Will Boehner's speakership survive until Plan C?  —  Has there been a House speaker in modern American history with less control over his members than John Boehner?  —  Sad trombone.  (Charles Dharapak / AP)  —  Over the past three days, Boehner has focused all attention on “Plan B” …

Chuck Hagel Is Criticized Over Gay Rights Record  —  WASHINGTON — Chuck Hagel, the former Nebraska senator on President Obama's short list for defense secretary, came under fire again on Thursday, this time for his record on gay rights and remarks he made 14 years ago about an openly gay nominee for a diplomatic post.

A conservative case for an assault weapons ban  —  If we can't draw a sensible line on guns, we may as well call the American experiment in democracy a failure.  —  An assault weapon similar to the type used in the Newtown, Conn. shooting.  (Joe Raedle / Getty Images / December 18, 2012)

FIRST ON CNN: Mark Sanford plans to run for Congress  —  Richmond, Virginia (CNN) - Former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford is launching a political comeback that may begin within days.  —  Sanford is planning to run for the Congressional seat he held almost a decade ago …

A Soldier's-Eye View of Chuck Hagel  —  His record on Iraq alone should disqualify the former senator from leading U.S. troops in time of war.  —  Chuck Hagel, who is reportedly on the White House's shortlist of nominees for secretary of defense, served our country admirably in Vietnam.

Mosque arsonist tells court: ‘I only know what I hear on Fox News’  —  An Indiana man convicted of setting fire to a mosque in Ohio told a judge on Wednesday that he committed the crimes because Fox News and conservative talk radio had convinced him that “most Muslims are terrorists.”

Jake Tapper joins CNN as Anchor and Chief Washington Correspondent  —  Tapper to Anchor New Weekday Program Beginning in 2013  —  Accomplished Washington journalist Jake Tapper, who has served the last four years as ABC's senior White House correspondent and is a best-selling author …

Why the US media ignored Murdoch's brazen bid to hijack the presidency |  Carl Bernstein  —  Did the Washington Post and others underplay the story through fear of the News Corp chairman, or simply tin-eared judgment?  —  So now we have it: what appears to be hard, irrefutable evidence …

The Cost of Romney's Government-Assisted Transition: $8.9 Million  —  One of the less scintillating milestones of the 2012 election was marked by the General Services Administration, when Mitt Romney became the first candidate to take advantage of the Presidential Transition Act of 2010.