Obama joins Wisconsin's budget battle, opposing Republican anti-union bill  —  MADISON, WIS. - President Obama thrust himself and his political operation this week into Wisconsin's broiling budget battle, mobilizing opposition Thursday to a Republican bill that would curb public-worker benefits …

Willie Sutton Wept  —  There are three things you need to know about the current budget debate.  First, it's essentially fraudulent.  Second, most people posing as deficit hawks are faking it.  Third, while President Obama hasn't fully avoided the fraudulence, he's less bad than his opponents …

On Long Island, Palin Opens Up and Plays Coy  —  WOODBURY, N.Y. — Sarah Palin did not visit Iowa or New Hampshire on Thursday, and she did not drop by South Carolina or Nevada.  But inside a country club ballroom here, as she logged another stop as a paid speaker, she said she could not wait much longer to decide her future.

GOP votes to defund Obama's policy ‘czars’  —  The House GOP approved an amendment to a government-spending bill that would block funding for the Obama administration's so-called policy “czars,” appointed advisers to the president that have been much-criticized by Republicans.  —  The vote was 249-171.

The Jeb Bush primary  —  Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is a major player in the 2012 endorsement game.  —  Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush may not be running for president in 2012, but that doesn't mean he won't be a factor in determining the identity of the nominee.

GOP activists in Iowa divided on whether Palin can carry 2012 banner  —  WEST DES MOINES, IOWA - A group of Republican activists was sorting out the field of prospective 2012 presidential candidates on a cold night here recently when talk turned to Sarah Palin.

Bahrain tense amid funerals  —  Military keeps capital Manama under lockdown, a day after a deadly police assault on anti-government demonstrators.  —  [WARNING: This video contains images that some viewers may find disturbing]  —  Troops and tanks have locked down Manama, the Bahraini capital …

Boehner says any stopgap spending bill must trim federal budget further  —  As the House continued its marathon debate Thursday over a bill to fund the federal government, House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) acknowledged that Congress might not reach agreement over spending cuts before the government runs out of money next month.

Administration asks judge to tell the states that healthcare law isn't optional  —  The Obama administration is asking a federal judge who struck down the healthcare reform law to clarify that states must still implement the overhaul as the appeals process plays out.

Facebook Adds ‘Civil Union,’ ‘Domestic Partnership’ To Relationship Status Options … Facebook has added two new relationship status options users can include in their online profiles: “in a civil union” and “in a domestic partnership.”  —  The new fields are being rolled out in the U.S …

Warning for GOP: Beware ‘Arrogance of Power’  —  The Ohio Republican Says His Party Could Suffer Same Fate as Dems at the Polls  —  Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) has a warning for his fellow Republicans: Beware “the arrogance of power,” or voters will do to you what they did to Democrats last year.

Sen. Conrad worries Democrats by calling to revisit the healthcare debate  —  Unshackled by the need to get reelected, Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) suggested Thursday that Democrats reopen the bitter healthcare debate, arguing that the reform law's provisions could yield opportunities to cut the federal deficit.