The President of the United States is the most powerful person in the world. But when it comes to shifting public opinion, even POTUS struggles.

So when President Obama came out in favor of gay marriage, the storyline was all about how evenly split the American population is on gay marriage and how it might affect Obama in November’s election. It was rarely about whether Obama could actually bring people with him.

Vice President Biden, speaking Friday to families and friends of military personnel killed in action, gave a powerful retelling of the death of his wife and daughter 40 years ago — saying he’d realized then how grief might push a person to suicide.

In GOP activist circles it is known simply as "the pledge," and over the past generation it has become the essential conservative credential for Republicans seeking elective office. Of the 242 Republicans in the House today, all but six have signed the pledge.

"I simply make the point, as an editor might say, to check it out; do not buy into the BS that you hear about spending and fiscal constraint with regard to this administration. I think doing so is a sign of sloth and laziness."

In an election year in which the economy ranks as Americans’ top concern, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney holds significant advantages over President Obama among white voters who are struggling financially and buffeted by job loss, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

Jeffrey E. Neely, the embattled General Services Administration regional commissioner who planned a lavish employee conference in Las Vegas that cost more than $800,000, left the agency Thursday, a GSA spokesman said.

Mitt Romney’s campaign team has been quietly laying plans for an outreach effort to President Obama’s most loyal supporters — black voters — not just to chip away at the huge Democratic margins but also as a way to reassure independent swing voters that Romney can be inclusive and tolerant in his thinking and approach.

Maraniss book details Obama’s pot-smoking crew; Trump goes birther (again); Democratic poll shows Walker up 3; Giffords featured in special election mailer.

Make sure to sign up to get "Afternoon Fix " in your e-mail inbox every day by 5 (ish) p.m!

The Elizabeth Warren controversy is becoming the controversy that won’t die.

The Boston Globe this morning reported that Harvard University listed the Democratic Massachusetts Senate candidate as a Native American for six years in its federal diversity statistics — the latest example of Warren having been labeled a minority by the school.

How much do Republicans dislike President Obama? A whole lot. And here’s another sign.

Two recent ads from Oklahoma Rep. John Sullivan (R) promise that the lawmaker will "get in your face if you’re wrong — even a president’s face." Here’s "Care":

The web is abuzz with excerpts from our colleague David Maraniss’ soon-to-be-released biography of Barack Obama, which give us a portrait of a future president who would not have been judged most likely to succeed by his high school classmates. What seems to be getting the most attention is one of Obama’s favorite extra-curricular activities:

A top House Democrat on Friday made an unusual comparison in describing Mitt Romney’s struggle to woo Hispanic voters, arguing that the first step for the former Massachusetts governor, as for an alcoholic, is to acknowledge that he has a problem.

The chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee said Friday that if Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett (D) doesn’t prevail over Gov. Scott Walker (R) in next month’s Wisconsin recall election, there won’t be any ramifications for Democrats nationally.

Political blogs went to pot on Friday.

The Internet is buzzing after the Washingtonian published a review of Washington Post associate editor David Maraniss’s forthcoming book "Barack Obama: The Story," including an excerpt about President Obama’s high school clique and their favorite pastime.

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Something exceedingly strange is happening at the John Edwards trial: all four alternate jurors dressed in red shirts Friday. They each wore bright yellow the day before.

   Coincidence? Few here think so.

More than 120,000 federal employees and other account holders in the Thrift Savings Plan had personal information including Social Security numbers accessed last year in a "sophisticated cyber attack," the TSP announced Friday morning.

When Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan appeared before a Senate committee investigating the Colombia prostitution scandal, he cited an employee survey and said that nearly 60 percent of the agency’s workers indicated they would report unethical behavior.

Arkansas may retry a man for murder even though jurors in his first trial were unanimous that he was not guilty, the Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

Alex Blueford, who is accused of killing his girlfriend’s 1-year-old son, is not protected by the Constitution’s Double Jeopardy Clause, the court ruled in a 6 to 3 decision.