The Sharyl Attkisson approach  —  Sharyl Attkisson has problems.  —  The Obama administration won't answer the CBS News correspondent's questions because her investigations — into Benghazi, Fast and Furious, Solyndra — often reflect negatively on it.  Some colleagues at CBS News …

Gabriel Gomez calls Ed Markey ‘pond scum’  —  Massachusetts GOP Senate candidate Gabriel Gomez called his opponent, longtime Rep. Ed Markey, “pond scum” during an interview with an NPR reporter on Thursday.  —  “I don't think there's anything more offensive,” Gomez said …

Did Eric Holder lie in Congressional testimony last week?  —  That's the question asked by Katie Pavlich and Jim Hoft after the revelation that Attorney General Eric Holder personally approved the application for a warrant on Fox News' James Rosen as a potential co-conspirator in espionage.

California Will Be Spared the Obamacare Apocalypse  —  No sticker shock here—just affordable insurance premiums  —  Predictions of an Obamacare apocalypse seem a little less credible today, thanks to California.  —  On Thursday, officials in that state offered the first detailed glimpse …

Obama debates Obama  —  A heckler briefly interrupted President Barack Obama while he was arguing with himself on Thursday.  —  Days after Obama told reporters he makes “no apologies” about surveillance of Associated Press reporters, the president summoned his inner Constitutional law professor …

Strassel: Conservatives Became Targets in 2008  —  The Obama campaign played a big role in a liberal onslaught that far pre-dated Citizens United.  —  The White House insists President Obama is “outraged” by the “inappropriate” targeting and harassment of conservative groups.

Laying Down My Pen  —  When an opportunity comes to do something good, one must grab it.  —  At 2 p.m. central time Thursday afternoon in Mobile, word spread that U.S. Rep. Jo Bonner, a six-term Republican from a dark red district, would announce that he is resigning mid-term (Aug. 15) …

Scores of TGI Fridays in New Jersey ‘busted for selling caramel-colored rubbing alcohol as top-shelf scotch’ in statewide crackdown dubbed Operation Swill  —  At one bar, a mixture that included rubbing alcohol and caramel coloring was sold as scotch.  In another, premium liquor bottles …

Nearly a Quarter of People in Greece and the U.S. Can't Afford Food  —  Hunger has grown dramatically in Europe since 2007  —  No matter where you're from, not having enough to eat is the ultimate signifier of economic distress.  Food is the base of Maslow's hierarchy.  It's the first concern in disaster zones.

Congressman: Women Should Be Forced To Give Birth To Fetuses With No Brain Function  —  At a congressional committee hearing to discuss a proposed measure to criminalize abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, a Texas lawmaker told a woman who made the difficult choice to terminate …

Fewer Americans Identify as Economic Conservatives in 2013  —  Thirty percent say they are liberal on social issues, a new high  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. — Forty-one percent of Americans now characterize their economic views as “conservative,” or “very conservative,” the lowest since President …

Bloomberg gun group hits a Democrat  —  Washington (CNN) - A large gun advocacy group is hitting its first Democrat in their most recent campaign to increase gun control measures.  —  Mayors Against Illegal Guns, founded by independent New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg …

No Wonder Republican Criticism of Obama Isn't Working  —  They're attacking the president where he's least vulnerable at a time when they have minimal credibility.  —  Henny Youngman, the late borscht belt comedian, told hundreds of politically incorrect jokes.  One of them was his response when asked, “How's your wife?”

Obama met privately with Friedman, Ignatius, etc.  —  President Obama held a private meeting with top national security journalists on Thursday afternoon following his national security policy address at the National Defense University in Washington, POLITICO has learned.

The Collapse Of Public Infrastructure Spending In One Chart  —  The big news today is that a bridge in Washington collapsed, throwing cars into the water.  Amazingly, nobody died.  —  This may revive debate about the need to spend more on infrastructure, which would have multiple positive effects.

Noonan: A Battering Ram Becomes a Stonewall  —  The IRS's leaders refuse to account for the agency's corruption and abuse.  —  “I don't know.”  “I don't remember.”  “I'm not familiar with that detail.”  “It's not my precise area.”  “I'm not familiar with that letter.”

Huma Abedin Is an Unexpected Driving Force in Weiner's Comeback  —  When Chelsea Clinton wanted to make a low-key visit to the hurricane-stricken Rockaways last fall, she arranged to take a trip with her close friend Huma Abedin, a longtime aide to Hillary Rodham Clinton.

McCain Accuses Tea Party Colleagues Of Pushing Dems Too Far  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — A long-simmering feud between establishment Republicans and Tea Partyers broke into full view Thursday, with Sen. John McCain accusing younger colleagues of overplaying their hands and tempting Democrats …

President Obama forgets to salute  —  Washington (CNN) - President Obama, seemingly preoccupied, forgot one piece of protocol as he boarded Marine One on his way to Annapolis Friday.  —  Obama walked past the Marine at the bottom of the helicopter's stairs and didn't give the traditional salute.

Budget Cuts Get Personal; Those Who Are Hurt, Holler  —  The federal budget sequester may be dampening a rise in economic optimism: Nearly four in 10 Americans now say sequestration has hurt them personally, up substantially since it began in March - and they're far less sanguine than others about the economy's prospects overall.

First on CNN: Cruz invited to key 2016 presidential state  —  Manchester, New Hampshire (CNN) - An influential social conservative organization in New Hampshire has invited Sen. Ted Cruz to speak to its members, an offer that would present the Texas Republican an opportunity to begin meeting primary voters …

Man charged with making ‘racist or anti-religious’ Facebook comments about British soldier's death  — Police say people should be careful about what they write on twitter as the ‘consequences could be serious’  —  A 22-year-old man has been charged on suspicion of making malicious comments …

White House press secretary Jay Carney discusses favorite band, Guided by Voices  —  On the walls of Jay Carney's office: a photo of the Berlin Wall being dismantled.  Snaps of his kids.  His employer, President Obama, gracing the cover of his former employer, Time magazine.

Yet Another Hulu Bidder!  Yahoo Is In, Too.  —  Add one more name to the Hulu bidding derby: Yahoo, which just announced plans to buy Tumblr for $1.1 billion, has made an offer on the video website as well.  —  The Web giant submitted a bid for the video site this morning, according to a person familiar with process.

Cars, people sent tumbling into Skagit River as I-5 bridge collapses  —  By KOMO Staff & news services Published: May 23, 2013 at 7:39 PM PDT Last Updated: May 23, 2013 at 11:20 PM PDT  —  MOUNT VERNON, Wash. — The Interstate 5 bridge over the Skagit River collapsed Thursday evening …