Employment Jumps; Rate 8.3%, 243,000 New Jobs Created  —  The pace of job creation surged in January, with the US economy generating 243,000 new positions while the unemployment rate dropped to 8.3 percent, according to government data released Friday.  —  Both numbers were far better than consensus …

A Painful Betrayal  —  With its roster of corporate sponsors and the pink ribbons that lend a halo to almost any kind of product you can think of, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation has a longstanding reputation as a staunch protector of women's health.

Team Obama shocked to learn Romney wants to win  —  Late Thursday night, as the political world was obsessing over fallout from Mitt Romney's “not concerned about the very poor” remarks, the Obama campaign was scandalized by something else Romney said in the wake of victory in Florida.

Obama's Magic Number?  150,000 Jobs Per Month  —  The unemployment report on Friday will give us the most tangible read to date on how the economy is performing in 2012.  It might also represent the most important number yet for President Obama's prospects of winning re-election.

S.E.C. Is Avoiding Tough Sanctions for Large Banks  —  WASHINGTON — Even as the Securities and Exchange Commission has stepped up its investigations of Wall Street in the last decade, the agency has repeatedly allowed the biggest firms to avoid punishments specifically meant to apply to fraud cases.

Holder should walk the plank on ‘Fast and Furious’  —  A petulant, angry, and defiant Attorney General Eric Holder refused yesterday to take any responsibility for the growing scandal surrounding Operation Fast and Furious, the ill-conceived and incompetently managed program …

Sierra Club took $26m from gas industry to fight coal  —  The Sierra Club disclosed Thursday that it received over $26 million from natural gas giant Chesapeake Energy Corp. between 2007 and 2010 to help the group's campaign against coal-fired power plants.  —  Sierra Club Executive Director …

Romney up big in Nevada  —  Mitt Romney is headed for a dominant victory in Nevada on Saturday.  PPP finds him polling at 50% to 25% for Newt Gingrich, 15% for Ron Paul, and 8% for Rick Santorum.  —  Certainly in Nevada the Mormon vote will get a lot of attention and Romney leads Paul 78-14 …

Chris Christie Doubles Down Same-Sex Marriage Referendum: ‘This Is The Bargain Of Your Life!’  —  New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (R) argued that he is offering activists of marriage equality “the bargain of your life” by advocating that the legislature pass a bill asking residents to vote …

Mitt Romney Was A Democrat  —  It may only have been for a few minutes in 1992.  But this is a little-known, true fact: The likely GOP nominee is a former Democrat.  —  Mitt Romney's 1992 Democratic Primary vote for Paul Tsongas — a technocratic modernizer and reformer, but very much a Democrat …

Colbert v. the Court  —  Why, in the battle over Citizens United, the Supreme Court never had a chance.  —  The Supreme Court has always had its critics.  Chief Justice John Marshall had to contend with the temper of President Andrew Jackson ("John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it!").

Scott Brown pays own daughter Ayla to sing  —  Sen. Scott Brown's daughter, Ayla Brown, likes to use her musical talent to help boost her father's reelection bid, but the former “America Idol” contestant and her band's services aren't free — the Brown campaign has spent $9,500 …

Rep. Shuler to retire, faced tough 2012 race  —  Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) will not run for reelection to the House, three sources with knowledge of his plans confirmed to The Hill.  —  One of the last remaining members of the Blue Dog Coalition, Shuler was hit by congressional redistricting …

Sandra Day O'Connor Hasn't Offended This Many People Since She Upheld Roe V. Wade  —  The former Supreme Court Justice made a comment about Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney.  Zing.  —  by JP Moore  · added an hour ago  · 58 responses  —  12 Pets That Hate Their Families

Cantor: 'We shouldn't settle' on jobless rate above 8 percent  —  House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said Friday's better than expected jobs numbers were “encouraging,” but that Americans “shouldn't settle” for an unemployment rate that remains above eight percent.

Is Israel preparing to attack Iran?  —  Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has a lot on his mind these days, from cutting the defense budget to managing the drawdown of U.S. forces in Afghanistan.  But his biggest worry is the growing possibility that Israel will attack Iran militarily over the next few months.