Make No Mistake, It Was Jihad  —  Let's hope the administration gets over its reluctance to recognize attacks on the U.S. for what they are.  —  If your concern about the threat posed by the Tsarnaev brothers is limited to assuring that they will never be in a position to repeat their grisly acts, rest easy.

Alleged terror plot thwarted by arrests in Ontario, Quebec  —  RCMP to outline joint operation involving CSIS, U.S. authorities and local police at 3:30 ET  —  Canadian police and intelligence agencies will announce later today they have thwarted a plot to carry out a major terrorist attack …

Suspect in Boston Marathon Attack Charged with Using a Weapon of Mass Destruction  —  Attorney General Eric Holder announced today that Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev, 19, a U.S. citizen and resident of Cambridge, Mass., has been charged with using a weapon of mass destruction against persons and property …

Sen. Paul Issues Letter to Majority Leader Reid Regarding Consideration of Immigration Bill  —  In the wake of the Boston Marathon Bombings, focus should be on National Security  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. - Sen. Rand Paul today issued a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid urging …

BECK BREAKS EXCLUSIVE INFORMATION ON SAUDI NATIONAL ONCE CONSIDERED A PERSON OF INTEREST IN BOSTON BOMBINGS  —  Editor's Note: We'll be discussing this story and all the day's news during our live BlazeCast at 12pm ET...including your questions, comments & live chat:  —  Background points:

Lindsey Graham: Wrong name hid Russia trip  —  Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Monday that the FBI did not know that Tamerlan Tsarnaev — the deceased Boston Marathon bombing suspect — went on a six-month overseas trip in 2011 because his name was misspelled.

Colbert Busch expands lead  —  PPP's newest poll on the special election in South Carolina finds Democrat Elizabeth Colbert Busch expanding her lead to 9 points over Mark Sanford at 50/41.  Green Party candidate Eugene Platt polls at 3%.  —  Colbert Busch's lead is on the rise for several reasons.

The Jobless Trap  —  F.D.R. told us that the only thing we had to fear was fear itself.  But when future historians look back at our monstrously failed response to economic depression, they probably won't blame fear, per se.  Instead, they'll castigate our leaders for fearing the wrong things.

Report: Bomb suspects' carjack victim spared because he wasn't American  —  The two brothers suspected of bombing the Boston Marathon's finish line told the man they carjacked on Thursday night that they only decided not to kill him because he “wasn't an American,” according to a report Monday.

13 Worst Predictions Made on Earth Day, 1970  —  The 1970s were a lousy decade.  Embarrassing movies, dreadful music and downright terrifying clothes reflected the national mood following an unpopular war, endless political scandals and a faltering economy.  —  Popular culture was consumed with decline, especially Hollywood.

A red state/blue state chasm  —  In the week since modest gun control died in the Senate, those of us who don't think guns make the country safer have been inclined to blame a few cowardly senators whose votes could have shifted the outcome.  —  Unfortunately, the problem is bigger than that.

Senator Told Shooting Victim's Mother He Supported Background Checks, Then Voted Against Them  —  Shortly before the a crucial Senate vote to expand background checks in gun transactions, Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) sent a letter to the mother of a shooting victim claiming that he was “truly sorry” …

Reuters fires Matthew Keys  —  Matthew Keys — who is currently facing charges that he conspired to help members of the hacker group Anonymous gain access to the Tribune Co.'s computer system — has been fired by Reuters, effective immediately.  —  Keys, who was Reuters' deputy social media editor …