Anatomy of a Rumor: The Story Behind Chief Justice John Roberts's ‘Retirement’  —  Everyone is wondering: Where did that erroneous rumor of an imminent retirement by Chief Justice John Roberts come from?  The gossip spread like wildfire, triggering thousands of texts, blog posts, and emails …

Obama to Progressives: 31 Million People—And My Presidency—Are On The Line If Health Care Fails  —  President Obama's message to progressives who are dissatisfied with the Senate health care bill is two fold: First: Don't forget about the uninsured.  Second: Don't forget what failure to pass …

Delahunt will not seek reelection  —  William Delahunt in his Quincy office.  (Bill Greene / Globe Staff)  —  By Susan Milligan, Globe Staff  —  WASHINGTON — Representative William Delahunt will not seek re-election to Congress, the seven-term Democrat will announce tomorrow …

Obama advisers set to recommend military tribunals for alleged 9/11 plotters  —  President Obama's advisers are nearing a recommendation that Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the self-proclaimed mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, be prosecuted in a military tribunal, administration officials said …

Keep'n It Foxy  —  Proud day for CNN.  See the chyron about right-wing complaints about the Obama Department of Justice ...

Howard Dean: Health bill hangs Dem incumbents and Obama out to dry in elections  —  Passing the healthcare proposals before Congress will “hang out to dry” every Democratic incumbent running for reelection this fall, Howard Dean said Thursday.  —  Dean, a physician by training who's …

‘I will take our troops out of the war zone and put them into space’  —  Introduction Video from Kesha for Congress on Vimeo.  —  Kesha Rogers is a Larouchie who just won the Democratic nomination in Texas's 22nd district.  Her triumphant statement is pretty sweet:

Pelosi annoyed on abortion  —  Speaker Nancy Pelosi got exasperated when asked at her weekly news conference about the unwillingness of some Democrats - including Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) - to support the health bill because of abortion language.  —  “Let me say this: This is not about abortion!

Bush Official Defends Lawyers Under Attack for Detainee Work  —  A former Justice Department official who led the Bush administration's courtroom defense against lawsuits filed by Guantanamo detainees is denouncing attacks on Obama administration appointees who previously helped …

Suspect, Police Hurt in Pentagon Shootout  —  Badly Injured Suspect in Custody; Police Suffer Graze Wounds  —  Two police officers were injured by a suspect who opened fire outside the Pentagon tonight after the officers asked him for an access pass, police said.

Vatican hit by gay sex scandal  —  Vatican chorister sacked for allegedly procuring male prostitutes for papal gentleman-in-waiting  —  The Vatican was today rocked by a sex scandal reaching into Pope Benedict's household after a chorister was sacked for allegedly procuring male prostitutes for a papal gentleman-in-waiting.

Fox News' Neil Cavuto propagates baseless rumor that Obama bought Rep. Matheson's vote.  —  Today on Fox News, Neil Cavuto irresponsibly pushed the baseless rumor that President Obama bought Rep. Jim Matheson's (D-UT) vote on health care reform by offering his brother a federal judgeship.

Transcript reveals anger of AIG employees toward politicians, public  —  During the national furor that erupted last year after American International Group paid more than $165 million in bonuses, the voices of those vilified for receiving the payments remained silent, at least in public.

Study: Arctic seabed methane stores destabilizing, venting  —  A section of the Arctic Ocean seafloor that holds vast stores of frozen methane is showing signs of instability and widespread venting of the powerful greenhouse gas, according to the findings of an international research team led …

Obama intensifies health-care efforts  —  An aide to President Obama urged lawmakers on Thursday to make substantial progress on his health-care plan before he leaves on a foreign trip in mid-March, as Obama summoned wavering House Democrats to the White House for a private sales pitch.

In Search of a Jewish Narnia  —  Why is there no Jewish Narnia?  That's the provocative question raised by Michael Weingrad's essay on Judaism and fantasy novels, published in the inaugural issue of the Jewish Review of Books.  Note that Weingrad is talking about fantasy as a genre, not the use of the fantastic as a literary tool.

3 held in alleged anti-gay BB shooting in S.F.  —  (03-03) 17:42 PST SAN FRANCISCO — Three cousins from Hayward have been charged in San Francisco with a hate crime and assault for allegedly firing a BB rifle at the face of a man they believed was gay, an attack the men videotaped, authorities said Wednesday.

Who are the actual “crazy” people in American politics?  —  My Salon colleague, Mark Benjamin, writes about last night's Larry King Show — featuring a debate between Democratic Rep. Alan Grayson and GOP Rep. Michelle Bachmann — and does so by repeatedly branding Grayson as being every bit as “crazy” as Bachmann.

For Movie Stars, the Big Money Is Now Deferred  —  LOS ANGELES — When Wolfgang Puck lays out the annual post-Oscar banquet in Hollywood on Sunday, he might want to think about doggie bags.  —  Movie stars, who not so long ago vied to make $20 million or even $25 million a picture …

Exclusive: ‘Wellpoint would be a primary beneficiary’ if reform fails, investment firm says  —  “Of course, healthcare reform is a double-edged sword for Wellpoint shares.  Should reform fail, Wellpoint would be a primary beneficiary.”  —  That comes from the first page of the Cowen and Co.'s assessment …