We Didn't Have to Lose Arlen Specter  —  IT is disheartening and disconcerting, at the very least, that here we are today — almost exactly eight years after Senator Jim Jeffords left the Republican Party — witnessing the departure of my good friend and fellow moderate Republican …

U.S. officials want ‘swine’ out of flu name  —  Source: Reuters  —  What's in a name?  U.S. pork producers are finding that the name of the virus spreading from Mexico is affecting their business, prompting U.S. officials to argue for changing the name from swine flu.

FAA Memo: Feds Knew NYC Flyover Would Cause Panic  —  Threatened Federal Sanctions Against NYPD, Secret Service, FBI & Mayor's Office If Secret Ever Got Out  —  Furious Obama Apologizes: “It Will Never Happen Again”  —  CBS News Interactive: Sept. 11 And Since

Official Defends Signing Interrogation Memos  —  WASHINGTON — Judge Jay S. Bybee broke his silence on Tuesday and defended the conclusions of legal memorandums he had signed as a Bush administration lawyer that allowed use of several coercive interrogation practices on suspected terrorists.

U.S. economy tumbles in first quarter  —  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. economy contracted at a surprisingly sharp 6.1 percent rate in the first quarter as exports and business inventories plummeted.  —  The drop in gross domestic product, reported by the Commerce Department on Wednesday …

Fed Is Said to Seek Capital for at Least Six Banks  —  At least six of the 19 largest U.S. banks require additional capital, according to preliminary results of government stress tests, people briefed on the matter said.  —  While some of the lenders may need extra cash injections from the government …

A Torturous Compromise  —  Weighing everything, President Obama got it about as right as one could when he decided to ban the use of torture, to release the Bush torture memos for public scrutiny and to not prosecute the lawyers and interrogators who implemented the policy.

Senate Confirms Kansas Governor as Health Secretary  —  WASHINGTON — The Senate confirmed the nomination of Kathleen Sebelius as secretary of health and human services on Tuesday, allowing President Obama to fill the last vacancy in his cabinet with a seasoned politician who will take charge of the fight against swine flu.

Electric Cars — Not Ready to Roll  —  General Motors has announced a plan to stave off bankruptcy that includes cutting 21,000 jobs, reducing its dealer network and eliminating its Pontiac division.  “I'm a believer in dealing with reality,” GM chief executive Fritz Henderson said.

Obama's Stand in Auto Crisis Shows Early Resolve  —  WASHINGTON — By the time he sat down in the Oval Office to brief Michigan's Congressional delegation, President Obama had made up his mind.  Days earlier, he had decided to oust the head of General Motors and give it and Chrysler weeks to fix themselves.