Obama to Offer ‘Accomodation’ on Contraception Rule  —  With the White House under fire for its new rule requiring employers including religious organizations to offer health insurance that fully covers birth control coverage, ABC News has learned that later today the White House …

Santorum says ‘other types of emotions’ could preclude women in combat  —  For a candidate with virtually no staff and who tends to talk off the cuff, Rick Santorum has been nearly gaffe-free.  However, this evening might have been his first, and it comes at a time when he is trying …

Rep. Spencer Bachus faces insider-trading investigation  —  The Office of Congressional Ethics is investigating the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee over possible violations of insider-trading laws, according to individuals familiar with the case.

Is 2012 Slipping Away From the GOP?  —  For a long time, I was confident that Republican voters would oust Barack Obama in 2012, hold the House and, in all likelihood, take the Senate.  Obama is a weak incumbent, who has been chronically unpopular since early in his term.

Mitt Romney's Struggles Take Republican Angst To New Heights … Barack Obama , Mitt Romney , Republican Presidential Primary , Rick Santorum , Cpac , Elections 2012 , Newt Gingrich , Rick Perry , Video , Politics News  —  WASHINGTON — The angst within the Republican Party …

The Crowd Pleaser  —  At first glance, President Obama and Mitt Romney share some similar traits.  Both Harvard Law School grads are smart and analytical.  Both are emotionally reserved rather than touchy-feely.  Both are traditionalist in their family and personal lives.

Obama's Worst Year  —  The inside story of his brush with political disaster.  —  Shortly after four o'clock on the afternoon of Wednesday, April 13, 2011, U.S. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner walked down the hallway near his office toward a large conference room facing the building's interior.

Pelosi might have skirted House ethics rules on campaign solicitations  —  House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) might have briefly run afoul of congressional ethics rules at a Capitol press conference on Thursday when she made a statement that could be construed as a solicitation for campaign contributions.

8,000 instances of abuse alleged in Archdiocese bankruptcy hearing  —  By Annysa Johnson of the Journal Sentinel  —  Sealed documents filed in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee bankruptcy identify at least 8,000 instances of child sexual abuse and 100 alleged offenders - 75 of them priests …

Education Gap Grows Between Rich and Poor, Studies Say  —  WASHINGTON — Education was historically considered a great equalizer in American society, capable of lifting less advantaged children and improving their chances for success as adults.  But a body of recently published scholarship suggests …

Foreclosure Deal to Spur U.S. Home Seizures  —  The $25 billion settlement with banks over foreclosure abuses may result in a wave of home seizures, inflicting short-term pain on delinquent U.S. borrowers while making a long-term housing recovery more likely.

Romney ‘glitter bomber’ fired from internship  —  DENVER — The college student accused of “glitter bombing” Mitt Romney after the Colorado caucuses has been fired from his unpaid internship with state Senate Democrats.  —  Police say 20-year-old Peter Smith threw glitter at Romney …

Gingrich Seeks to Ease Fundraising Woes as Las Vegas Checks Slowing Down  —  Newt Gingrich was just days away from the Jan. 31 Florida Republican presidential primary when he told reporters that his campaign was down to its last $600,000.  —  Five losing contests later, Gingrich and Winning Our Future …

Washington state governor to sign gay marriage bill on Monday  —  (Reuters) - Governor Christine Gregoire plans to sign newly passed legislation on Monday to legalize gay marriage in Washington state, making it the seventh with a law on the books to recognize same-sex nuptials, her office said on Thursday.