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 …

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 …

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.

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.

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 …

Why I Am Signing Marriage Equality Into Law  —  PROVIDENCE, R.I.  —  ON Thursday, the Rhode Island House of Representatives is expected to approve legislation to extend the right to marry to all Rhode Islanders, regardless of sexual orientation.  I plan to sign the Marriage Equality Act …

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.

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.

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 …

Official: Human trafficking probe at Saudi diplomat's home  —  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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

CBO report: Principal reductions could save billions  —  A new report out Wednesday could give Democrats more muscle in their push for mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to reduce principal mortgage balances.  —  The Congressional Budget Office's (CBO) analysis shows …

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 …

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.

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?

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.

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 …

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.

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.

Ami Bera dings Obama administration for rollout of Affordable Care Act  —  Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius might want to carve out a few minutes to chat with Rep. Ami Bera, one of two Democratic members of Congress who happens to be a physician.

Hagan, Landrieu gun votes could help in 2014  —  PPP's newest round of polling finds that Kay Hagan and Mary Landrieu helped their cause for reelection with their recent votes in support of background checks for gun sales.  More than 70% of voters in each of their states support such checks …