Americans Disapprove of Government Surveillance Programs  —  Americans split on whether leaker did the right or wrong thing  —  PRINCETON, NJ — More Americans disapprove (53%) than approve (37%) of the federal government agency program that as part of its efforts to investigate terrorism obtained records …

No, Trent Franks Is Not Todd Akin  —  Ever since Todd Akin exposed his boundless stupidity, and handed Democrats political gold, by insisting that raped women can't get pregnant, liberals have been looking for more Akins.  They think they've found the latest one in Trent Franks, who …

AUDIENCE MEMBER CONFRONTS BILL MAHER AFTER COMIC SLAMMED SARAH PALIN'S SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD  —  Conservative Ron Futrell knew to expect plenty of left-of-center jibes when he settled into his seat to see Bill Maher at The Pearl Theater in Las Vegas June 8.  —  Futrell didn't think he'd hear …

Bill Clinton splits with Obama on Syria  —  Bill Clinton told Sen. John McCain he agrees that President Barack Obama should act more forcefully to support anti-Assad rebels in Syria, saying the American public elects presidents and members of Congress “to see down the road” and “to win.”

GOP's Jackson discusses past drug use, bankruptcy  —  No. 2 on GOP ticket also acknowledges that he filed for bankruptcy in the past  —  E.W. Jackson, the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor acknowledged Wednesday that he used marijuana and experimented with other controlled substances in his youth.

6/13: Conservative Intel poll of MA-SEN  —  Re: Massachusetts Senate Special Election Poll  —  Democratic Congressman Ed Markey holds a formidable 12-point lead over Republican Gabriel Gomez in the race to succeed Secretary of State John Kerry.  However, there are clear signs of opportunity for Gomez.

Arizona Senator's Son Used Homophobic, Anti-Semitic Language On Twitter  —  “He has apologized and I apologize as well,” says Senator Jeff Flake.  —  WASHINGTON — Sen. Jeff Flake's high school-aged son Tanner used Twitter to threaten the “faggot” who stole his bike that he “will find you …

First immigration reform votes stalled  —  Fewer than 24 hours after the Senate immigration bill cleared its first major hurdle, the legislation is facing its first procedural obstacle.  —  On Wednesday afternoon, both parties objected to the others' amendment proposals …

Media, administration deal with conflicts  —  It's all but a journalistic commandment: Thou shalt not have a vested interest in the story you're covering.  Otherwise, a personal entanglement could color a reporter's neutrality or cloud public perceptions of fairness.

Jeff Duncan questions IRS rifle usage  —  Rep. Jeff Duncan wants to know why IRS law enforcement agents are training with AR-15 rifles.  —  As chairman of the House Homeland Security oversight subcommittee, Duncan (R-S.C.) toured a federal law enforcement facility in late May and noticed agents training …

Danielle Powell, Grace University Student Kicked Out For Being Lesbian, Must Repay Thousands  —  Danielle Powell was close to getting her bachelor's degree when she was kicked out of her university for being gay in 2012, and now says the only way the school will transfer her credits to another school is if she agrees to pay $6,300.

Report: Asians fastest growing group  —  Asians were the fastest growing race or ethnic group in 2012, according to a new U.S. Census Bureau report on Thursday.  —  Their population rose 2.9 percent, or 530,000, from 2011 to 2012 to 18.9 million, 60 percent of which was from international immigration.

Flashback: Sen. Biden says Americans shouldn't trust a president who spies on them  —  File this one under “aren't you glad we didn't elect an idiot like Sarah Palin to be one heartbeat away from the president?”  Actually, according to the current buffoon who is a heartbeat away from the president …

New CIA #2 Pick Used to Read Anne Rice Aloud at Her Bookstore's Erotica Night  —  In her 20s, Avril Haines held erotica readings at the Baltimore bookstore and restaurant she co-owned at the time.  Ben Jacobs and Avi Zenilman report.  —  The former host of “Erotica Night” …

Scowling face of the state  —  As soon as the Constitution permitted him to run for Congress, Al Salvi did.  In 1986, just 26 and fresh from the University of Illinois law school, he sank $1,000 of his own money, which was most of his money, into his campaign to unseat an incumbent Democratic congressman.

Weiner's Record in House: Intensity, Publicity and Limited Results  —  When President Obama needed every Democrat in Congress to back his health care plan in 2009, Representative Anthony D. Weiner threatened behind the scenes to torpedo the package in favor of a more sweeping measure.