Republicans feeling blue as Scott Brown win backfires  —  Republican folk hero Sen. Scott Brown is being taunted by triumphant Democrats - and slammed by irked conservatives - after the historic health-care bill he was elected to kill was signed into law by President Obama yesterday.

Severed gas line found at home of Perriello brother  —  Updated: 4:55 p.m. U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello's brother received a threatening letter in the mail on the same day that someone apparently severed a gas line at the home in Ivy.  —  Two conservative Tea Party activists posted the address …

Gap in health care law's protection for children  —  WASHINGTON — Hours after President Barack Obama signed historic health care legislation, a potential problem emerged.  Administration officials are now scrambling to fix a gap in highly touted benefits for children.

After meeting, deafening silence  —  The Obama administration shifted this week from red hot anger at Benjamin Netanyahu to an icier suspicion of the Israeli prime minister, who made clear during marathon meetings with U.S. officials that he would give ground only grudgingly on their goal …

Hoyer: Dem, GOP leaders worried about spike in lawmaker threats  —  House Democratic and Republican leaders have conferred to discuss a response to a “significant” number of threats against lawmakers.  —  House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said that he, along with Democratic and Republican leaders …

SHOCKING AUDIO: REP. DINGELL SAYS OBAMACARE WILL EVENTUALLY ‘CONTROL THE PEOPLE’  —  “It takes a long time to do the necessary administrative steps.”

Source: Pentagon set to ease policy on gays in the military  —  Robert Gates is expected to announce changes to 'don't ask don't tell' on Thursday.  —  Washington (CNN) - Defense Secretary Robert Gates is expected to announce changes Thursday easing the Defense Department's controversial …

The backlash: Reform turns personal  —  Louise Slaughter and Bart Stupak have received death threats.  —  A tea party participant published what he thought was Thomas Perriello's home address and urged disgruntled voters to “drop by” for a “good face-to-face chat.”

Grassley: Look How Great This Health Care Bill Is  —  Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) has long been a vocal critic of the Democrat's health reform efforts, but today he started taking credit for some provisions of the bill, and talking up his own role in crafting the legislation.

In Health Bill, Obama Attacks Wealth Inequality  —  For all the political and economic uncertainties about health reform, at least one thing seems clear: The bill that President Obama signed on Tuesday is the federal government's biggest attack on economic inequality since inequality began rising more than three decades ago.

Dingell: It will take a while for ObamaCare to “control the people”  —  Rep. John Dingell (D-MI) defended the ObamaCare bill on WJR's Paul W. Smith show yesterday when the host wondered why Democrats wait until 2014 to stop people from dying through lack of universal health care coverage.

A Hearing to Define “Mainstream” Judicial Views  —  The Senate Judiciary Committee today holds its most significant hearing on any of President Obama's judicial nominees, to consider a candidate who has received remarkably little attention.  Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who passed through …

Chief Justice Roberts: Why Isn't Obama Making Recess Appointments To The NLRB?  —  For two years now, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) — which is responsible for mediating disputes under the National Labor Relations Act — has been stuck with only two of its five members in place.

A Tea Party Without Nuts  —  President Obama's winning passage of national health care is both exhilarating and sobering.  Covering so many uninsured Americans is a historic achievement.  But the president had to postpone trips, buy off companies and cut every conceivable side deal …

Hail the Conquering Professor  —  The Democrats were walking around in a state of shock.  —  Holy cow, they were saying to themselves.  We're not total wimps!  We don't have to sit around and let ourselves be slapped silly by Republican bullies and Tea Party scaremongers.

POLITICO Interview: Rep. Paul Ryan  —  ALLEN: Congressman, I was in the gallery when you gave your speech during the final debate and you were a little worked up.  —  RYAN: I was.  —  ALLEN: Are you surprised they finally sold this and why do you think the president clinched this?

Senate Republicans refuse to work past 2 p.m. [Updated!]  —  “There is a little-known rule in the Senate stating that hearings can't happen after 2:00 p.m. each day without unanimous consent,” explains Amanda Terkel.  “However, every day, at the start of business, the Senate generally agrees …

Axelrod: Health Care Passed Because GOP Let Down Its Guard After Massachusetts  —  WHAT'S YOUR REACTION?  —  One of the president's closest advisers said on Tuesday that Republican opponents of health care reform let down their guard following Sen. Scott Brown's election in Massachusetts …

Resisting ObamaCare, Gandhi Style  —  Americans will lose control over basic decisions if this law stands.  —  President Barack Obama came into office promising hope and change.  But he might get more change than he hoped for.  By foisting ObamaCare on a deeply unwilling country he might …

Shales On ‘Little Ms Politics.’  —  Just in case you were wondering if I was too hard on Washington Post TV critic Tom Shales yesterday for his shallow and pernicious critique of Christiane Amanpour as ABC's choice to replace George Stephanopoulos on This Week, this is what he had to say about her during his live chat with readers :

Men leave their own mark on veganism  —  SOMERVILLE — For most of his life Joe McCain subsisted on pepperoni and sausage pizza, steak bomb subs, and anything “fried, fried, or fried.”  In other words, says the Somerville police detective with a shaved head, snowy beard, and tattoos cascading up his arms …

Obama signs executive order on abortion out of sight of media glare  —  There were no glaring lights or TV cameras when President Obama signed an executive order this afternoon affirming the continuing ban on federal funding for abortion.  No East Room speeches.  Not even a photo op handshake.

Harkin: Public option backers eyeing second reconciliation bill  —  Public option supporters could offer a second reconciliation bill to establish the program, a top Democrat said Wednesday.  —  Supporters of creating a government-run public option health insurance program are considering moving …

Al Franken Gets Alleged KBR Rape Victim Her Day In Court  —  Jamie Leigh Jones claims she was raped by fellow Halliburton employees when she was working in Iraq in 2005.  —  Her allegations are not pretty — she claims she was given a drink, after which she remembers nothing.

Poll: Small Bump in Health Care Believers  —  CBS News Survey Shows Americans Giving Obama Credit for Legislation, but Still No Majority Support  —  (CBS) CBS News Poll analysis by the CBS News Polling Unit: Sarah Dutton, Jennifer De Pinto, Fred Backus and Anthony Salvanto.