Romney Wins by Wide Margin in Illinois Contest  —  CHICAGO — Mitt Romney swept to victory in the Illinois Republican primary on Tuesday, using the full force of his campaign and an argument that he has the best chance of defeating President Obama to overcome doubts among the more conservative voters at the heart of his party.

Raid on Toulouse shooting suspect  —  French police surrounded Mohammed Merah in Toulouse  —  Mohammed Merah, the man believed to be the gunman on a scooter who killed seven people in south-western France, is a 23-year-old French citizen of Algerian extraction.

Top Romney Adviser Says Romney Can Change His Positions After The Primaries: 'It's Almost Like An Etch A Sketch'  —  Mitt Romney can't be held accountable for his extreme right-wing views, at least according to his campaign's senior adviser, who said the candidate should be given a …

Feelin' Blue  —  Looking back at the day's news, I must admit I'm having trouble maintaining my customary good cheer.  —  Watching Mitt Romney's victory speech in Illinois didn't reassure me about his chances against President Obama.  (Watch it yourself to see if I'm being unfair.)

Obama will avoid healthcare defense during court review  —  President Obama will not mark the two-year anniversary of his signing of the healthcare law — which takes place days before the Supreme Court offers a decision on the constitutionality of his signature legislative achievement.

Ron Paul: Secret Service is welfare  —  Ron Paul said Tuesday he doesn't want any Secret Service protection because it's “a form a welfare.”  —  “It's a form of welfare,” the presidential candidate told comedian Jay Leno Tuesday.  “You know, you're having the taxpayers pay to take care …

Calls grow to arrest gunman in Fla. teen slaying  —  (CBS News) SANFORD, Fla. - Pressure is building for authorities in Florida to arrest George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch captain who fatally shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin last month.  —  The incident is now a federal case, and it's slated to go before a grand jury.

Andrew Sullivan Is Frightened by Complexity  —  Somehow, in the midst of grappling with Andrew Sullivan's attack on me (in which he lied about what I have written, what I think, what I believe, and what I've reported, and shows no understanding, by the way, of reporting itself — but, hey, what are friends for?)

John King and Dana Bash separate; CNN stars were married four years  —  John King and Dana Bash in Washington last year.  (Rebecca D'Angelo for The Washington Post) Separated: Dana Bash, 40, and John King, 48, after less than four years of marriage, a friend of the CNN stars confirmed to us Tuesday.

David Corn Has Showdown in Barnes & Noble  —  MSNBC Contributor and Mother Jones' Washington Bureau Chief David Corn apparently got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.  —  He was spotted in the Barnes & Noble at Union Station throwing a fit because his new book — his fifth …

Cameron ‘tucked in bed’ by Obama during US trip  —  AFP - British Prime Minister David Cameron on Tuesday revealed he was “tucked up in bed” by US President Barack Obama during the pair's recent trip on Air Force One.  —  The two leaders were repeatedly seen back-slapping …

Romney-Ryan?  —  Mitt Romney is close to finishing off his rivals for the Republican presidential nomination, talk of a brokered GOP convention in August, and the prospect of a new candidate suddenly entering the contest.  —  This would be a political hat trick once it happens …

90 Degrees in Winter: This Is What Climate Change Looks Like  —  A view of the Runge reservoir in the town of Runge, some thirty-seven miles north of Santiago on February 3, 2012.  Reuters/Ivan Alvarado  —     —  The National Weather Service is kind of the anti-Mike Daisey …

‘Nice Guys’ Finish Last  —  Romney's condescending approach may be the best way to beat Obama.  —  One advantage an incumbent president has when seeking re-election is that he has already persuaded many voters to cast a ballot for him.  That means a challenger—or the incumbent himself …