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 …

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.

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 …

Santorum: Combat concerns  —  Rick Santorum, in an interview with CNN's John King a bit ago, was asked whether he thinks it's a good idea or a bad idea for the Pentagon to relax some of the rules about women taking frontline roles in combat, “perhaps opening the door to a broader role for, ultimately, women in combat.”

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 presidential campaign stuck in lukewarm  —  Republicans are expressing fresh concerns that Mitt Romney is limping toward the presidential nomination, suffering new blows at the very moment he needs to grow stronger if he is to take on President Obama in November.

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 …

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.

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.

Gay marriage bill introduced in Illinois House  —  SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — A year after gay couples gained the option of civil unions in Illinois, some lawmakers are beginning a push to authorize same-sex marriages.  —  Three legislators filed what they call the “Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act” on Wednesday.

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.

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 …

Poll: Joe Kennedy III has huge lead in U.S. Rep race  —  Joseph P. Kennedy III's famous family ties have handed him a huge early lead in the race to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, a new UMass Lowell/Boston Herald poll reveals.  —  Kennedy, the son of former U.S. Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II …