Sen. Coburn: Kagan ‘Ignorant’ of Constitutional Principles; 'I Wouldn't Rule Out a Filibuster'  —  ABC News' Rick Klein reports: Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn has provided some of the most contentious exchanges of the rather tame Elena Kagan confirmation hearings.

New study documents media's servitude to government  —  A newly released study from students at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government provides the latest evidence of how thoroughly devoted the American establishment media is to amplifying and serving (rather than checking) government officials.

Christopher Hitchens diagnosed with cancer, cuts short his book tour  —  Christopher Hitchens is being treated for cancer, forcing the D.C. writer to cut short his latest book tour.  In a statement released through his publisher Twelve, the British-born provocateur, 61, said that he has …

Hypocrisy, Thy Name is Andrew Sullivan  —  Leave it to Andrew Sullivan.  It's been 24 hours since I offered $100,000 for the full list and contents of the Ezra Klein's four-year experiment in political-journalist editorial collusion — the on line progressive jazz fusion station known as JournoList.

Portland police will investigate accusations that Al Gore groped woman  —  Portland police announced today that it will re-open and investigate a Portland massage therapist's allegations that former Vice President Al Gore sexually assaulted her at a downtown hotel in October 2006.

Financial Overhaul Wins Final Approval in House  —  WASHINGTON — The House on Wednesday adopted legislation to revamp the nation's financial regulatory system, in a party-line vote that illustrated how the partisan acrimony gripping Congress prevented cooperation even on the universally shared goal …

Independent Voters Favor GOP in 2010 Election Tracking  —  Prefer Republican candidate to Democrat by an average of 45% to 35%  —  PRINCETON, NJ — By an average 10 percentage-point margin since March, 45% to 35%, independent registered voters have consistently preferred the Republican …

In Clarence Thomas's gun rights opinion, race plays a major role  —  He hardly ever speaks during oral arguments, often appearing asleep on the bench.  But in his written opinion Monday supporting the right to bear arms, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas roared to life.

Jobless aid stalls in Senate; home buyers get more time  —  The Senate failed once again late Wednesday to advance a plan to restore jobless benefits for people out of work more than six months, leaving millions of unemployed workers in limbo until after the July 4 recess.

Evangelicals warn GOP on immigration  —  President Barack Obama's allies have been blasting the GOP's blockade of immigration-reform legislation, making the case that Republicans will alienate a core constituency - conservative Christians - unless they get on board.

Obama Tries to Steer Immigration Debate With Call for Congressional Action  —  May 5: President Obama speaks as first lady Michelle looks on during a celebration of Cinco de Mayo.  —  Amid cries for tougher enforcement and more boots on the ground along the border, President Obama will try …

The Most Unhappy Fellow  —  Our Independence Day weekend winner of the title of Most Unhappy Person in Washington is: John Boehner, the House minority leader.  —  I know this is a bit of a surprise since the award almost always goes to the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, whose job is frequently compared to herding cats.

DNC names four cities as finalists to host 2012 convention  —  DNC chairman Tim Kaine named four cities on Wednesday that could host the 2012 Democratic National Convention.  —  Washington (CNN) - The Democratic National Committee has named four cities as finalists to host the 2012 Democratic convention.

Have Obama and the Democrats forgotten how to fight?  —  One of the strangest lead sentences I have ever encountered appeared in Politico last week.  It read: “John Kerry has been the most aggressive advocate of climate change legislation in the Senate this year — so aggressive that it's rubbed some of his colleagues the wrong way.”

CBO tells Obama deficit panel that forecast remains bleak  —  President Obama's overhaul of the health-care system has done little to improve the nation's fiscal outlook, and his pledge to extend an array of tax cuts for the middle class would only make things worse, congressional budget analysts said Wednesday.

Standing Up to the Unholy Alliance Between Washington and Wall Street  —  Wall Street and its allies have been calling the shots in Congress for decades, so they must be glad to see how things are shaping up on financial regulatory reform.  Congress is about to vote on a final bill that fails …

West Virginia pols weigh moving Byrd special election to November  —  The special election for the late Sen. Robert Byrd's (D-W.Va.) seat might not have to wait until 2012 after all.  —  Just two days after the senator died and Secretary of State Natalie Tennant (D) declared an election …