Poll: Obama's approval rating sinks to new low  —  CBS News Poll analysis by the CBS News Polling Unit: Sarah Dutton, Jennifer De Pinto, Fred Backus and Anthony Salvanto.  —  (CBS News) President Obama's approval rating has hit the lowest level ever in CBS News polling, according to the latest CBS News/New York Times survey.

Santorum leads GOP candidates in La., exclusive WWL-TV poll shows  —  NEW ORLEANS - A new, exclusive statewide poll of likely Republican voters in Louisiana conducted for WWL-TV shows voters favoring Rick Santorum, with the primary election two weeks away.  —  The telephone poll …

Specter says Obama ditched him after he helped pass health law  —  Former Sen. Arlen Specter (Pa.) writes in a new book that President Obama ditched him in the 2010 election after he helped Obama win the biggest legislative victory of his term by passing healthcare reform.

U.S. Officials Debate Speeding Afghan Pullout  —  WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is discussing whether to reduce American forces in Afghanistan by at least an additional 20,000 troops by 2013, reflecting a growing belief within the White House that the mission there has now reached the point of diminishing returns.

BREAKING: Rush Limbaugh Syndicator Suspends National Ads For Two Weeks  —  Radio-Info.com reports that Premiere Networks, which syndicates the Rush Limbaugh show, told its affiliate radio stations that they are suspending national advertising for two weeks.  Rush Limbaugh is normally provided …

Alabama and Mississippi primaries: Mitt Romney could seal deal in Dixie  —  RICHLAND, Miss — In a topsy-turvy GOP primary, where the unexpected has been the norm, such a final plot twist may be altogether fitting: the Mormon Yankee who thinks cheese grits are a revelation effectively seals the nomination in Alabama and Mississippi.

The Damning Backstory Behind ‘Homeless Hotspots’ at SXSW  —  It sounds like something out of a darkly satirical science-fiction dystopia.  But it's absolutely real — and a completely problematic treatment of a problem that otherwise probably wouldn't be mentioned in any of the panels at South by Southwest Interactive.

Let's Talk About the Real Issues, Mr. President  —  The far Left continues to believe American voters are not smart enough to grasp the diversionary tactics it employs to distract us from the issues our President just doesn't want to talk about - issues that affect us all every day and must be addressed.

Voters blame president for gas prices, experts say not so fast  —  How much does the president have to do with the price of gasoline?  —  A lot, say American voters.  According to oil experts and economists, not so much — at least in the short term.  —  Today's oil prices are the product …

An alliance the world can count on  —  Barack Obama is president of the United States.  David Cameron is prime minister of Great Britain.  —  Seven decades ago, as our forces began to turn the tide of World War II, Prime Minister Winston Churchill traveled to Washington to coordinate our joint efforts.

HHS weighs accepting men who have sex with men as blood donors  —  The Health and Human Services Department (HHS) is seeking comments on designing a pilot program to create “alternative donor deferral criteria” for gay men.  —  Currently, men who have had sex with other men (MSM) …

Obama Admin Finalizes Rules: $1 Abortions in ObamaCare  —  It's official.  The concern pro-life organizations had about the ObamaCare legislation funding abortions has been confirmed, as the Obama administration has issued the final rules on abortion funding governing the controversial health care law.

Obama warns opponents against ‘using religion as a bludgeon in politics’  —  President Obama warned against “using religion as a bludgeon in politics,” pushing back against critics who have accused him of waging a “war on religion” through recent policy decisions.

All red meat is bad for you, new study says  —  A long-term study finds that eating any amount and any type increases the risk of premature death.  —  Eating any amount and any type of red meat increases the risk of premature death, a new study says.  (William Thomas Cain / Getty Images / March 12, 2012)

Liberal groups, unions vow to expose corporate donors  —  Liberal interest groups, watchdogs and unions on Monday threatened to boycott, protest and publicly embarrass corporations that spend money trying to sway the outcome of the November election.  —  Gathered Monday at the Washington headquarters …

Early Bird Gets the Delegates  —  Romney's mastery of early voting made it nearly impossible for his less-organized, less-moneyed rivals to ever beat him.  —  The political media may have welcomed the closing of polls on recent evenings in Florida, Michigan, Arizona, and Ohio with an air of suspense …

U.S. on pace for $1 trillion deficit  —  The federal government set a new monthly record deficit of $232 billion in February and has notched a total of $581 billion in the first five months of the fiscal year, according to the Treasury Department's official count released Monday.

Marco Rubio builds A-Team to control image, bio  —  Rubio's PAC also employs Malorie Miller, who worked for Jeb Bush when he was Florida governor and led the Rubio campaign's online messaging, fundraising and grass-roots outreach, as well as Alberto Martinez, a Tallahassee-based operative …

Rep. Bachus battles super-PAC in toughest primary challenge of his career  —  Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.) is facing one of the toughest primary challenges of his two-decade career Tuesday, thanks in part to a Texas-based super-PAC that has already taken down a fellow incumbent.

G.O.P. Split Over a Bid to Revise Budget Deal  —  WASHINGTON — The House is bracing for a rancorous showdown over a 2013 budget plan that has already divided Republicans because of a push by conservatives to cut spending below the level both parties agreed to in last year's deal to raise the federal deficit.