Weiner Told Porn Star to Lie, Offered PR Help  —  Congressman Anthony Weiner instructed one of his Internet women how to lie about their relationship ... and even offered PR help from his team, which could create major legal issues for him ... TMZ has learned.

Obama loses bin Laden bounce; Romney on the move among GOP contenders  —  The public opinion boost President Obama received after the killing of Osama bin Laden has dissipated, and Americans' disapproval of how he is handling the nation's economy and the deficit has reached new highs, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

RedState sells ‘endorsement’ [UPDATED]  —  The endorsement of Erick Erickson, the founder of the conservative blog RedState and a CNN contributor is for sale as part of an advertising package, according to an email circulated by an account executive for The Human Events Group -Eagle Publishing, which recently purchased the site.

Margaret Thatcher to Sarah Palin: don't bother dropping by  —  Allies of former prime minister regard darling of Tea Party movement as a frivolous figure unworthy of an audience  —  Sarah Palin wants to show to the Republican right that she is the true keeper of the Ronald Reagan flame …

Evan “Revolving Door” Bayh Signs On With US Chamber  —  Not long after announcing his plans to retire in 2010, then-Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) offered this bit of commentary on why he'd opted to leave Congress after two terms in office: “I want to be engaged in an honorable line of work.”

President Obama's phony accounting on the auto industry bailout  —  “Chrysler has repaid every dime and more of what it owes American taxpayers for their support during my presidency.”  —  With some of the economic indicators looking a bit dicey, President Obama traveled to Ohio last week …

Where Wisdom Lives  —  Sometimes life presents you with a basic philosophical choice.  Americans are going to have to confront a giant one over the next several years.  —  It starts in the wonky world of Medicare.  As presently constructed, Medicare is based on an open-ended fee-for-service system.

The Fatal Pivot  —  Christy Romer talks about the economic debate (pdf) in the fall of 2009: … This matches what I was hearing.  And it tells you that it wasn't just the Republicans: a substantial faction within the administration was eager to “pivot” away from the jobs issue.

U.S. funding for future promises lags by trillions  —  The federal government's financial condition deteriorated rapidly last year, far beyond the $1.5 trillion in new debt taken on to finance the budget deficit, a USA TODAY analysis shows.  —  The government added $5.3 trillion …

What Your Taxes Do (and Don't) Buy for You  —  Bruce Bartlett held senior policy roles in the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations and served  —  on the staffs of Representatives Jack Kemp and Ron Paul.  —  Last week I showed that total taxes at the federal level …

‘Gay Girl in Damascus’ Allegedly Kidnapped  —  As the anti-government uprising in Syria has unfolded, Syrian-American blogger Amina Abdallah has attracted readers and been noticed by The Washington Post, CNN, Time,and The Guardian for her musings on the protest movement and what it's like to be gay in Syria.

GOP attacks Dems from the left, accuses them of shredding ‘social safety net’  —  So it's come to this: Now Republicans are accusing Democrats of wanting to “shred the social safety net.”  —  As I've noted here before, Republicans have again taken to attacking Dems from the left on Medicare …

Lawmaker upset when daughter's class appeals for school funding  —  SANFORD, N.C. — In an attempt to appeal for more education funding in the state budget, Lee County Schools stepped over the line, a lawmaker said Monday.  —  Rep. Mike Stone, R-Lee, said school district officials …

Moving Online, Beck Will Charge Viewers a Fee  —  Glenn Beck is planning to charge his fans a monthly subscription for his daily talk show online starting this summer, as he makes the move from being a Fox News host to the owner of his own Internet network.  —  On Tuesday, Mr. Beck will announce …

Comic Chris Titus hints at assassinating Palin ‘if she gets elected president’  —  Sometimes there is a line that is crossed between what appropriate for comedy and what's likely off limits.  But did comic Christopher Titus cross that line?  —  In an appearance on Monday's “The Adam Carolla Show” …

Bachmann strategist blasts Palin: ‘Not serious’  —  Michelle Bachmann's new top consultant, Ed Rollins, began his tenure with scathing criticism of potential Bachmann rival Sarah Palin.  —  “Sarah has not been serious over the last couple of years,” Rollins told Brian Kilmeade on his radio show, Kilmeade and friends.

A Tim Pawlenty plan for recovery  —  How did you enjoy your economic recovery last summer?  Well, that's what President Barack Obama said we were having.  He wrongly thought the stimulus, the bailouts and the takeovers were the solution.  He said they worked.

The Confessions of Keith Olbermann … Keith Olbermann hobbles into the cavernous Highline Studios in Manhattan's Meatpacking district.  A black collapsible cane in his left hand, he carefully picks through jumbles of wires and gingerly sidesteps an equipment cart.

How Accurate Were Palin's Paul Revere Comments? … Sarah Palin caused a colonial-era commotion last week with comments she made in Boston about Paul Revere's famous ride.  Melissa Block speaks with Robert Allison, a professor and historian at Suffolk University about Palin's comments to see just how historically accurate they were.

Louisiana Republican Aims To Overturn Roe v. Wade … The Louisiana state legislature is considering a bill that would make performing an abortion a criminal offense, including in cases of rape and incest, and that would force a woman to pay out of pocket for an abortion that is necessary to save her life.