Obama Approval Rating Shows Serious Slip in New Poll  —  Despite improving job growth and an extended Republican primary fight dividing his would-be opponents, President Obama is heading into the general election season on treacherous political ground, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.

OBAMA TARGETS BREITBART, PALIN, HANNITY WITH HEAVILY-EDITED AD  —  The Obama re-election campaign has released an internet ad targeting Sarah Palin, Sean Hannity, and Breitbart.com.  Coming up short in the fundraising department and under fire for President Obama's longtime association …

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.

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 …

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)

Social networking sites and politics  — Home - > - Reports - > - Social networking sites and politics - > - Main findings - > - Social networking sites and politics  —  Main findings  —  Social networking sites have become places where political conversation, debate, and proselytizing occur, especially during campaign seasons.

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.

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.

What if George W. Bush had done that?  —  President Barack Obama has forged a surprising consensus on opposite ends of the political spectrum: They wonder how on earth he gets away with it.  —  A series of recent moves — from aggressively filling his reelection war chest to green-lighting shoot …

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.

Dick Cheney cancels Toronto trip, says Canada is too dangerous  —  TORONTO — Former U.S. vice-president Dick Cheney has cancelled an April appearance in Toronto citing concerns Canada is too dangerous.  —  “He felt that in Canada the risk of violent protest was simply too high,” …

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) …

Surprise!  Obama has a secret plan to deal with a catastrophic U.S. debt crisis.  Here's what might be in it  —  This is a stunner.  In the new book The Escape Artists: How Obama's Team Fumbled the Recovery, journalist Noam Scheiber uncovers this tantalizing tidbit: … OK, let's take this step by step:

Slurs won't silence women  —  Editor's note: Sandra Fluke is a third-year law student at Georgetown University Law Center and has served as president of Georgetown Law Students for Reproductive Justice.  —  (CNN) — Last month, students from several Catholic universities gathered to send …

Rebekah Brooks among six arrested  —  Former Sun editor held by Operation Weeting detectives on suspicion of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice  —  Rebekah Brooks is among six people arrested by Scotland Yard detectives on suspicion of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice …

Recovery 2020!  We're Barely on Pace to Close the Jobs Gap This Decade  —  The labor market is in full-blown recovery mode right now, with the economy adding more than 200,000 net new workers each month for the past three months.  At this rate, we'll close the jobs gap in roughly ... eight years.