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.

The dangerous new Obama book  —  Months before Barack Obama knew Mitt Romney would be his political opponent in 2012, the president knew the identity of his foremost literary challenger: Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David Maraniss, who had been reaching out to Obama's old friends, classmates and lovers for the past several years.

Letters from Abbottabad: Bin Ladin Sidelined?  —  Authors: Don Rassler, Gabriel Koehler-Derrick, Liam Collins, Muhammad al-Obaidi, Nelly Lahoud  —  This report is a study of 17 de-classified documents captured during the Abbottabad raid and released to the Combating Terrorism Center (CTC).

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.

Issa sends out draft contempt order against Holder, says ‘Furious’ response ‘cannot stand’  —  Republican Rep. Darrell Issa has circulated a lengthy pair of documents making the case for holding Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress over his “refusal” to cooperate in an investigation …

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 …

Bachmann: 'He Can't Beat Obama ... Not Going to Happen'  —  Michele Bachmann has finally decided to endorse Mitt Romney - 119 days after she dropped out of the race.  —  The endorsement will come at a joint Romney-Bachmann appearance on Thursday.  No doubt Bachmann will talk about the importance …

Jon Will's gift  —  When Jonathan Frederick Will was born 40 years ago — on May 4, 1972, his father's 31st birthday — the life expectancy for people with Down syndrome was about 20 years.  That is understandable.  —  The day after Jon was born, a doctor told Jon's parents that the first question …

AP survey: Steady job gains to sustain US recovery  —  WASHINGTON (AP) - Hiring through the rest of 2012 will lag the brisk pace set early this year.  But it will be strong enough to push the unemployment rate below 8 percent by Election Day.  —  That's the view that emerges …

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 …

The Muzzling Of Ric Grenell: An Update  —  [Re-posted from earlier today].  Some actual reporting from yours truly.  It seems clear from sources close to Grenell and reporters on the foreign policy beat that his turning point came last week.  He'd been part of organizing a conference call …

Cantor, Hoyer close to Ex-Im Bank deal  —  House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) are close to striking a deal on reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank, sources said Thursday.  —  Although the deal was not finalized as of Thursday, a House vote is considered likely next week.

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.

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:

Rep. Zachary Wyatt: I am a proud gay man  —  Rep. Zachary Wyatt told members of the Missouri House of Representatives, reporters and the world Wednesday morning that he is gay while delivering a statement calling on members in the House GOP to withdraw support from House Bill 2051, the so-called “Don't Say Gay” bill.

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.

‘The Scream’ Sells for Nearly $120 Million at Sotheby's Auction  —  It took 12 nail-biting minutes and five eager bidders for Edvard Munch's famed 1895 pastel of “The Scream” to sell for $120 million, becoming the world's most expensive work of art ever to sell at auction.

Dubious donations (gangster government edition)  —  We have published a series of posts on Obama's “dubious donations” — i.e., the Obama campaign's invitation of fraudulent and illegal giving through the disabling of basic credit card/debit card verification devices.

Progress Is Seen in Advancing a Final Volcker Rule  —  A major new rule that has drawn the ire of Wall Street is on track for completion sooner than some bankers had expected, dashing the hopes of financial industry lobbyists, who have pressed for a delay.  —  Regulators are making significant progress …

Bill Clinton: Hillary ‘never said a word to me’ about bin Laden raid  —  A year after the killing of Osama bin Laden, Bill Clinton revealed that despite being a former president and the husband of the secretary of state, he had no prior knowledge of the Pakistan raid.