Daily Beast drops Howard Kurtz  —  The Daily Beast is dropping Howard Kurtz, the veteran media critic who made headlines this week for his erroneous report about NBA star Jason Collins.  —  “The Daily Beast and Howard Kurtz have parted company,” Tina Brown, the site's editor in chief, said in a statement sent to POLITICO.

The New Study that Republicans Who Reject Medicaid Must Read  —  A major new study on Medicaid just became public.  I know—nothing excites readers more than the phrase “major new study on Medicaid.”  Bear with me.  This study is already getting a lot of attention: Conservatives and libertarians …

The Rand Machine Ramps Up  —  Rand Paul's chief strategist is leaving his Senate post to run the Kentucky Republican's political shop.  —  Doug Stafford, who is widely seen as Paul's closest adviser, will soon resign as chief of staff to manage Paul's national political operation.

HPD: Man fired shots, then shot himself at Bush Intercontinental Airport  —  HOUSTON—A man shot himselfatBush Intercontinental Airport in north Houston early Thursday afternoon, the Houston Police Department confirmed with KHOU 11 News.  —  The suspect walked into the ticket area inside …

Special ops called for military backup during Libya attack, sources say  —  On the night of the Benghazi terror attack, special operations put out multiple calls for all available military and other assets to be moved into position to help — but the State Department and White House never gave …

Mountain Dew Releases Arguably the Most Racist Commercial in History Tweet  —  If you've never heard of Felicia the Goat, you'll know about her soon.  Felicia the Goat is the main character in a recent Mountain Dew commercial, created in part by Tyler the Creator.

Kissinger jokes about Hillary Clinton 2016 run  —  Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger on Wednesday offered joking encouragement to Hillary Clinton's possible 2016 run, noting that the nation's top diplomats have a good record of winning presidential bids.

Friend Who Had “Fling” With Dzhokhar Tsarnaev on the 3 Additional Suspects: “They All Idolized Jahar”  —  In an interview with Mother Jones, a woman who says she hooked up with Tsarnaev sheds light on him and his friends now in custody.  —  Azamat Tazhayakov, Dias Kadyrbayev, and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.

Saudi diplomat investigated  —  Washington (CNN) — Federal authorities are investigating a potential case of human trafficking at the suburban Washington home of a Saudi diplomat, officials said Wednesday.  —  Authorities were called Tuesday afternoon to an upscale neighborhood in McLean …

FBI Adds Cop Killer Joanne Chesimard To Most Wanted Terrorist List  —  NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) - The decades-old international case of a convicted cop killer is getting new attention in New Jersey.  —  It was 40 years ago today that New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster was shot …

Ayotte's gun vote: ‘Disgusting’ political bullying  —  A senator's job is to study the issues that come before the Senate, to engage thoughtfully in debate and to cast a considered vote.  On the Senate's voluminous gun control legislation, Sen. Kelly Ayotte did that job incredibly well.

Woman missing 11 years turns up alive  —  (CNN) — A Pennsylvania woman who mysteriously disappeared 11 years ago has resurfaced in Florida, saying that she just walked out on her family, her life and her problems.  —  Brenda Heist, 54, turned herself into authorities in Key Largo …

Obama group misleadingly cites a vote on a climate change bill  —  “Number of House members who voted in 2011 that climate change was a ‘hoax’: 240”  —  President Obama's new political group, Organizing for Action, last week released a new video that mocks Republican lawmakers for appearing …

Six Ways to Separate Lies From Statistics  —  The discovery of a spreadsheet error in an influential study by Harvard University economists Carmen Reinhart and Kenneth Rogoff inevitably raises a troubling question: To what extent can we trust what any researcher claims to be true?

Part-timers to lose pay amid health act's new math  —  Some workers are having their hours cut so employers won't have to cover them under Obamacare.  But many will benefit from the healthcare law's premium subsidies and Medicaid expansion.  —  “I understand there are costs to healthcare reform …

Terry McAuliffe Got Into an Argument About Socialized Medicine During His Son's Birth  —  When his daughter was being born, the Virginia Democrat's wife told him to attend a reporter's party.  Maybe this is why.  —  Despite the best efforts of Mark Sanford and Elizabeth Colbert Busch …

Penny Pritzker to be nominated for Commerce secretary … Making official what many Democrats have expected for weeks, President Obama plans to nominate Chicago business executive Penny Pritzker, a longtime political supporter and heavyweight fundraiser, as his new Commerce secretary this morning.

Florida School Responds to Criticism for Expelling Student Over Science Project: “There Are Consequences to Actions”  —  By all accounts, Kiera Wilmot's science experiment gone wrong triggered just a tiny pop and a small amount of smoke at Bartow High School last week — but her tale is certifiably blowing up the Internet today.

Obama prods liberals to give-and-take on Senate immigration bill  —  President Obama is warning liberal supporters that their push to make changes in a comprehensive immigration bill could jeopardize the strategy of Senate leaders, who are aiming to win up to 70 votes for the measure.

Too-Big-to-Fail Takes Another Body Blow  —  Minds are changing on Too Big to Fail.  A month ago, it was just something in the air.  Now, it looks like we're headed for a real legislative confrontation.  And man, is the finance sector freaking.  —  Last week, on April 24th …

Obamacare Gets New Court Challenge  —  Opponents of the health-care overhaul have filed a new lawsuit Thursday against the federal government on behalf of four individuals and three employers in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.  —  The complaint focuses on the law's distribution …

Conservative groups: Balanced budget plan is price for debt hike  —  Conservative groups are vowing to force lawmakers to adopt a balanced budget plan before passing any increase in the nation's debt ceiling.  —  The Club for Growth and Heritage Action said that establishing a path …

Just How Ignorant Is Obama About ObamaCare?  —  Health Care: At his press conference this week, President Obama tried to reassure Americans about ObamaCare.  Instead, he displayed either an incredible lack of understanding about his own law, or something far worse.

The euphemism imperative  —  President Barack Obama was proud to become the first sitting president to address Planned Parenthood last Friday.  But not proud enough to utter the word “abortion.”  —  The right to abortion is the sneakiest, most shame-faced of all American rights.

DEAR WORKERS OF THE WORLD: These Three Charts Show How You're Getting Totally Shafted  —  It's May Day.  —  In America, to the extent anyone notices May Day, they notice the sunshine and spring weather.  —  Elsewhere in the world, however, May Day is all about celebrating the cause (and grievances) of the world's employees.