Should The Times Be a Truth Vigilante?  —  I'm looking for reader input on whether and when New York Times news reporters should challenge “facts” that are asserted by newsmakers they write about.  —  One example mentioned recently by a reader: As cited in an Adam Liptak article on the Supreme Court …

Gingrich's ‘Bain bomb’ fizzles  —  The “Bain bomb” is full of wet fuses.  —  We've been keeping regular track of claims made about Mitt Romney's business history over at our Mitt Meter, but today's video “documentary” from the Gingrich-affiliated Winning Our Future PAC requires its own post.

Outrage Over Video of Marines Urinating on Taliban Corpses  —  KABUL, Afghanistan — A video showing four United States Marines urinating on three dead Taliban fighters provoked anger and condemnation on Thursday in Afghanistan and around the world, raising fears in Washington that the images …

Laura Bush wanted Jeb to run for president in 2012  —  SARASOTA  —  Former first lady Laura Bush wishes there were one more candidate in the Republican presidential primary: Jeb Bush.  —  Speaking to a sold-out Sarasota audience on Wednesday, Bush said she had hoped that her brother-in-law …

Conservatives Remain the Largest Ideological Group in U.S.  —  Overall, the nation has grown more polarized over the past decade  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Political ideology in the U.S. held steady in 2011, with 40% of Americans continuing to describe their views as conservative, 35% as moderate, and 21% as liberal.

President Obama's got sons?  —  President Obama, speaking last night in Chicago at a fundraiser at a private home, unloaded this bombshell:  —  Obama, according to the White House transcript, talked about “The first bill I signed — a bill that said that we're going to have equal pay …

Canada's Conservative Government Turns My Husband Back Into My Boyfriend  —  After issuing thousands of marriage licenses to same-sex couples from United States and other nations where same-sex marriage is not yet legal—marriage licenses that did not come with a disclaimer or an asterisk …

C-SPAN Getting Hammered With Prank Calls About Mitt Romney's Penis  —  C-SPAN is not, typically, a place where one can expect to find the sort of gaffes, fights, and general shenanigans running rampant on other politically-minded networks.  But, lately, it has had to contend with a couple of] …

President Obama requests $1.2T debt hike over GOP objections  —  President Obama on Thursday made an official request that Congress raise the debt ceiling by $1.2 trillion over the objections of several House Republicans.  —  Obama's formal notification gives both chambers 15 days to vote on whether to approve the hike.

5% of patients account for half of health care spending  —  WASHINGTON - Just 1% of Americans accounted for 22% of health care costs in 2009, according to a federal report released Wednesday.  —  That's about $90,000 per person, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Justice Department memo argues Obama recess appointments were legal  —  The Department of Justice offered a defense Thursday for President Obama's controversial decision to make several recess appointments while Congress was holding pro forma sessions.  —  In a memo, Justice argued …

Scandalous Photos Reveal Grover Norquist Carried On Secret Affair With Taxes For Years  —  WASHINGTON—In a scandal that strikes at the very heart of the American anti-tax movement, a series of incriminating photos surfaced online Thursday, revealing that, for decades, leading Republican power …

Elizabeth Warren out-raises Scott Brown, defends $$  —  Elizabeth Warren — who hauled in an eye-popping $5.7 million the last three months of 2011 — refused to swear off Wall Street money yesterday, instead claiming that any money she gets from deep-pocketed financiers is coming from those who “want reform.”