14th Amendment: Democratic Senators See Debt Ceiling As Unconstitutional … WASHINGTON — Growing increasingly pessimistic about the prospects for a deal that would raise the debt ceiling, Democratic senators are revisiting a solution to the crisis that rests on a simple proposition: The debt ceiling itself is unconstitutional.

Obama: Marriage Should Be Left To States, But Process Of NY Passing Same-Sex Marriage Law ‘Was A Good Thing’  —  President Obama was asked if he believes that civil marriage is a constitutional right during his press conference this morning.  Rather than answering that question …

Christie Loses Support for Second Term as Residents Oppose Cuts  —  More than half of New Jersey residents say they wouldn't back Governor Chris Christie for a second term, disapproving of his choices on a range of policy and personal issues, from killing a commuter tunnel to using …

Poll shows Alaskans would vote for Obama over Palin  —  A new Hays Research poll shows Barack Obama would beat Sarah Palin among Alaskans if the presidential election was today.  —  The poll found 42 percent of Alaskan voters would pick or are learning toward Obama in a head to head race …

Lennon was a closet Republican: Assistant  —  John Lennon was a closet Republican, who felt a little embarrassed by his former radicalism, at the time of his death - according to the tragic Beatles star's last personal assistant.  —  Fred Seaman worked alongside the music legend from 1979 …

President Obama meets the press  —  It's clear Obama is more comfortable in one-on-one interviews rather than large press events..  —  The world has whirled in the 15 weeks since President Barack Obama last held a big press conference — and the questions have stacked up to his presidential seal.

Rudy breaks vows  —  The gay car dealer who opened his home to Rudy Giuliani in 2001 during his humiliating divorce battle says the former mayor offered to preside at his wedding if same-sex marriage were ever legalized — but is now ducking his calls to make good on the offer.

Jewish Dems losing faith in Obama  —  David Ainsman really began to get worried about President Barack Obama's standing with his fellow Jewish Democrats when a recent dinner with his wife and two other couples — all Obama voters in 2008 — nearly turned into a screaming match.

What Does Newt Gingrich Know?  —  Let's consult the literature — all 21 books by the self-proclaimed ideas man of politics.  (Gingrich cites 23 books on his Web site.  We are not counting the Contract With America or the coffee-table book “Ronald Reagan: Rendezvous With Destiny.")  —  Multimedia

Obama needs to create jobs, not fight for them  —  (Mark Wilson - Bloomberg) Ron Klain, former chief of staff to both Al Gore and Joe Biden, thinks President Obama needs to make more of a show of fighting for job-creating policies.  “The greatest risk to the president will be if the American people believe …

Presidential candidate has often blasted growing welfare programs  —  Below:  —  While Rep. Michelle Bachmann, R-Minn., has forcefully denounced the Medicaid program for swelling the “welfare rolls,” the mental health clinic run by her husband has been collecting annual Medicaid payments totaling …

Adm. McRaven: Obama administration has no plan for captured terrorists  —  The top military official involved in the raid that killed Osama bin Laden said Tuesday that the Obama administration has no clear plan for handling terrorist leaders if they are caught alive outside a war zone.

North Korea shuts down universities for 10 months  —  North Korea has shut down its universities for the next 10 months and sent students to work in factories, agriculture and the construction sector as it struggles to rebuild its economy.  —  North Korea's “Dear Leader” Kim Jong-il

The joke of ‘secure Britain’: Vile banned militant extremist strolls through Heathrow immigration as 200 Somalian criminals are allowed to stay due to human rights  — European Court ruling stems from appeals by two asylum seekers convicted of offences including burglary, making threats to kill and drug dealing

Senators reach out to gay youth  —  Thirteen Democratic senators released a video Wednesday morning as part of the online “It Gets Better” video campaign, encouraging gay and lesbian youths and highlighting Democrats' political support for the gay community, like the repeal last year of the military's “don't ask, don't tell” policy.

Taking Action Matters  —  Something I like to ask people who are disgruntled with the performance of the political system is what have you, personally, done about it?  When was the last time you wrote or called your member of Congress?  Can you even name the people who represent …

Debt-limit delay would jeopardize Social Security payments  —  WASHINGTON — Social Security payments to millions of retirees and people with disabilities could be threatened if President Obama and Congress can't agree to increase the government's debt limit by Aug. 2, a new analysis shows.

Kabul hotel siege leaves at least 11 civilians dead  —  KABUL — Kamel Khan, 32, a businessman, was chatting with two friends on the poolside terrace of the hilltop Intercontinental Hotel Tuesday night when he heard a burst of gunfire and looked up.  A man carrying a machine gun …

Should Justices Keep Their Opinions to Themselves?  —  ARE there really only nine Supreme Court justices?  —  It seems that everywhere you look, you see one popping up: giving speeches, signing books, leading workshops, posing for pictures at charity functions.

Clinton: Stimulus wasn't big enough  —  Former President Bill Clinton said he likes the economic stimulus - it just wan't big enough.  —  “I think the stimulus did as well as it could have done — there just wasn't enough of it,” Clinton told reporters on Tuesday.

Justice Prosser was asked to get help for anger, sources say  —  Bradley made request after clash with Prosser  —  By Patrick Marley and Emma Roller of the Journal Sentinel  —  Madison - Supreme Court Justice Ann Walsh Bradley asked Justice David Prosser to seek therapy to manage his anger …

Obama Won't Declare ‘Mission Accomplished’ on the Recovery.  Should He Defend It at All?  —  Stanley Greenberg, the Democratic pollster who helped elect President Bill Clinton, South Africa's Nelson Mandela and Israel's Ehud Barak, says all of his clients have had the same, sometimes terrible …

Rep. Kucinich's Syria visit raises eyebrows  —  Rep. Dennis Kucinich showed up in Syria this week and held a press conference in which he appeared to praise embattled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad - who is ruthlessly crushing opposition to his government - as “highly loved and appreciated by the Syrians.”

Price of U.S. wars: $4.4 trillion?  —  The final bill for U.S. military involvement in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan could be as high as $4.4 trillion, according to a comprehensive new report Tuesday.  —  In the 10 years since American troops were sent into Afghanistan …