Cover Story: Bert and Ernie's “Moment of Joy”  —  “It's amazing to witness how attitudes on gay rights have evolved in my lifetime,” said Jack Hunter, the artist behind next week's cover, “Moment of Joy.”  Hunter, who originally submitted his image, unsolicited, to a Tumblr, continued …

GOP Leaders Warn Pro Sports Leagues Not To Promote Obamacare  —  Senate Republican leaders have sent letters warning six professional sports leagues not to provide the Obama administration any assistance in promoting Obamacare.  —  The letters, dated June 27, warn the chiefs of the National Football League …

House GOP's immigration playbook  —  Circle July 10 with red ink: It's now the most important day for immigration reform.  —  That Wednesday is when a hobbled, divided and raucous House Republican Conference will meet in the Capitol basement to figure out how to address the Senate-passed bill.

Hank Johnson: Clarence Thomas ‘Worse’ Than Edward Snowden For Gutting Voting Rights Act  —  WASHINGTON — Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) said Wednesday that the fact that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas voted this week to gut the Voting Rights Act — the 1965 law aimed at protecting disenfranchised voters …

Witness describes Zimmerman's injuries, phone call to wife  —  A resident of the Florida community where George Zimmerman shot Trayvon Martin last year told jurors Friday afternoon how he encountered a bloodied Zimmerman immediately after the confrontation and took pictures of the murder defendant's injuries.

Federal Government Begins Extending Employee Benefits To Same-Sex Spouses  —  “[F]or the first time in history, we will be making important federal employee benefits, including healthcare and retirement benefits, available to eligible married gay and lesbian couples and their families,” Obama said in a statement Friday afternoon.

Mayor Bloomberg: NYPD ‘Stops Whites Too Much And Minorities Too Little’  —  New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg defended the police department's controversial stop and frisk program during a radio interview on Friday morning, and complained that the NYPD was stopping too many white people.

Carter: Paula Deen should be forgiven  —  (CNN) — Former President Jimmy Carter said embattled celebrity chef Paula Deen should be forgiven, arguing that while there's no condoning the racial slurs she uttered, the well-known personality has been candid and apologetic.

Alec Baldwin's pregnant wife Hilaria TWEETS about Rachael Ray and anniversary gifts during James Gandolfini's funeral  — She later insisted: 'I don't believe in bringing phones into a funeral and I never did and I never would'  —  It may not be considered funeral etiquette …

Krugman hits Erickson for ‘fake populism’  —  In response to Erick Erickson's latest us-versus-them screed against the Acela-corridor...  Paul Krugman drops some Bureau of Labor Statistics data to show that the price of milk and bread haven't actually gone up at all.  And asks:

Woman indicted in mailing of ricin-laced letters to Obama, Bloomberg  —  Actress arrested in ricin case  —  (CNN) — A Texas woman has been indicted and charged with mailing ricin-laced letters to President Obama and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a U.S. attorney's office in Texas said Friday.

Lois Lerner's plan: fight on  —  Darrell Issa's committee says Lois Lerner waived her Fifth Amendment rights — but her attorney says she isn't going down without a fight.  —  The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee voted 22-17 on Friday that the embattled IRS official voluntarily waived …

Christie: Obama 'can't figure out how to lead'  —  VERNON TWP.  — Gov. Chris Christie veered to the right this morning, twice touting himself as a “conservative Republican” and taking a shot at President Obama within the first 10 minutes of a town hall meeting in Sussex County.

Sarah Palin mocks GOP: ‘Great job’  —  Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin had harsh words for the GOP establishment who voted for immigration reform, saying they “disrespect Hispanics” by passing the bill.  —  “Great job, GOP establishment,” began the statement Palin posted on Facebook on Friday.

What will it take for Snowden to come back?  Father has ideas  —  (CNN) — The father of Edward J. Snowden has offered federal authorities a deal that he says would likely lead the accused leaker to return voluntarily to the United States to face espionage charges.

Tea Party Worries Colorado Town With Planned July 4 Gun March  —  A tea party group's vow to march with guns in a Fourth of July parade has caused panic in a small Colorado town.  —  The Southern Colorado Patriots Club announced that its members would march with guns in the annual Independence …

The Criminal N.S.A.  —  THE twin revelations that telecom carriers have been secretly giving the National Security Agency information about Americans' phone calls, and that the N.S.A. has been capturing e-mail and other private communications from Internet companies as part of a secret program called Prism …