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.

The Birther Disgrace  —  Even for the small band that sustained the phony controversy until now, the birth certificate so-called issue ends today.  —  Any last lingering doubts that maybe, perhaps, a pregnant Stanley Anne Dunham in the summer of 1961 boarded a propeller plane from Honolulu to Los Angeles …

Dozens of tornadoes kill 194 in 5 Southern states  —  PLEASANT GROVE, Ala. (AP) — Dozens of tornadoes spawned by a powerful storm system wiped out entire towns across a wide swath of the South, killing at least 194 people, and officials said Thursday they expect the death toll to rise.

Trump's Birther Antics Are Driving Away His Liberal Audience  —  He may be dumber than you think: Exclusive research reveals “Celebrity Apprentice” viewers are the most Democratic in primetime TV.  —  Click to expand  —  He may have gotten President Obama's attention …

Fanatics' fury at Muslim Playgirl  —  A MUSLIM actress has caused a storm by posing naked for Playboy.  —  Sila Sahin has been branded a “whore” and a “western slut” after appearing topless on the cover of the German edition of the men's magazine.  —  And Islamic fanatics have posted threatening internet messages.

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 …

Gov. Daniels faces 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 …

Advocates: Consumers ‘betrayed’ by high court ruling on class-action suits  —  Fine print in everyday consumer contracts can include provisions that require Americans to surrender their rights to file class-action lawsuits, the U.S Supreme Court ruled Wednesday, overturning a lower court ruling.

The Civil Liberties Primary: What Issues Matter Most?  —  Voters should prioritize executive power and privacy in 2012, a high-ranking staffer at the ACLU says  —  Which issues should civil libertarians prioritize as Election 2012 approaches?  In order to find out, I spoke with Michael W. Macleod-Ball …

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.

Obama at record low approval in Pa.; tied with generic opponent  —  A new poll released Thursday showed President Obama statistically tied with a generic Republican challenger among Pennsylvania voters, despite having his lowest approval rating ever in the Keystone State.

Army invites press to Manning prison  —  Looking to quash complaints of Pfc. Bradley Manning's mistreatment, Army officials are inviting reporters to Fort Leavenworth, Kan., to visit the military prison where the man accused of sharing classified documents with WikiLeaks is being held.

Rep. West says Medicare spells end of United States  —  Several booted from Boca town hall  —  BOCA RATON, Fla. - If those opposed to Rep. Allen West have their way, the 2012 election will be fought on his recent vote to privatize Medicare starting in 2023.

Falling Between Two Stools  —  President Obama is now passing through what one must hope for both his sake and ours are the worst moments of a presidency no longer young.  Abroad, the intervention in Libya has not had the quick and clear results he had hoped.

CNBC's Burnett Is Said Ready to Jump to CNN  —  The CNBC anchor Erin Burnett is poised to sign a long-term contract with CNN, according to three people with knowledge of her plans.  —  The signing will represent a shift to general news anchoring for Ms. Burnett, who has shown interest …

Obama to Oprah on birthplace: ‘I was there’  —  President Obama joked to Oprah Winfrey on Wednesday that he knows he was born in the U.S. and is eligible to serve as president.  —  “Can I just say?  I was there, so I knew that — I knew I had been born,” Obama said while taping an interview with Winfrey on her talk show in Chicago.

Huckabee releasing S.C. team  —  We've been told that former Ark. Gov. Mike Huckabee, a rumored candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, is giving his former S.C. supporters the nod to seek work on other presidential campaigns.  The word is that he's told South Carolina staffers …

Bush to ABC News: Just Because You're Reporting it Doesn't Make it True  —  Admit it: You miss him.

Birtherism Is Dead.  Long Live Birtherism.  —  The history of a national embarrassment, and why it's not over yet.  —  President Obama did not end the “birther” movement today.  Hours after the president released his long-form birth certificate—years after releasing the short-form …