Obama ‘disrespected’ Israel, threw it ‘under the bus,’ says Romney  —  President Obama “disrespected” Israel and threw it “under the bus” in a wide-ranging speech on the Middle East on Thursday, GOP presidential contender Mitt Romney charged.  —  Romney strongly criticized Obama, who …

Eye-for-an-eye filibuster stops Democratic nominee  — TAGS: - Barack Obama - Byron York - Gang of 14 - George W. Bush - goodwin liu - Harry Reid - john cornyn - Miguel Estrada - ninth circuit court of appeals - patrick leahy - Politics - Priscilla Owen - Robert Bennett - robert bork - samuel alito - Ted Kennedy - tom coburn

Gingrich: I Wasn't Talking About Ryan's Plan on ‘Meet the Press’  —  Newt Gingrich said today that he wasn't referring to Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-Wisc.)  Medicare plan when he uttered the words “right-wing social engineering” last Sunday — a comment that has earned the former House speaker …

Willie Nelson Endorses Gary Johnson for President  —  Country music legend and avid pot smoker Willie Nelson has a horse in the 2012 race: former New Mexico governor Gary Johnson (R), the most prominent marijuana-legalization candidate in the field.  —  From a press release put out Tuesday by Nelson's Teapot Party:

Sarah Palin's Son Track Gets Married!  —  Duane and Elizabeth Hanson, Britta Hanson, Track Palin, Sarah and Todd Palin  —  The Palin family is growing!  —  Sarah Palin's eldest son, Track, 22, recently married his high school sweetheart, Britta Hanson, 21, in a small ceremony in Hatcher Pass, Alaska.

Armstrong Accused of Drug Use by Ex-Teammate  —  The cyclist Tyler Hamilton, one of Lance Armstrong's former teammates on the United States Postal Service team, said he saw Armstrong inject himself with the banned performance-enhancing drug EPO “many, many times” to win the Tour de France …

Huntsman thronged in N.H. debut  —  HANOVER, N.H. — Jon Huntsman's first stop on the New Hampshire campaign trail Thursday was billed as a cozy meet-and-greet at a small-town restaurant.  —  It ended up as a big media circus.  —  TV cameras and dozens of writers and photographers …

For First Time, Majority of Americans Favor Legal Gay Marriage  —  Republicans and older Americans remain opposed  —  PRINCETON, NJ — For the first time in Gallup's tracking of the issue, a majority of Americans (53%) believe same-sex marriage should be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages.

No Pink Slip for Ronald McDonald  —  McDonald's Corp. is standing by its clown.  —  The 48-year-old, red-haired mascot has come under fire from health-care professionals and consumer groups who, in recent days, have asked the fast-food chain to retire Ronald McDonald.

Make My Bed?  But You Say the World's Ending  —  The Haddad children of Middletown, Md., have a lot on their minds: school projects, SATs, weekend parties.  And parents who believe the earth will begin to self-destruct on Saturday.  —  The three teenagers have been struggling to make sense …

China Gives Pakistan 50 Fighter Jets  —  ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — China has agreed to immediately provide 50 JF-17 fighter jets to Pakistan, a major outcome of a visit by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani to Beijing this week, Pakistani officials said Thursday.

DeMint won't rule out backing Romney  —  Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) isn't ready yet to cut Mitt Romney loose following the Republican presidential candidate's defense of his Massachusetts healthcare plan last week.  —  DeMint, the conservative kingmaker who had endorsed Romney for the nomination in 2008 …

Judge overturns Miller decision on open special election … CARSON CITY — A District Court judge on Thursday overruled a decision by Secretary of State Ross Miller to allow any qualified candidate to run in a Sept. 13 special election to fill a U.S. House vacancy in Nevada.