Obama holds key leads on Romney, as economy malaise looms over reelection bid  —  With the general-election campaign beginning to take shape, President Obama holds clear advantages over Mitt Romney on personal attributes and a number of key issues, but remains vulnerable to discontent …

George W. Bush: Wish tax cuts not in my name  —  George W. Bush said Tuesday that he wishes the tax cuts originally approved under his watch didn't carry the burden of his family name.  —  “I wish they weren't called the Bush tax cuts,” the former president said as he kicked off …

Health-care law will add $340 billion to deficit, new study finds  —  President Obama's landmark health-care initiative, long touted as a means to control costs, will actually add more than $340 billion to the nation's budget woes over the next decade, according to a new study by a member of the board that oversees Medicare financing.

Report Disputes Christie's Basis for Halting Tunnel  —  Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey exaggerated when he declared that unforeseen costs to the state were forcing him to cancel the new train tunnel planned to relieve congested routes across the Hudson River, according to a long-awaited report …

The Miami Marlins announced Tuesday morning that the team has suspended manager Ozzie Guillen for five games effective immediately after his comments about Fidel Castro.  —  In a news conference on Tuesday during which he began by speaking Spanish, Guillen said he felt like he had betrayed …

Corruption Responsible for 80% of Your Cell Phone Bill  —  Last year, a new company called Lightsquared promised an innovative business model that would dramatically lower cell phone costs and improve the quality of service, threatening the incumbent phone operators like AT&T and Verizon.

BREAKING: George Zimmerman Launches Website, Features Vandalized Black Cultural Center  —  According to NBC News correspondent Mara Schiavocampo, George Zimmerman has launched a new website: … On the website — therealgeorgezimmerman.com — Zimmerman solicits donations to support his “living expenses and legal defense.”

Paul Ryan Claims Secret Democratic Support  —  They'd come out for his budget but fear they'd “get killed.  Ryan on Romney: An “earnest ... throwback to the '50s.  Ryan with Romney on April 3.  —  (Getty Images / Scott Olson)  —  House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan told reporters in New York today …

Buffett rule not solution to debt, W.H. says  —  The Obama administration is emphasizing “fairness” over deficit reduction in its renewed pitch for the “Buffett rule” ahead of next week's scheduled Senate vote.  —  Introducing a minimum 30 percent income tax on millionaires …

Ashley Judd Slaps Media in the Face for Speculation Over Her ‘Puffy’ Appearance  —  Ashley Judd's ‘puffy’ appearance sparked a viral media frenzy.  But, the actress writes, the conversation is really a misogynistic assault on all women.  —  The Conversation about women's bodies exists largely outside …

Obama faces pressure over same-sex marriage  —  As the Democratic Party considers adding support for the issue to its official platform, the president is urged to give his blessing.  —  Momentum is building to declare official support for same-sex marriage in the Democratic Party's platform.

Ryan says faith helped shape his budget  —  House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), whose budget plan recently passed the House in a party-line vote, says his faith contributed in shaping the proposal, which he says is consistent with Catholic teachings.

GLAAD, Miss Universe announce policy change to allow transgender women  —  GLAAD and the Miss Universe Organization today announced that the competition would become open to transgender women.  The announcement comes just weeks after contestant Jenna Talackova was disqualified from the Miss Canada pageant because she is transgender.

NOM's New DumpStarbucks.com Campaign Goes International  —  Contact: Anath Hartmann or Elizabeth Ray (703-683-5004)  —  “Today we go international, expanding DumpStarbucks.com campaigns into Mandarin, Arabic, Turkish, Spanish and Bahala.”  —Brian Brown, NOM president—

Study suggests students grow less interested in promoting racial understanding  —  By  —  One stereotype about college is that the experience encourages students to be more interested in diversity and promoting racial understanding.  To some this is a great virtue of higher education …

Food Stamp Program Crucial to Alleviating Poverty  —  Lessons: Unemployed men in soup kitchen, c. 1936 (National Archives)  —  Now that we've exposed the flaws from cutting welfare so it cannot provide adequate benefits during an historically bad recession, we can gather a new appreciation …

Pryor will not actively campaign for Obama  —  U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., said he will not actively campaign in Arkansas for President Barack Obama during the 2012 general election cycle.  —  Pryor noted his unwillingness to support the Obama, the titular head of the Democratic Party …

New York Times Reporter Blasts Boss In Email to 150 of His Best Friends  —  A few weeks ago, New York Times science and health reporter Don McNeil sent out a scathing email to colleagues attacking Times publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr. for piloting a “ghost ship” and running off to the Himalayas …