Maurice Sendak, Children's Author Who Upended Tradition, Dies at 83  —  Maurice Sendak, widely considered the most important children's book artist of the 20th century, who wrenched the picture book out of the safe, sanitized world of the nursery and plunged it into the dark …

Mitt Romney: 'I'll Take A Lot Of Credit' For Auto Industry Recovery … REACT:  —  FOLLOW:  —  Elections 2012, Mitt Romney, Auto Bailout , Auto Bailout , Barack Obama 2012 , Elections 2012, Barack Obama , Video, Politics News, Mitt Romney 2012, Mitt Romney Auto Bailout, Photo Galleries, Politics News

Half of Americans Support Legal Gay Marriage  —  Democrats and independents in favor; Republicans opposed  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Fifty percent of Americans believe same-sex marriages should be recognized by law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages — down slightly from 53% last year …

Liberals Steer Outside Money to Grass-Roots Organizing  —  After months on the sidelines, major liberal donors including the financier George Soros are preparing to inject up to $100 million into independent groups to aid Democrats' chances this fall.  But instead of going head to head …

Gov. Christie's approval rate highest ever amongst N.J. residents  —  TRENTON — Fifty-six percent of New Jersey voters approve of Gov. Chris Christie, according to a Fairleigh Dickinson University PublicMind poll this morning.  —  That's Christie's highest ever rating in a Fairleigh Dickinson poll.

Santorum endorses Romney: ‘All hands on deck’  —  A reader forwards this email Rick Santorum is sending to his list of supporters in which he announces he's endorsing Mitt Romney.  —  Santorum makes clear that he felt Romney had answered questions about his commitment to principles …

Cantor distances himself from Lugar despite GOP ‘Young Guns’ support  —  House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) on Tuesday distanced himself from the candidacy of Sen. Dick Lugar (R-Ind.), saying he had “not gotten involved” in the closely watched race even though a group linked to Cantor is backing the embattled Indiana senator.

Fox News contributor laments ‘mistake’ of letting women vote  —  Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson, a Fox News contributor, tea party activist and personal friend of Sean Hannity's said in a sermon recently published to YouTube that America's greatest mistake was allowing women the right to vote …

Top Obama donors witholding money over executive order punt  —  Some leading gay and progressive donors are so angry over President Obama's refusal to sign an executive order barring same sex discrimination by federal contractors that they are refusing to give any more money to the pro-Obama super PAC …

Three-Way Race: Romney 44%, Obama 39%, Ron Paul 13%  —  Texas Congressman Ron Paul appears more interested in influencing the direction of the Republican Party than in running as an independent presidential candidate.  But perhaps Democrats should be careful what they wish for …

Hollande's Economic Policy May Better Suit the U.S.  —  WASHINGTON — With the victory of the Socialist candidate, François Hollande, in the French presidential election, the White House has lost one of its closest allies on the Continent, but perhaps gained one with economic policy beliefs more closely aligned with its own.

In surprise move, Netanyahu, Mofaz agree to form unity government, cancel early elections  —  PM, opposition leader reach dramatic late-night agreement to form national unity government, in which Kadima head Mofaz expected to be appointed deputy prime minister.  —  Get Haaretz on iPhone

Romney's Path Is Not Necessarily Narrow  —  Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post wrote last week that Mitt Romney's path to the presidency is awfully narrow, and that he has a ceiling of around 290 electoral votes.  Thus, “[w]hile Romney's team would absolutely take a 290-electoral-vote victory …

Presidential Perks: Paying for Carter's postage, Bush's bills, and Clinton's rent  —  Spinners and Winners  —  You could call it welfare for former Presidents.  —  It's a little-noticed part of the federal budget: Each year U.S. taxpayers pick up the tab for the expenses of our former Presidents.

A Note to Readers  —  When we published Naomi Schaefer Riley's blog posting on Brainstorm last week ("The Most Persuasive Case for Eliminating Black Studies?  Just Read the Dissertations"), several thousand of you spoke out in outrage and disappointment that The Chronicle had published …

Bank of America Starts Mortgage Reduction Effort  —  Bank of America has started sending letters to thousands of homeowners in the United States, offering to forgive a portion of the principal balance on their mortgages by an average of $150,000 each.  —  The reduction for qualifying homeowners …

Sheik turned away by Fifth Avenue co-op board — because of too many kids: sources  —  He's got the dough and the pedigree — just too many damn kids for the co-op board at one of Manhattan's toniest buildings.  —  Sheik Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani — prime minister …

GOP: Shield DOD, cut poverty funds  —  Setting the stage for an emotional floor fight Thursday, House Republicans pushed ahead Monday evening with plans to protect increased defense spending without raising taxes, largely by cutting more from domestic programs, including aid to the poor.

Hate-Filled Pastor Says Anti-Gay Amendment Would Protect Marriage ‘In The Garden Of Eden’  —  Rev. Ron Baity, the head of Head of Return America organization, appeared on CNN to discuss Tuesday's vote on North Carolina's Amendment 1, a measure that would prohibit same-sex marriage …

Parents: Rule's half-baked  —  State's junk food ban could take bite out of school fundraisers  —  Bake sales, the calorie-laden standby cash-strapped classrooms, PTAs and booster clubs rely on, will be outlawed from public schools as of Aug. 1 as part of new no-nonsense nutrition standards …

How ‘Mad Men’ Landed The Beatles: All You Need Is Love (and $250,000)  —  In most cases, “Mad Men” is bound by the history of the era in which it takes place.  But on Sunday night, a new episode of that 1960s period drama that concluded with the Beatles song “Tomorrow Never Knows” …

N.C. Gov: Gay marriage ban ‘hurts our brand’  —  North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue (D) said Tuesday the proposed gay marriage ban is “bad for business” and “hurts our brand.”  —  Perdue told MSNBC's “Daily Rundown” host Chuck Todd that she considers her state's vote on Tuesday …