The Misplaced Loyalties and Dubious Code of Chris Matthews  —  The MSNBC host attacked Cory Booker for breaking with the Democratic Party line.  As a journalist, he ought to celebrate truth-telling.  —  When the average television viewer sees someone on a public-affairs show making arguments …

EXCLUSIVE: THE VETTING - DID OBAMA HAVE LOWER SAT SCORES THAN GEORGE W. BUSH?  —  President Barack Obama is hailed by his supporters and the mainstream media as one of the most brilliant men ever to hold the office.  However, his refusal to release his academic records …

Obama spending binge never happened  —  Commentary: Government outlays rising at slowest pace since 1950s … WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — Of all the falsehoods told about President Barack Obama, the biggest whopper is the one about his reckless spending spree.

THIS JUST IN  —  A video posted online that shows a former union leader in South Carolina smashing a piñata effigy of Gov. Nikki Haley has riled the national office of the AFL-CIO, which wants it taken down.  —  “Do you think we can get this video pulled,” asked a national AFL-CIO official …

NBC/WSJ poll: Obama's gay-marriage announcement a ‘draw’  —  Two weeks after President Obama announced he supports gay marriage, a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll shows that his announcement — politically — looks to be a wash.  —  In the poll, a combined 17 percent says it makes them …

New Republican Ad Takes a Soft Shot at Obama  —  WASHINGTON — The ad is the work of two of the most fearsome players in Republican politics: Larry McCarthy, the producer behind the infamous Willie Horton commercial in 1988, and Crossroads GPS, the political battle squad founded by Karl Rove.

General Colin Powell, who served as secretary of state under President George W. Bush, talks to TODAY's Matt Lauer about politics, war and his new book, “It Worked for Me.”  —  Though he believes President Obama has had several significant achievements during his first term …

Bill Clinton's $80 Million Payday, or Why Politicians Don't Care That Much About Reelection … On December 21, 2000, as President, Bill Clinton signed a bill known as the Commodities Futures Modernization Act.  This law ensured that derivatives could not be regulated, setting the stage for the financial crisis.

Coming soon: Bristol Palin's reality show  —  Bristol Palin's reality show premieres next month, Lifetime announced in a press release on Tuesday:

Ann Romney and dressage: A pricey private world  —  Testimony in a lawsuit — from which she was eventually dropped — reveals the would-be first lady's passionate engagement in dressage, a sport she believes helps her deal with multiple sclerosis.  —  Ann Romney is a partner in the Acres …

TPMMuckraker  —  Bennett Backs Off Birther Threat, Apologizes To Arizona  —  After days of ridicule for launching a conspiracy theory-fueled investigation into Barack Obama's birth certificate, Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett on Tuesday backed off his threat to keep the president off …

Black Leaders Decry NAACP Endorsement of Homosexual Agenda  —  Alveda C. King is among the growing number of African-American leaders speaking out about President Obama's endorsement of same-sex marriage.  —  Specifically, the niece of Martin Luther King Jr. is joining black spiritual leaders …

Internal Democratic polling shows dead heat in Wisconsin recall  —  Gov. Scott Walker (R) is not safe in next month's recall election, Wisconsin Democrats say.  —  Walker has been pulling ahead of Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett (D) in polls on the June 5 recall election sparked by the governor's collective bargaining reforms.

Lot 160 - Ronald Reagan Blood Vial  —  Current bid: £8,346.00  —  Another user is currently the top bidder.  —  2d 4h 18m 25s  —  Bidding allowed for registered users only.  Register or Log in.  —  You are about to place a bid for:  —  Setting a Max Bid of:  —  If this is correct, click Place Bid.

NRC chairman resigns amid battle over lessons from Fukushima  —  In his three years as chairman, Gregory Jaczko wrangled with other NRC members over the direction of nuclear power plant safety regulations and over his leadership style.  —  Gregory Jaczko, chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission …

40% Now Say Trayvon Martin Shot in Self-Defense; 24% Say It Was Murder  —  As evidence continues to emerge from the shooting death of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin, Americans are becoming more convinced that his killer acted in self-defense and that the legal system will come to that conclusion.

Ode to My Best Friend — Mary Richardson Kennedy  —  I met Mary on her first day at Putney, we were 15.  The next weekend we hitch hiked to Boston to see my siblings Michael, Bobby, David, Courtney and Kathleen, and for the rest of her life, she spent nearly every weekend and vacation with our family.

Americans, Including Catholics, Say Birth Control Is Morally OK  —  Birth control has the broadest acceptance among 18 behaviors  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Eighty-two percent of U.S. Catholics say birth control is morally acceptable, nearing the 89% of all Americans and 90% of non-Catholics who agree.

Kleiner Perkins Sued By Partner Ellen Pao, Alleging Sexual Harassment, Gender Discrimination  —  Kleiner Perkins Caulfield and Byers, one of the most storied and well-respected venture capital firms in Silicon Valley, has been sued by Ellen Pao, an investment partner with the firm.

Senate Dems back increase in air travel fee to close funding shortfall at TSA  —  The Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday moved forward with legislation to increase airline passenger security fees, beating back a GOP attempt to keep them at current levels.

Did the Catholic organizations have to sue over the health care mandate?  —  The federal lawsuits filed Monday by Catholic institutions against the contraception mandate under the health care law are not surprising, but they are unfortunate.  The Bishops' Conference and many — though not all …