All Eyez on Him  —  The junior senator from Florida had a heck of an election year: Short-listed for VP.  Wrote a memoir of his Cuban heritage.  Gave a tough, moving convention speech—maybe the best of its kind since Obama's.  Michael Hainey talks to Marco Rubio about growing up in the shadow of Castro …

CNN Poll: 57% of Americans say Israeli attacks in Gaza are justified  —  Washington (CNN) - A majority of Americans say that Israel's current military strikes against Gaza are justified, according to a new national survey.  —  A CNN/ORC International poll released Monday indicates that 57% …

THE FINAL DAYS OF THE MEDIA CAMPAIGN 2012  —  OBAMA ENJOYS SURGE IN POSITIVE COVERAGE THE LAST WEEK OF THE RACE; ATTENTION TO ROMNEY DROPS  —  In the final week of the 2012 presidential campaign, Barack Obama enjoyed his most positive run of news coverage in months, according to a new study …

Investment Falls Off a Cliff  —  U.S. Companies Cut Spending Plans Amid Fiscal and Economic Uncertainty  —  U.S. companies are scaling back investment plans at the fastest pace since the recession, signaling more trouble for the economic recovery.  —  Half of the nation's 40 biggest …

An Open Letter to President Obama  —  Dear President Obama:  —  Good luck on your journeys overseas this week, and congratulations on decisively winning your second term as our president!  The first time you won four years ago, most of us couldn't contain our joy and found ourselves literally in tears over your victory.

Republicans at a crossroads  —  LAS VEGAS — Republican governors are torn between essentially staying the course in the wake of Mitt Romney's loss and a more proactive strategy aimed at radically shaking up their party in an effort to reach out to young and minority voters.

The Twinkie Manifesto  —  The Twinkie, it turns out, was introduced way back in 1930.  In our memories, however, the iconic snack will forever be identified with the 1950s, when Hostess popularized the brand by sponsoring “The Howdy Doody Show.”  And the demise of Hostess has unleashed …

The worst candidate of 2012  —  Running for office has often been compared to walking a tight rope without a net or hosting live television.  If you are good, it shines through.  If you aren't, it, well, shines through.  —  Today we are handing out the Fixy — the coveted political awards that we …

97 Republicans sign letter urging Obama to avoid Rice nod for State  —  Nearly 100 House Republicans on Monday called on President Obama not to nominate Susan Rice as Secretary of State.  —  In a letter to Obama, the 97 Republicans said the credibility of the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations …

Losing Humanity  —  This 50-page report outlines concerns about these fully autonomous weapons, which would inherently lack human qualities that provide legal and non-legal checks on the killing of civilians.  In addition, the obstacles to holding anyone accountable for harm caused by the weapons …

Exclusive: Sun Capital wants to buy Hostess  —  Hostess may have a buyer.  —  FORTUNE — Private equity firm Sun Capital Partners wants to buy bankrupt bakery Hostess Brands Inc., Fortune has learned.  —  The proposal would be to operate Hostess as a going concern, including reopening …

Big Banks vs. Elizabeth Warren: It's On (Again!)  —  The fight between the financial industry and Senator-elect Elizabeth Warren heats up again over her possible nomination to the Senate Banking Committee.  —  Ron Sachs/DPA/ZUMAPRESS.com  —  Not even two weeks have passed since Democrat …

Can conservatives prevent the U.S. from becoming California? … As bad as last Tuesday night was for the national Republican Party, it was far, far worse for the California Republican Party.  Not only did Golden State Democrats maintain control of every statewide elected office …

Paul Ryan Emerges as Power Broker in Fiscal Talks  —  WASHINGTON — Gone is the private jet and the motorcade that swept him from the tarmac to the private hotel entrances.  His security staff has been reduced to a few Capitol Police officers, soon to fade away.

How Many 2008 McCain Voters Went Libertarian in 2012?  —  Campaign Spot reader Michael writes in, having examined the claim of the missing Republican voters — the drop off from McCain's 2008 total to Romney's 2012.  Immediately after the election, many were left incredulous in response …

Andrew Cuomo, fake Democrat  —  New York's governor might lead his party in 2016.  So why won't he fight for a state Senate majority they earned?  —  If the New York state Senate remains controlled by the Republican Party, it won't be because of the voters.  Democrats have 30 seats, with 32 required for a majority.

Treasury Secretary Geithner: Lift Debt Limit to Infinity  —  (CNSNews.com) - Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said Friday that Congress should stop placing legal limits on the amount of money the government can borrow and effectively lift the debt limit to infinity.

Capretta and Levin: Why ObamaCare Is Still No Sure Thing  —  The majority of state governors are Republicans, and they have the power to disarm the health-care law.  —  Champions of ObamaCare want Americans to believe that the president's re-election ended the battle over the law.  It did no such thing.

Members of Congress Implore Feds To Back Down On Marijuana Prosecution  —  In light of the marijuana legalization measures passed in Washington and Colorado, 18 members of Congress are asking the Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration not to take enforcement action …

From wedding dress to suicide vest: How Russian Islamic convert kissed her daughter goodbye and blew herself up at cleric's home  —  Brought up as an Orthodox Christian by her mother, Aminat Kurbanova looked a picture of happiness at her wedding nine years ago - marrying the man with whom she had fallen in love at drama school.