AP - A year after the government's big auto-industry bailouts, President Barack Obama on Friday trumpeted increased car sales and progress on battery-powered vehicles as a beacon of success in his administration's battle to revive a hurting U.S. economy. But his upbeat assessment can't mask daunting challenges for U.S. automakers and painfully high unemployment.
AP - The Obama administration, unable to push an immigration overhaul through Congress, is considering ways it could go around lawmakers to let undocumented immigrants stay in the United States, according to an agency memo.
Conservatives doubt Sherrod's case against Breitbart (The Upshot)
The Upshot - Shirley Sherrod caused liberals to rejoice Thursday by telling a San Diego audience that she'll "definitely" sue conservative publisher Andrew Breitbart. But are things so bad for Breitbart, a media provocateur who appears to thrive off controversy? Despite posting the misleading clip of Sherrod that led to her resignation, Breitbart hasn't apologized and continues using [...]
AP - President Barack Obama is going after Senate Republicans who have stymied his proposal to create a $30 billion fund to help unfreeze lending for credit-starved small businesses.
Army: Rising suicide rate reflects risk-taking (AP)
AP - An Army report on the record number of soldier suicides says the trend reflects a rise in risky behavior including drunken driving and drug abuse in a military stretched to the breaking point by the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Anti-Islam lawmaker not part of Dutch government (AP)
AP - Anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders' hopes of becoming a Dutch Cabinet minister evaporated Friday after exploratory talks to include him in a right-wing coalition ended without agreement.
Obama: Republicans holding small businesses "hostage" (Reuters)
Reuters - President Barack Obama on Saturday accused Republicans of holding American small businesses "hostage to politics" after Republican senators refused to back a $30 billion small-business lending package.
Democratic Surge? Part II (Huffington Post)
Huffington Post - Last week, I argued that a reported "jump" for Democrats in Gallup's weekly tracking of the national generic U.S.
When will spill be cleaned up? Maybe never (McClatchy Newspapers)
McClatchy Newspapers - After more than three months, BP appears finally to have gotten a firm grasp on its runaway Deepwater Horizon well. Now the big question in the Gulf of Mexico is how, and if, an environmental mess of unprecedented scope can be cleaned up.
Obama slips behind wheel of a Volt in Motor City (McClatchy Newspapers)
McClatchy Newspapers - DETROIT — Out to convince voters that the bailout of the U.S. auto industry has been a success — and to build buzz for its controversial poster child, Chevy's Volt electric car — President Barack Obama on Friday drove a car publicly for the first time in more than three years and implored consumers, "Don't bet against the American people."
