There's no crying in baseball, but in politics...  Crying has come a long way in politics.  In 1972, Ed Muskie wept outside the offices of New Hampshire's Union Leader, and it was, at the time, a political disaster.  Americans were apparently uncomfortable with adults in leadership positions emoting like this in public.

Obama team exploits Romney team's birther gaffe  —  After Mitt Romney's son made a “birther” joke on the campaign trail, he quickly apologized and downplayed the taboo remarks.  President Obama's re-election team, however, is keeping the moment alive and hoping to earn a few bucks off of it.

Rick Perry campaign plays blame game  —  DES MOINES - With a revamped message and a significant TV presence here, Rick Perry is hoping to revive his disappointing presidential campaign with a surprise finish Tuesday.  —  But even as they hold out hope that Perry can find a way back into contention …

RSS Feeds … CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - Four protesters, including the spokesman of Occupy Charlotte, were charged after setting fire to two American flags early Friday near the Occupy camp in Center City, police said.  —  Charlotte-Mecklenburg police weren't sure earlier if the four men …

Occupy's Rose Parade float: 70-foot octopus of corporate greed  —  Occupy protesters are busy finishing their float that will run at the end of the Rose Parade: a 70-by-40-foot octopus made of recycled plastic bags.  —  The octopus, said activist Mark Lipman of Los Angeles …

Why I Am Endorsing Newt Gingrich for President  —  This country is in trouble and bold leadership is needed.  As someone that has had the privilege to vet these candidates as closely as just about anybody else has, I've come to the conclusion there are several good, Christian people running that most years I would vote for.

Ron Paul: Know Who's Really Behind Islamic Terrorism?  The Jews.  —  One of the more insane claims in Ron Paul's newsletters was that the Israelis were behind the WTC bombings in 1993: … This claim is of course so ridiculous and absurd that even Paul has to protect himself by claiming that “a Jewish friend” told him about it.

Year of tumult for Connecticut  —  This year saw Connecticut get through its first year after the sweeping changes ushered in by the 2010 election.  It was not an easy transition.  In January, Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., announced he will not seek re-election to the seat he has held since 1989 …

Democratic fundraiser convicted of engineering $21 million bank fraud scheme  —  Courtney Dupree is a former Tarheel basketball player who hosted a 2008 fundraiser for Obama  —  Attorney Thomas Foley, 43, leaving Federal Court in Brooklyn after a jury acquitted him of bank fraud.

After Outcry, Verizon Abandons $2 Fee  —  Verizon Wireless bowed to a torrent of criticism on Friday and reversed a day-old plan to impose a $2 bill-paying fee that would have applied to only some customers.  —  The consumer vitriol, which cascaded across Twitter and onto blogs and petitions …

The spectre of 1932: How a loss of faith in politicians and democracy could make 2012 the most frightening year in living memory  —  The dawn of a new year is usually a time of hope and ambition, of dreams for the future and thoughts of a better life.  But it is a long time since …

The Left-Wing Origins of Newt Gingrich's Attack on the Courts  —  Writing in The Washington Post, Harvard Law School's Thomas Donnelly points out that Newt Gingrich's recent attacks on the judiciary “hark back to a time when progressives were committed to curbing court power.”  As Donnelly writes:

Holder's Racial Politics  —  The AG's attack on voter ID laws may backfire legally and politically.  —  Eric Holder must be amazed that President Obama was elected and he could become Attorney General.  That's a fair inference after the Attorney General last Friday blocked South Carolina's voter ID law …