melinda Liu, blind dissident Chen Guangcheng says he's been abandoned by American officials at a Chinese hospital and begs to leave the country on Hillary Clinton's plane.

Barry's Imaginary Girlfriend  —  There has been a lot of hilarity today over the revelation that the “New York girlfriend” who plays a significant role in Barack Obama's autobiography Dreams From My Father did not, strictly speaking, exist.  Rather, she was a composite or “compression” …

Video: The freaky quadruple deaky “tanning mom” clip  —  It's come to this.  —  Via Mediaite, I've been looking around all day for a palate cleanser.  And now, at last, I've found it.  Trust me: Whatever you have on your news palate right now, this'll clean it right out.  Doesn't matter how important it is.

On Hannity, Michelle Malkin Tears Into Juan Williams' Comparing Occupy Violence To Tea Party ‘Racism’  —  Sean Hannity brought in Michelle Malkin and Juan Williams to discuss the Occupy movement on Wednesday night.  As Hannity and Malkin criticized the movement's violence, Williams defended it …

Ann Romney's Reed Krakoff Bird T-Shirt Costs $990  —  Today Mitt and Ann Romney appeared on CBS's This Morning to talk about Barack Obama, Osama bin Laden, and a slew of other political things.  Sharp eyes over at The Cut noticed that Ann was wearing a bird-printed t-shirt by Reed Krakoff.

Gilbert mass killing: Border militia leader identified as shooter  —  A border militia leader on Wednesday shot and killed four people at a Gilbert home, including a toddler, before committing suicide, sources said.  —  Sources identified the shooter as Jason “J.T.” Ready …

FRIENDLY FIRE: OCCUPIER HITS OCCUPIER WITH BRICK TO FACE  —  Yesterday afternoon, San Francisco protesters returned to 888 Turk Street, a vacant building they briefly occupied last month.  After re-occupying the vacant building Tuesday, some members of the group climbed onto the roof …

My Grandfather Had High Cheekbones ‘Like All the Indians Do’  —  Speaking to a reporter on a local news station in Boston, Democratic Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts cited her ancestor's “high cheekbones” (quoting an aunt) as evidence of her Native American heritage:

Catholics' Presidential Pick Differs by Ethnicity, Religiosity  —  Catholics overall are evenly split between Obama and Romney  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Catholic voters in the United States are evenly split in their support for Barack Obama and Mitt Romney for president, mirroring the national trend.

Schieffer: Gingrich knew his bid was long shot  —  PLAY CBS NEWS VIDEO  —  (CBS News) After bowing out from the Republican presidential race Wednesday, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is no worse off than he was before he ran for president, says CBS News chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer.

OWS bums are a big joke  —  MELEE: A cop, facing a threat from behind him, wields his club at OWS protesters in Greenwich Village yesterday amid rallies that were far from crippling.  —  Occupy Wall Street's call for May Day mayhem largely fizzled yesterday — but at least provided a good laugh …

GOPers flock to Ailes's Fox office  —  When politicians head to New York, it's often to fill their campaign coffers with Wall Street cash.  —  But there's another important stop for Republicans in the Big Apple: the second floor office of Fox News chief Roger Ailes.

Rumsfeld scrapped raid - 6 years before calling OBL kill ‘easy call’  —  My colleague Mackenzie Weinger just posted a comment from former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld questioning just how tough a call President Obama made when he gave the kill order to the SEAL team targeting Osama bin Laden.

The state both parties want  —  The verdict is in: Barack Obama's 2008 victory in Virginia was not a fluke.  For the once reliably Republican state, competitive presidential elections are the new normal.  —  Just look at the candidates' schedules.  President Obama will make Richmond …

MAY DAY PROTESTORS CANNOT EXPLAIN THEIR SIGNS OR THEIR CAUSE  —  Yesterday at Chicago's Union Park for the May Day march, I found group of protesters from the Asociación de Vendedores Ambulantes (Street Vendors Association) holding signs from the Chicago Community and Workers' Rights.

Senators urge Village Voice to pull online sex ads  —  A group of senators has introduced a resolution urging Village Voice Media to take down the “adult entertainment” section of its classified-ads site, Backpage.com.  —  In a statement released Wednesday, Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) …

Treasury: Tax receipts not changing deadline on $16.4T debt limit  —  Lawmakers will not have to re-fight their epic battle over raising the debt ceiling until after the November elections, according to the Treasury Department.  —  April tax receipts have not moved Treasury's debt-ceiling target date …