A Certificate of Embarrassment  —  With sardonic resignation, President Obama, an eminently rational man, stared directly into political irrationality on Wednesday and released his birth certificate to history.  More than halfway through his term, the president felt obliged to prove that he was a legitimate occupant of the Oval Office.

Rand Paul has ‘birther’ demand for Trump: Prove you're a Republican  —  Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on Thursday took a swipe at billionaire businessman Donald Trump, demanding to see his “Republican registration.”  —  While speaking at a breakfast with New Hampshire Republicans one day after …

CBS Reporter Talks About Her Assault in Egypt  —  Lara Logan thought she was going to die in Tahrir Square when she was sexually assaulted by a mob on the night that Hosni Mubarak's government fell in Cairo.  —  Ms. Logan, a CBS News correspondent, was in the square preparing a report for …

Donald Trump Bristles at Claim He's a Racist  —  Donald Trump says it's “terrible” the host of CBS' “Face the Nation” accused him of racism.  —  Trump tells TMZ ... “That is a terrible statement for a newscaster to make.  I am the last person that such a thing should be said about.”

Oklahoma GOP Lawmaker Sally Kern: ‘Blacks’ Don't Work As Hard As White People  —  The Republican-controlled Oklahoma House of Representatives passed a proposed constitutional amendment yesterday that would eliminate Affirmative Action in state government.  The offical GOP reasoning for the change …

Solar Panels Rise Pole by Pole, Followed by Gasps of ‘Eyesore’  —  ORADELL, N.J. — Nancy and Eric Olsen could not pinpoint exactly when it happened or how.  All they knew was one moment they had a pastoral view of a soccer field and the woods from their 1920s colonial-style house; the next all they could see were three solar panels.

Eric Bolling And The Case Of The Time Traveling Doctor  —  Last night on Fox Business, Eric Bolling hosted Pamela Geller to discuss in all seriousness whether Obama's long-form birth certificate was “photoshopped.”  Geller has been making a fool of herself over Obama's birth certificate for three years now …

Several Tossed From Congressman's Town Hall Meeting  —  Heated Debate Stems From West's Position On Medicaid  —  BOCA RATON, Fla. — Police escorted a number of people out of a town hall meeting Wednesday night — the second night in a row that U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Fla., held what became a heated event.

Superman Renounces [SPOILER] in ‘Action Comics’ #900  —  After recently undertaking a journey to walk — not fly — across the United States in the “Grounded” storyline and reconnect with the country and everyday Americans, Superman appears to be taking another step that could have major implications …

Calling animals ‘pets’ is insulting, academics claim  —  Animal lovers should stop calling their furry or feathered friends “pets” because the term is insulting, leading academics claim.  —  The researchers say ‘pet’ is demeaning  —  Domestic dogs, cats, hamsters or budgerigars should be rebranded as …

Tornado scene described as ‘war zone’  —  Read more about this story from CNN affiliates WBMA-TV and WIAT-TV.  Is severe weather affecting you?  Share stories, photos and video with iReport.  —  Tuscaloosa, Alabama (CNN) — Public and private assistance — in the form of food, tarps and hugs …

4/28: Obama's Handling of the Economy at All-Time Low  —  Registered voters nationally are not satisfied with how President Barack Obama is handling the nation's economy.  According to this McClatchy-Marist Poll, four in ten voters — 40% — approve of how the president is dealing …

U.S. Economic Growth Slows to 1.8% Rate in Quarter  —  The American economy slowed to a crawl in the first quarter, but economists are hopeful that the setback will be temporary.  —  Total output grew at an annual pace of 1.8 percent last quarter, the Commerce Department said Thursday …

Shiloh Baptist Church receives threats after comments from Sean Hannity  —  Shiloh Baptist Church in the District said it has received threatening phone calls and e-mails after an Easter visit from President Obama and a conservative television commentator's subsequent playing of a videotape …

Populism is Not Conservatism  —  BEGIN TRANSCRIPT  —  RUSH: Libby in Miami.  Great to have you.  I'm glad you waited.  —  CALLER: Hey, Rush.  A pleasure speaking to you.  Thanks for taking my call.  —  RUSH: Yes, sir.  —  CALLER: Rush, I have to make a quick comment getting back to Trump.

Citigroup Drops Ben Stein Speech After Complaint Jokes Disparaged Women  —  Citigroup Inc. (C) canceled a planned keynote speech by writer, actor and TV personality Ben Stein after getting a complaint that he told jokes disparaging women at a private-equity conference in Dallas earlier this year.

Wal-Mart: Our shoppers are ‘running out of money’  —  NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — Wal-Mart's core shoppers are running out of money much faster than a year ago due to rising gasoline prices, and the retail giant is worried, CEO Mike Duke said Wednesday.  —  “We're seeing core consumers under a lot of pressure …

The Speech Obama Could Give: ‘The Constitution Forbids Default’  —  Imagining a presidential address confronting Republicans who want to risk the nation's credit for political reasons  —  My fellow Americans, I am speaking to you tonight to let you know the steps I have taken to ensure …

The Case for Cursive  —  For centuries, cursive handwriting has been an art.  To a growing number of young people, it is a mystery.  —  The sinuous letters of the cursive alphabet, swirled on countless love letters, credit card slips and banners above elementary school chalk boards are going the way of the quill and inkwell.

FBI Director Bob Mueller glanced at the black chronograph he wears Marine-style, the face inside his wrist.  It was 7:38 a.m. Not quite time.  He reviewed his inbox.  Drummed a four-fingered staccato on the desk.  Consulted his wrist again: 7:39.  —  Mueller had already slashed through …

Pawlenty chides ‘birthers,’ defends ethanol subsidies  —  COLLINSVILLE  • Hours after President Barack Obama released his long-form Hawaiian birth certificate to silence stubborn doubts by some about his citizenship Wednesday, GOP presidential hopeful Tim Pawlenty implied criticism …

Boehner rejects Dems' request for vote to end subsidies for oil firms  —  As the country's largest oil companies report near-record profits, the office of House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) rejected on Thursday Democratic calls to consider legislation eliminating billions of dollars in tax breaks for the same corporations.

Daniels faces difficult decision on Planned Parenthood funding  —  Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, who irked many conservatives last year with his call for a “truce” on social issues, has been thrust into the debate over federal funding for Planned Parenthood.  —  The state's Republican-led legislature …

The demand threatened to open another yawning abyss, the debate over affirmative action and race, and black leaders sharply rebuked Trump.  —  “Trump and the rest have played a very divisive card from the fact of his birth to now implying that he got into two Ivy League schools …