Political Memo: Democrats Are Skipping Town Halls to Avoid Voter Rage  —  BEL AIR, Md. — The reception that Representative Frank Kratovil Jr., a Democrat, received here one night last week as he faced a small group of constituents was far more pleasant than his encounters during a Congressional recess last summer.

With Regrets  —  I concur with the following response from my agent to Helen Thomas' lamentable remarks about Israel, and will no longer be working with Helen on our book projects.  — Craig Crawford

U.S. Intelligence Analyst Arrested in Wikileaks Video Probe  —  Federal officials have arrested an Army intelligence analyst who boasted of giving classified U.S. combat video and hundreds of thousands of classified State Department records to whistleblower site Wikileaks, Wired.com has learned.

Barack Obama Ignores D-Day Anniversary - Goes to Theatre Party Instead  —  On June 6, 1944, the D-Day invasion of Europe took place during World War II as Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy, France.  America lost 2,499 of its finest men that day.  —  (Enterprise News)

Bernie Madoff, Free at Last  —  In prison he doesn't have to hide his lack of conscience.  In fact, he's a hero for it.  —  Last August, shortly after his arrival at the federal correctional complex in Butner, North Carolina, Bernard L. Madoff was waiting on the evening pill line …

China's ‘cancer villages’ reveal dark side of economic boom  —  Polluting factories in rural communities are forming a deadly toxic cocktail for villagers, leading to surging rates of cancer  —  Zheng Gumei thought she was down with a cold until the doctor told her to wait outside the room so he could talk to her son alone.

Excelsior!  Upwards of Eight Thousand Protest 911 Mega Mosque on D Day!  —  Despite weather forecasts of thunderstorms and rain, the skies were clear and beautiful — but not as beautiful as this patriotic crowd of great Americans and Europeans.  It was a real cross section of humanity . …

Damage Will Go On After Well Is Plugged, Admiral Says  —  HOUSTON — The Coast Guard commander in charge of the federal response to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico warned on Sunday that even if the flow of crude was stopped by summer, it could take well into autumn — and maybe much longer …

Apple's Magic Trackpad revealed?  —  Of all the surprises we expected to hear about in the WWDC keynote, a multitouch trackpad peripheral didn't exactly pop into our brains.  But — whoomp — here it is.  What we appear to be looking at is a brand new input device that Apple has dreamed …

White House and Allies Set to Build Up Health Law  —  WASHINGTON — President Obama and his allies, concerned about deep skepticism over his landmark health care overhaul, are orchestrating an elaborate campaign to sell the public on the law, including a new tax-exempt group that will spend millions …

Hooked on Gadgets, and Paying a Mental Price  —  SAN FRANCISCO — When one of the most important e-mail messages of his life landed in his in-box a few years ago, Kord Campbell overlooked it.  —  Not just for a day or two, but 12 days.  He finally saw it while sifting through old messages …

Elton John Sings at Rush Limbaugh's 4th Wedding  —  Talk about an odd couple: conservative radio commentator Rush Limbaugh and outspoken gay-marriage advocate Elton John.  —  But, according to a News Corporation (which owns Fox News) wire report, the Rocket Man, 63, serenaded the 400 guests …

Did Reuters Crop a Photo to Remove a Peace Activist's Weapon?  —  A Turkish newpaper has released photos taken by the “peace activists” aboard the Mavi Marmara, showing them attempting to take injured Israeli soldiers hostage.  —  Here's one of the pictures; notice the knife held by a “peace activist” in the lower right corner:

Clinton warns of Iran “stunt”  —  (Reuters) - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned on Sunday of Iran “stunts” ahead of a visit to Latin America where regional powerhouse Brazil opposes the U.S. drive for new U.N. sanctions over Tehran's nuclear program.

More Obama change to believe in: Americans now see him as a partisan Democrat  —  One of the 2007-08 Obama presidential campaign's changes that Americans believed in by the many millions was his oft-repeated promise to work with all sides no matter what and change the harsh political tone of Washington.