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 …

Obama Prepares To Screw His Base  —  Young people re-elected 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

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.

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.

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.

State of the Union 2013: President Obama's Speech is Just the Beginning  —  With Tuesday's State of the Union address only 39 hours away (9:00 p.m. ET), we're putting the final touches on a week that's jam-packed with opportunities to respond to the speech, get answers to your questions and join an online video-chat with the President.

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 …