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 …

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.

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 …

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 …

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.”

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 …

Merkley waves Verizon phone, demands NSA chief share grounds for seizing data  —  In a dramatic exchange Wednesday on Capitol Hill, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) demanded National Security Agency chief Keith Alexander explain why the agency was legally authorized to obtain his personal cell phone data.

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.

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 …

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.

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 …

Public Conversations on Facebook  —  Every day, hundreds of millions of people use Facebook to share their thoughts on big moments happening all around them.  Whether it's talking about a favorite television show, cheering on a hometown sports team or engaging with friends during a breaking news event …

Former WHAM radio personality fired for controversial blog post  —  He said it was written with a tone of humor, but many people saw it as offensive, racist and sexist.  And now, it's left him without a job.  —  Radio personality Craig Schaller worked at WHAM 1180 for 16 years …

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.

E.W. Jackson meditates on yoga, Satan  —  Virginia lieutenant governor hopeful E.W. Jackson wants everyone to breathe easy: He doesn't believe yoga leads to satanism.  —  “I do not believe that yoga leads to Satanism.  One of my ministers is a yoga instructor.

Obama's Snooping Excludes Mosques, Missed Boston Bombers  —  Homeland Insecurity: The White House assures that tracking our every phone call and keystroke is to stop terrorists, and yet it won't snoop in mosques, where the terrorists are.  —  That's right, the government's sweeping surveillance …