Rand Paul, telling the truth  —  If we use “gaffe” in its proper, Kinsleyan form, that's what U.S. Senate candidate Rand Paul issued to NPR yesterday, and that's what he defended on Rachel Maddow's show last night.  He told the truth about his stance on the Civil Rights Act.

Senate Democrats predict financial regulations victory  —  Sen. Dick Durbin said Thursday that Democrats will have the 60 votes needed to end debate on Wall Street reform.  —  Washington (CNN) - A day after failing to get the 60 votes needed to end debate on a controversial financial regulations bill …

Critics weigh Blumenthal's words  —  “I wore the uniform in Vietnam and many came back & to all kinds of disrespect.  Whatever we think of war, we owe the men and women of the armed forces our unconditional support.”  —  The occasion was the Stamford Veterans Days parade: Nov. 9, 2008.

Scientists Fault Lack of Studies Over Gulf Oil Spill  —  Tensions between the Obama administration and the scientific community over the gulf oil spill are escalating, with prominent oceanographers accusing the government of failing to conduct an adequate scientific analysis of the damage …

The New Free Speech Movement  —  Today is Everybody Draw Mohammed Day, a completely made-up satirical “holiday” dedicated to the concept of drawing Mohammed cartoons, as a way of making a statement about freedom of speech.  —  Not everyone agrees with this idea, however.

Salahis Stopped by Secret Service Near White House Last Night  —  The Salahis were stopped by the U.S. Secret Service last night at around 8 p.m. ET during the State Dinner for Mexican President Felipe Calderon as their stretch limousine ran a red light and seemed to be trying to turn …

A Bad Day for the Obama Agenda  —  The primary election results show rising intensity among Republican voters.  —  The temptation for politicians and political analysts is to draw broad, sweeping conclusions from election results.  But most election outcomes defy being reduced to a single cause.

GOP lawmaker blasts Mexico pres. comments as inappropriate  —  Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) blasted Mexican President Felipe Calderon on Thursday, calling the visiting dignitary's remarks on Arizona's recently implemented immigration law, “inappropriate.”  —  Earlier Thursday …

A Tax Hike Conservatives Can Love?  —  I'm in general suspicious of claims that such-and-such a means of enhancing revenue is something that conservatives would be willing to embrace.  Oftentimes people reach the conclusions that conservatives might support this or that by the erroneous method …

Scientists make ‘artificial life’  —  The synthetic cell looks identical to the “wild type”  —  Scientists in the US have succeeded in developing the first synthetic living cell.  —  The researchers constructed a bacterium's “genetic software” and transplanted it into a host cell.