Frail Pope Breaks Tradition and Resigns  —  VATICAN CITY — Citing advanced years and infirmity, but showing characteristic tough-mindedness and unpredictability, Pope Benedict XVI shocked Roman Catholics on Monday by saying that he would resign on Feb. 28, becoming the first pope to do so in six centuries.

The Man Who Killed Osama bin Laden... Is Screwed  —  For the first time, the Navy SEAL who killed Osama bin Laden tells his story — speaking not just about the raid and the three shots that changed history, but about the personal aftermath for himself and his family.

Sen. Inhofe threatens filibuster to block Hagel  —  Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) on Sunday threatened to filibuster former Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.)'s nomination for Defense secretary, if necessary to prevent his confirmation.  —  “I want a 60-vote margin and you don't have to filibuster to get that …

Obama's State of the Union: Aggressive  —  President Barack Obama's State of the Union speech will be less a presidential olive branch than a congressional cattle prod.  —  Emboldened by electoral victory and convinced the GOP is unwilling to cut deals, Obama plans to use his big prime …

Biden says gun lobby's depiction of Obama plan ‘a bunch of malarkey’  —  Vice President Joe Biden said Monday that those who suggested the Obama Administration was trying to take away guns from law-abiding citizens as part of the gun control measures proposed last month were spinning “a bunch of malarkey.”

Don't Believe the Hype  —  Let's just say it: Marco Rubio is the Wes Clark of 2013.  Only with many fewer accomplishments.  —  It pains me to say this because I'm an admirer of Gen. Wesley Clark.  I think he would have made a good president.  He was an extremely accomplished career military officer.

Obama Prepares To Screw His Base  —  Young people reelected the president.  Now they get to pay disproportionately for ObamaCare.  —  President Obama talks with college students while waiting for an order of fries at OMG Burgers in Coral Gables, Florida last September.  —  Image by C.W. Griffin/Miami Herald/MCT

New Rove Group Could Backfire on G.O.P.  —  The strategist Karl Rove and his allies last week announced the formation of Conservative Victory Project, a new “super PAC” designed to lend support to what they see as more electable candidates in Republican Senate primaries.

Ted Nugent to be guest at State of the Union  —  While other members of Congress are hosting gun-control advocates for Tuesday's State of the Union address, Rep. Steve Stockman has given one of his visitor's gallery tickets to Ted Nugent, the conservative gun-rights supporter.

Obama weighing executive actions on housing, gays and other issues  —  View Photo Gallery — The State of the Union's history: Technology and partisanship have transformed the State of the Union over the past century.  Here's a look back.  —  President Obama is considering a series …

Virginia Cuts State Employees' Hours To Avoid Providing Obamacare Coverage  —  As part of his state's new budget, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) and his administration are trying to force potentially tens of thousands of public sector employees in the state to work fewer hours so that the government …

The Absentee Commander in Chief  —  The Defense secretary told the president that Americans in Benghazi were under attack.  Then: nothing.  —  We've both had the honor to work in the White House.  We've seen presidents, vice presidents, chiefs of staff and national security advisers during moments of international crisis.

Is Congress really going to miss its free lunch on infrastructure?  —  Since the election, there have been hints that we could be entering a period with some actual productive, bipartisan dealmaking, most explicitly on immigration reform.  But the Republican reaction to Obama's expected proposals …

NRA Dismisses ‘Connecticut Effect,’ Suggests Grief Over Newtown Tragedy Will Be Short-Lived  —  WAUSAU, Wisconsin—The National Rifle Association will wait until the “Connecticut effect” has subsided to resume its push to weaken the nation's gun laws, according to a top NRA lobbyist speaking …