James Pethokoukis: If the economy was too weak to absorb a tax hike last December – when the White House and Congress agreed to extend all the Bush tax cuts for two more years – its health is even worse today. The economy grew at just a 1.9 percent pace in the first quarter, and many economists now think it might grow just 2.0 percent in the second quarter –

International man of mystery? Or serial prankster? Or, you know, just some dude who probably likes cheeseburgers. Statistically speaking.

Where is McCain when you need him? Matt Cover, CNS News: White House visitor logs reveal that President Obama’s political campaign filmed two campaign videos featuring the president — inside the White House. Federal law prohibits fundraising by the president in offices used for official business. The White House contends that the mansion’s residential areas do not fall under this prohibition, pointing out that presidents have used the White House

I have the opportunity to interview Steve Bannon, director of the Palin doc, The Undefeated, and I’d like your input. If there are specific questions you’d like to ask Bannon re: his film, or his impressions of the Palin (recall, the Palins were not involved in the making of the film), please note them in the comments. I’m going to start typing up the questions later today and hope to

Reading between the lines of Bristol Palin’s answers to her FOXNews interviewers leaves me with the decided sense that Sarah Palin is planning a presidential run. And I hope she does — and has developed the kind of media strategy that will allow her to reach the American people without the malignant filter of the mainstream press, which includes, unfortunately, many of the more mainstream GOP pundits working today. But

The dirty whore. Discuss.

…into non-journalistic plainspeak. Asks Stephanopoulakakis: Finally one—one final question. I think one of the most impressive things that people find in your background is the fact that you and your husband have helped raise 23 foster children and I know you want to shield them but are they prepared and are you prepared for the loss of privacy that comes with the president campaign? And is that something you are

(Well, without significant comment. Because, well…) It’s been nearly a decade. You folks are really going to have to learn to trust me on this stuff.

Good lord. I fucking give up. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Coast Guard announced Thursday they will jointly enforce U.S. and international air pollution limits for vessels operating in U.S. waters. Both the Coast Guard and the EPA “will perform inspections and investigations, and will take appropriate enforcement actions if a violation is detected,” the news release said. The rules establish limits on nitrogen oxide emissions and require the

The normally quite reliable Andrew Malcolm of the LA Times argues that the Court’s ruling doesn’t take it account harried parents who, in the present economy, have difficulty finding time to actually parent, nor did it give the proper weight to the ickiness of certain games, played by people who just might date your daughter! To which I say, so? Such arguments were made at one time against the music