Giffords and Kelly: Fighting gun violence  —  Our new campaign will launch a national dialogue and raise funds to counter influence of the gun lobby.  —  STORY HIGHLIGHTS  — The children of Sandy Hook deserve our efforts to stop gun violence.  —  In response to a horrific series …

My Successor?  Mayor Ponders Dream Choices  —  It has been a bedrock assumption of this year's race for New York City mayor: Michael R. Bloomberg and the muscular political operation that guided him to three electoral victories will coalesce around his favored candidate, Christine C. Quinn, the City Council speaker.

Why Hagel Was Picked  —  Americans don't particularly like government, but they do want government to subsidize their health care.  They believe that health care spending improves their lives more than any other public good.  In a Quinnipiac poll, typical of many others …

Obama's Second Term: More (and More Presidential) Polarization  —  By Francis Wilkinson 2013-01-07T18:23:23Z  —  President Barack Obama's anticipated nomination of Chuck Hagel as defense secretary shows how the polarization of Obama's second term might differ from that of his first.

Congress somewhere below cockroaches, traffic jams, and Nickelback in Americans' esteem  —  Our newest national poll finds that Congress only has a 9% favorability rating with 85% of voters viewing it in a negative light.  We've seen poll after poll after poll over the last year talking …

Republicans getting weak-kneed about debt ceiling fight  —  House Speaker John Boehner spoke at length with the Wall Street Journal's Stephen Moore about the coming confrontation over the debt ceiling, the sequester, and the spending cuts Republicans will try to achieve.

Rescued by a Bailout, A.I.G. May Sue Its Savior  —  Fresh from paying back a $182 billion bailout, the American International Group has been running a nationwide advertising campaign with the tagline “Thank you America.”  —  Behind the scenes, the restored insurance company is weighing whether …

Graham threatens to hold up CIA director confirmation  —  (CNN) - Saying he has “not forgotten about the Benghazi debacle,” Sen. Lindsey Graham called for a delay in the confirmation process of John Brennan, the president's choice for CIA director, as investigations still continue surrounding …

Widow of Medgar Evers to deliver invocation at Obama inauguration  —  President Obama has picked Myrlie Evers-Williams, widow of slain civil rights icon Medgar Evers, to deliver the invocation at his public swearing-in later this month.  It is believed to be the first time a woman …

Hagel and the Jews  —  A friend and admirer of Senator Hagel called the other day to ask whether we'd ever met the nominee to be secretary of defense.  We expressed our regrets that we hadn't.  Our friend wanted us to know that Mr. Hagel does not dislike the Jews.

Liz Warren won't beat drum  —  After touting her heritage ...  Despite repeated claims she is “proud” of her Cherokee heritage, newly minted U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren is keeping that pride under wraps and won't be taking advantage of a chance to officially list herself as the Bay State's first Native American U.S. senator.

Obama's failure to nominate women for two top Cabinet posts questioned  —  President Obama brought his top Pentagon and Central Intelligence Agency chiefs together Monday with their potential replacements, and some critics noticed one thing that stood out: Each of them was a white man.

Holy Grail of Voters  —  Although independent voters have stolen the spotlight, people who describe themselves as moderates could be even more important.  —  After covering eight presidential and seven midterm election campaigns, I still manage to learn new things or come to view things differently.