Romney doesn't back away from ‘birther’ Trump  —  (CNN) - Mitt Romney said Monday he wasn't concerned about Donald Trump's commitment to the “birther” conspiracy, one day before the GOP presidential candidate hosts a fund-raiser alongside the celebrity business magnate.

In Texas, a rising conservative star takes on the establishment  —  (CBS News) Hoping to build on momentum from Richard Mourdock's Tea Party-driven victory over Richard Lugar in the Indiana Senate primary earlier this month, the Tea Party is setting its sights on another possible win Tuesday, this time in Texas.

A Measure of Change: Obama's Leadership in War on Al Qaeda  —  WASHINGTON — This was the enemy, served up in the latest chart from the intelligence agencies: 15 Qaeda suspects in Yemen with Western ties.  The mug shots and brief biographies resembled a high school yearbook layout.  Several were Americans.

Romney's pants on fire  —  There are those who tell the truth.  There are those who distort the truth.  And then there's Mitt Romney.  —  Every political campaign exaggerates and dissembles.  This practice may not be admirable — it's surely one reason so many Americans are disenchanted with politics …

Pro-life group's hidden camera footage shows complicity in ‘sex-selective’ abortions  —  Live Action says Planned Parenthood and other U.S. abortion providers are willing to assist in the termination of baby girls for pregnant women who choose abortion because they want to have baby boys.

Chris Hayes Apologizes For Saying He Feels ‘Uncomfortable’ Calling Killed Soldiers ‘Heroes’ (VIDEO)  —  Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy … FOLLOW:  —  MSNBC, Video, Chris Hayes, Memorial Day, Chris Hayes Heroes, Chris Hayes Soldiers, Chris Hayes Uncomfortable, Media News

Michelle Obama sponsors Navy's first submarine with all-female crew  —  The USS Illinois, the first Navy submarine to be staffed by an all-female crew, received the support of the White House on Memorial Day.  —  On Monday, First Lady Michelle Obama officially sponsored the Virginia-class submarine …

“You clean up your own mess”  —  Why I will run a write-in primary campaign  —  Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans," John Lennon mused.  How right he was.  —  Last Friday, shortly before a Memorial Day weekend wreath-laying commemorating and honoring …

Extended Federal Unemployment Benefits Begin to Wind Down  —  Hundreds of thousands of out-of-work Americans are receiving their final unemployment checks sooner than they expected, even though Congress renewed extended benefits until the end of the year.  —  The checks are stopping …

Real-life Hannibal Lecter who ate face of naked homeless man identified as Rudy Eugene, 31  —  Cannibal was gunned down by cops during grisly crime  —  Rudy Eugene in an undated mug shot.  —  This is the face of the naked homeless man who was gunned down by a Miami cop while eating the face of another nude man.

Not worth the debt  —  I've been writing for years about a bubble in higher education: too much demand, causing sky-high prices — all because of cheap government money, much like the housing bubble.  Now those warnings have become conventional wisdom — so conventional that they've reached The New York Times and even 60 Minutes.

Debt-Ceiling Deja Vu Could Sink Economy  —  Europe is crumbling.  China is slowing.  The Federal Reserve is dithering.  Yet the biggest threat to the emerging U.S. economic recovery may be Congress.  —  John Boehner, the leader of the House Republicans, has promised yet another fight …

Roll Call - The Newspaper of Capitol Hill Since 1955 At the Races  —  TUCSON, Ariz. — Ron Barber, the Democrat running to succeed ex-Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, remains noncommittal on whether he would vote for Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to lead his party after the November elections.

Saudis Demand Punishment for McDonald's Toy They Say “Insults Muhammed” … Saudi Arabians are angry at a McDonald's toy which they say mocks their prophet Muhammad.  According to a report appearing today (5/27/12) on the Arabic news website, Kermalkom.com, the McDonald's fast food restaurant …

Obama struggles with campaign theme  —  President Obama's campaign has yet to find a clear 2012 reelection slogan that carries the heft of 2008's “Change You Can Believe In,” raising worries among his supporters — and hopes among Republicans — that he is having trouble articulating a concise case for a second term.

Meet ‘Flame’, The Massive Spy Malware Infiltrating Iranian Computers  —  Map showing the number and geographical location of Flame infections detected by Kaspersky Lab on customer machines.  Courtesy of Kaspersky  —  A massive, highly sophisticated piece of malware has been newly found infecting systems …

US special forces ‘parachuted into North Korea’  —  US and South Korean special forces have been parachuting into North Korea to gather intelligence about underground military installations, according to a senior US officer.  —  US and South Korean forces work closely together