Maurice Sendak, Children's Author Who Upended Tradition, Dies at 83  —  Maurice Sendak, widely considered the most important children's book artist of the 20th century, who wrenched the picture book out of the safe, sanitized world of the nursery and plunged it into the dark …

Mitt Romney: 'I'll Take A Lot Of Credit' For Auto Industry Recovery … REACT:  —  FOLLOW:  —  Elections 2012, Mitt Romney, Auto Bailout , Auto Bailout , Barack Obama 2012 , Elections 2012, Barack Obama , Video, Politics News, Mitt Romney 2012, Mitt Romney Auto Bailout, Photo Galleries, Politics News

Half of Americans Support Legal Gay Marriage  —  Democrats and independents in favor; Republicans opposed  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Fifty percent of Americans believe same-sex marriages should be recognized by law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages — down slightly from 53% last year …

Santorum endorses Romney: ‘All hands on deck’  —  A reader forwards this email Rick Santorum is sending to his list of supporters in which he announces he's endorsing Mitt Romney.  —  Santorum makes clear that he felt Romney had answered questions about his commitment to principles …

Liberals Steer Outside Money to Grass-Roots Organizing  —  After months on the sidelines, major liberal donors including the financier George Soros are preparing to inject up to $100 million into independent groups to aid Democrats' chances this fall.  But instead of going head to head …

For a Blunt Biden, an Uneasy Supporting Role  —  WASHINGTON — As President Obama reviewed the comedy routine he was to deliver at the recent White House Correspondents' Association dinner, one joke struck him as too hot.  It suggested he might dump Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. from the ticket.

Romney's Path Is Not Necessarily Narrow  —  Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post wrote last week that Mitt Romney's path to the presidency is awfully narrow, and that he has a ceiling of around 290 electoral votes.  Thus, “[w]hile Romney's team would absolutely take a 290-electoral-vote victory …

Top Obama donors witholding money over executive order punt  —  Some leading gay and progressive donors are so angry over President Obama's refusal to sign an executive order barring same sex discrimination by federal contractors that they are refusing to give any more money to the pro-Obama super PAC …

A Note to Readers  —  When we published Naomi Schaefer Riley's blog posting on Brainstorm last week ("The Most Persuasive Case for Eliminating Black Studies?  Just Read the Dissertations"), several thousand of you spoke out in outrage and disappointment that The Chronicle had published …

US: CIA thwarts new al-Qaida underwear bomb plot  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — The CIA thwarted an ambitious plot by al-Qaida's affiliate in Yemen to destroy a U.S.-bound airliner using a bomb with a sophisticated new design around the one-year anniversary of the killing of Osama bin Laden, The Associated Press has learned.

Gov. Christie's approval rate highest ever amongst N.J. residents  —  TRENTON — Fifty-six percent of New Jersey voters approve of Gov. Chris Christie, according to a Fairleigh Dickinson University PublicMind poll this morning.  —  That's Christie's highest ever rating in a Fairleigh Dickinson poll.

Sheik turned away by Fifth Avenue co-op board — because of too many kids: sources  —  He's got the dough and the pedigree — just too many damn kids for the co-op board at one of Manhattan's toniest buildings.  —  Sheik Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani — prime minister …

In surprise move, Netanyahu, Mofaz agree to form unity government, cancel early elections  —  PM, opposition leader reach dramatic late-night agreement to form national unity government, in which Kadima head Mofaz expected to be appointed deputy prime minister.  —  Get Haaretz on iPhone

How ‘Mad Men’ Landed The Beatles: All You Need Is Love (and $250,000)  —  In most cases, “Mad Men” is bound by the history of the era in which it takes place.  But on Sunday night, a new episode of that 1960s period drama that concluded with the Beatles song “Tomorrow Never Knows” …

The Structural Revolution  —  The country is divided when different people take different sides in a debate.  The country is really divided when different people are having entirely different debates.  That's what's happening on economic policy.  —  Many people on the left are having …

Al Jazeera English to close China bureau  —  Move comes after authorities refuse to renew correspondent's press credentials and visa.  —  Al Jazeera English has closed its bureau in Beijing after the Chinese authorities refused to renew its correspondent's press credentials and visa, or allow a replacement journalist.

Gary Johnson: I'm The Best Candidate On Gay Marriage  —  Says he “crushes” Romney and Obama on civil liberties.  Hard to disagree on that one.  —  Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson said on Steve Cochran's radio show yesterday that he will “be unequivocally supporting gay marriage” …

Hollande's Economic Policy May Better Suit the U.S.  —  WASHINGTON — With the victory of the Socialist candidate, François Hollande, in the French presidential election, the White House has lost one of its closest allies on the Continent, but perhaps gained one with economic policy beliefs more closely aligned with its own.

No Accountability for Torture  —  Sometimes I think being American means never having to say you're sorry.  On Wednesday, May 2, the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, a federal appeals court in San Francisco, unanimously dismissed a lawsuit against former Justice Department lawyer John Yoo …