Saturday, April 7, 2012

Today's Top Stories

The burning fuselage of an F/A-18 Hornet lies smoldering after crashing into a residential building in Virginia Beach, Va., Friday, April 6, 2012. The Navy did not immediately return telephone messages left by The Associated Press, but media reports indicate the two aviators were able to eject from the jet before it crashed. They were being treated for injuries that were not considered life threatening. (AP Photo/Kandice Angel)

No deaths reported in Navy jet crash in Virginia

A Navy fighter jet flying a training mission crashed into an apartment building in Virginia Beach about noon Friday, officials said.

Jobs report leaves Obama, Romney campaigns wary

The nation's steady-but-modest job growth presents political challenges for both of November's all-but-certain presidential rivals.

School returns 'God' to song of patriotism

God may once again bless the USA at Stall Brook Elementary. The Bellingham, Mass., school, under fire for changing the lyrics of Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA" to "We Love the USA" for an upcoming fourth-grade concert, reversed course Thursday after drawing a backlash from parents and hints of legal threats from Mr. Greenwood, who penned the 1984 tune.

DALY: A command performance for Stephen Strasburg in opener

The outcome of the game — and we'll get to that in a moment — seemed almost incidental Thursday for the Washington Nationals. Of much greater import was the performance of Stephen Strasburg, who was starting the first of what the club is hoping will be a career full of season openers. Did Strasburg look like Strasburg?

Obama delivers Easter message free from politics

President Obama devoted his weekly address to extolling the message of God's redemption found in the Christian celebration of Easter and the Jewish Passover holiday.

Panetta paid $17K for $860K commute to California

Amid fallout over a lavish General Services Administration conference that cost top officials at the agency their jobs, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta late Thursday admitted to paying just $17,000 for his commuting costs for 27 trips back to his Monterey, Calif., home on a military aircraft.

Government records 40th straight deficit month in March

The federal government ran a $777 billion deficit for the first six months of fiscal year 2012, the Congressional Budget Office estimated on Friday, including a $196 billion hole in March, marking the 40th straight month of deficits.

Gaza militants say they'll adhere to cease-fire

A Palestinian militant leader said Friday that his group is adhering to a cease-fire that stopped a barrage of rockets and air strikes between Israel and the Gaza Strip last month.

'Back off' high court, McConnell tells Obama

The Senate's top Republican on Thursday warned President Obama to "back off" of the Supreme Court, three days after Mr. Obama appeared to question whether the justices had the power to rule his health law unconstitutional.

Mega drama unfolds in search of Maryland's winning ticket

Aside from the bizarre drama unfolding over the ticket to a record-breaking jackpot that may or may not be hidden in a Baltimore McDonald's, lottery officials on Thursday said nothing much has changed in the week since three winners were chosen in a Mega Millions drawing worth a half-billion dollars.

Mali's Tuareg rebels declare independence

Mali's Tuareg rebels, who have seized control of the country's distant north in the chaotic aftermath of a military coup in the capital, declared independence Friday of their Azawad nation.

Jobs Act signing a show of bipartisan support

President Obama gathered Democrats and Republicans at the White House Rose Garden on Thursday to sign a bill designed to encourage investment in startup businesses and take a break from election-year partisan sniping.

Inside the Beltway: Polls don't hold strong promise for Santorum

It's 18 days until the next Republican presidential primary, leaving political junkies wondering what to do with themselves until April 24. A panacea? Surveys and nice wonkish takes on the old horse race ought to help.

Weapons dealer Bout sentenced to 25 years in arms conspiracy

International arms dealer Viktor Bout, the so-called "Merchant of Death," was sentenced Thursday in federal court in New York to 25 years in prison following his conviction in a multimillion-dollar conspiracy to finance a fleet of aircraft to arm bloody conflicts and support terrorists worldwide.

Defiant Saslaw takes toll on Virginia budget agreement

Virginia budget negotiators have agreed on a new two-year, $85 billion spending plan, but the Senate's leading Democrat said Thursday his party would not deliver the necessary votes to pass it.

IRS chief warns of 'confusion' on delay of tax-break moves

Just days before the national tax-filing deadline, the Internal Revenue Service chief warned Thursday that congressional delay on expiring tax-break provisions could lead to "total confusion" among working Americans.

Commentary

MILLER: A community organizer's vision of America

President Obama has quite a magician's skill for illusion. He launched a scathing attack on the House Republican budget crafted by Rep. Paul Ryan, Wisconsin Republican, saying it would lead to violent crime, starving children, plane crashes, killing grandparents and cancer. All of this is to distract the public from his own plan for America in a second term, which not even a single House Democrat voted for.

CARDENAS: Meet Latin America's next Hugo Chavez

With Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez returning to Cuba this week for more treatment in his battle with cancer, much speculation has begun about the future of his authoritarian, anti-American populist model in Latin America. Will his movement die with him, or will someone be there to pick up the banner when the strongman falls?

OLSEN: Dangers of academia's 'indoctrination mills'

Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum caused a bit of a stir last month when he labeled college campuses "indoctrination mills" that enforce a strict adherence to "politically correct left doctrine." For conservatives, Mr. Santorum might as well have called the sky blue. But from the way the media and liberal pundits pounced on his remarks, you'd think he had said something profoundly indecent.

EDITORIAL: Obama's war on the courts

Word seems to have gone out in liberal circles that Obamacare is in trouble with the Supreme Court. A systematic and unprecedented assault is undermining the integrity of the system in an attempt to defend this highly unpopular law.

KNIGHT: Obama's bullying pulpit

I don't know which was more embarrassing: Barack Obama trying to bully the Supreme Court - again - or The Washington Post trying to clean up after him.

An Ignoble Experiment

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2012/04/07