Colombian Escort Speaks About Secret Service Scandal  —  CARTAGENA, Colombia — A Secret Service agent preparing for President Obama's arrival at an international summit meeting and a single mother from Colombia who makes a living as a high-priced escort faced off in a room at the Hotel Caribe …

Jim Webb: Health-care law represents a leadership failure for Obama  —  President Obama's new health-care law will be his greatest liability as he attempts to once again win the critical swing state of Virginia, Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) warned Wednesday.  —  “I'll be real frank here,” Webb said at a breakfast organized by Bloomberg News.

The smartest choice Ann Romney made  —  There is no shame in marrying up  —  Mitt and Ann, serving a pancake breakfast.  —  As a thirtysomething, city-dwelling, hypereducated, independent-thinking woman, I suppose I should recoil at the idea of one day getting married …

Vatican orders crackdown on American nuns  —  WASHINGTON — The Vatican has launched a crackdown on the umbrella group that represents most of America's 55,000 Catholic nuns, saying that the group was not speaking out strongly enough against gay marriage, abortion and women's ordination.

The most amazing Supreme Court chart.  Maybe ever.  —  While browsing around the Pew polling site this morning — and, yes, we do a fair amount of that — we came across a chart on the Supreme Court that reminded us, for the billionth time, that assuming the average person follows …

TPMDC  —  Obama To GOP: Abide By Debt Limit Deal Or Else Face A Govt Shutdown Right Before The Election  —  In a major escalation of a slowly building fight over funding the government, the White House has warned House Republicans, in no uncertain terms, that the government will shut …

Letter details allegations of sexual harassment at N.C. Democratic Party  —  A former staffer accused the Democratic Party's executive director of showing him a picture of a penis, caressing his leg and discussing his sexual exploits, according to a new document obtained by The News & Observer.

Perry Interested In Another Run For President  —  PLANO (CBSDFW.COM) - Governor Rick Perry's first campaign for President did not finish as he planned.  But during a one-on-one interview with CBS 11 News reporter Jack Fink in Plano on Wednesday, it sounded like he wants to give a run for the White House another try.

Bam Bites Dog  —  The political perils of personal attacks.  —  One time Barack Obama went to an Indian restaurant and ordered the lassi.  Was he ever disappointed when the waiter brought him a yogurt drink!  —  We'll be here all week.  But seriously, folks, we have a man-bites-dog story for you today.

MEDIA MATTERS' ERIC BOEHLERT DOWNPLAYED GENOCIDAL ANTI-SEMITISM  —  Two weeks ago, Media Matters for America (MMFA) quasi-parted ways with anti-Semitic Senior Foreign Policy Fellow MJ Rosenberg, who was fond of labeling pro-Israel Jews “Israel firsters.”  This PR maneuver was designed …

Romney: Obama is ‘in over his head’ on the economy  —  Mitt Romney said President Barack Obama is “in over his head and swimming in the wrong direction” when it comes to the nation's economy and that his policies are “putting in peril” America's future.  —  Speaking in Charlotte, N.C. …

Why the U.S. Economy Is Biased Against Men  —  That women earn 77 cents for every $1 earned by a man is a popular refrain.  But look closer.  Prejudice against guys in the economy is real and widespread.  —  You've just landed on Planet Zuto.  —  The Intergalactic Equal Employment …

CIA seeks new authority to expand Yemen drone campaign  —  The CIA is seeking authority to expand its covert drone campaign in Yemen by launching strikes against terrorism suspects even when it does not know the identities of those who could be killed, U.S. officials said.

Mel Gibson Rage Rant in Costa Rica: ‘Filthy C—sucker Whore’ (Audio)  —  Mel Gibson shouted terrifying epithets at his houseguests during a rampage at his home in Costa Rica in December, according to a recording obtained by TheWrap.  —  Houseguest and screenwriter Joe Eszterhas provided the recording …

Congressional Approval Recovers Slightly, Now 17%  —  Highest rating since July  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Americans still hold Congress in low regard, but its 17% job approval rating is the highest since last July.  Congress' approval had dipped to a record-low 10% in February.

Secret poll: State senators favor Liljenquist in U.S. Senate race  —  SALT LAKE CITY — A secret poll of state senators found them favoring one of their former colleagues in the race for U.S. Senate.  —  Republican Dan Liljenquist came out on top in an informal poll conducted by the Office of the Legislative Auditor General.

House clears highway bill with pipeline mandate, thwarts Obama  —  The House, defying a White House veto threat, passed GOP legislation Wednesday that extends transportation program funding through September and mandates construction of a controversial oil pipeline from Canada to Gulf Coast refineries.

CNN Poll: Republicans divided on VP choice  —  Washington (CNN) - Who should Mitt Romney choose as his running mate?  —  According to a new national poll, there's no consensus among Republicans.  But a CNN/ORC International survey released Wednesday does indicate there's an ideological split …

TV Host and Icon of New Year's Eve  —  Dick Clark, the perpetually youthful-looking television host whose long-running daytime song-and-dance fest, “American Bandstand,” did as much as anyone or anything to advance the influence of teenagers and rock ‘n’ roll on American culture, died Wednesday in Santa Monica, Calif. He was 82.