Sarah Palin

In case you doubted that Palin derangement syndrome is still one of the most potent forces in American politics, I give you MSNBC's Martin Bashir:

"Sarah Palin and her advisers are refusing to tell members of the media where she is going on her current bus tour - and the former Alaska governor seems to be enjoying the cat and mouse game that's resulted."

Unexpectedly! "Consumer Confidence Index drops unexpectedly to 6-month low in May; gas, job worries persist"

There’s no GOP operative for whom I have higher regard than former RNC chair and senior Bush advisor Ed Gillespie. He deserves to be taken seriously when he says (according to Politico): "For all intents and purposes, the field is set. The waiting is over. It's possible someone may get in later on, but Republican activists, officials and donors are going to begin picking a horse from the current field, and things are going to accelerate pretty quickly now. We have a field that will produce a nominee capable of beating Obama next November."

"Schumer: You’re damn right we’ll use Gingrich’s criticism of Ryan against the GOP"

"GOP elite see Mitch Daniels as 2012 savior"

Iowahawk: "'Justice'? I Spit on Your 'Justice'"

Earlier today, the boss responded to an email from Ben Smith asking for reaction to Sarah Palin's foreign policy speech. The boss:

I know Brent Scowcroft. I worked with Brent Scowcroft. Sarah Palin’s no Brent Scowcroft.

"Mean streak: Obama is not as nice as he looks"

FEC auditing Obama's 2008 campaign.

Donald Trump: "Always Had a Great Relationship With The Blacks"

Ramesh Ponnuru: "Paul Ryan vs. the Mythmakers"

How's that White House budget plan going? "Nancy Pelosi snaps at White House adviser Gene Sperling"

Did Glenn Beck make some sort of announcement today?

White House views Paul Ryan's budget as a "weapon" to be used against GOP.

Obamacare is subsidizing the Washington Post and CBS News.

Apocalipstick NOW 

There are only a few reliable political maxims, but one of the most reliable is this: Any organization devoted to the cause of identity politics will, over time, become more about politics than identity.

Giuliani: "We Cannot Create Another Iraq"

Illinois state senator moving to Texas: "I'm tired of subsidizing crooks."

James O'Keefe has a new NPR video out and SPOILER ALERT: It's also really embarassing.

Rand Paul is pro-choice when it comes to toilets.

It's time for another round of "Hey, Let's Imagine the Avalanche of Media Coverage if a Tea Partier had Done This."

Despite being a YouTube sensation and garnering an increasing amount of attention from national media outlets, New Jersey governor Chris Christie remains unknown to large swaths of the public and the Republican electorate, according to a new Fox News poll. The poll shows that 37 percent of registered voters--and 33 percent of Republican voters--have "never heard of" Christie.