Chuck Hagel blocked: Harry Reid says he doesn't have the votes  —  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced Thursday that Republicans have told him that they plan to block Chuck Hagel's nomination to be the next secretary of Defense over demands for more information from the White House.

Can the Republicans be Saved From Obsolescence?  —  One afternoon last month, I paid a visit to two young Republicans named Bret Jacobson and Ian Spencer, who work in a small office in Arlington, Va., situated above an antique store and adjacent to a Japanese auto shop.

FreedomWorks Made Video of Fake Giant Panda Having Sex With Fake Hillary Clinton  —  The investigation at the influential tea party group could get weird.  —  An internal investigation of FreedomWorks—the prominent conservative advocacy group and super-PAC—has focused on president Matt Kibbe's management …

Stand and Fight  —  Before I tell you how the NRA and our members are going to Stand And Fight politically and in the courts, let's acknowledge that all over this country, tens of millions of Americans are already preparing to Stand And Fight to protect their families and homes.

Pistorius Charged With Murder in Shooting of Woman  —  The development stunned a nation that had elevated Mr. Pistorius to iconic status as a national sporting hero, an emblem of the ability to overcome acute adversity and a symbol of South Africa's ability to project achievements onto the world stage.

The New New Republic  —  I don't recognize the magazine I used to own.  We were liberal but not narrowly partisan.  —  Like many readers of the New Republic, I didn't at first recognize the most recent issue of the magazine.  The stark white cover was unlike anything the New Republic ran during my 35 years as the owner.

Ronald Dworkin obituary  —  Brilliant philosopher of law who put human dignity at the centre of his moral system  —  Ronald Dworkin, who has died aged 81, was widely respected as the most original and powerful philosopher of law in the English-speaking world.

A Most Peculiar Test Drive  —  You may have heard recently about an article written by John Broder from The New York Times that makes numerous claims about the performance of the Model S. We are upset by this article because it does not factually represent Tesla technology …

Republican Leaders Worry Their Party Could Divide in Two  —  As Rand Paul mulls a presidential campaign, GOP frets over impact of disaffected voters and shifting coalitions.  Democrats should worry, too.  —  Inside the cozy enclaves of GOP bonhomie—hunkered at the tables …

Kentucky Democrats Fear Judd May Drag Down Ticket  —  Actress Ashley Judd's movement toward a Senate run against Minority Leader Mitch McConnell makes Democrats in Washington, D.C., happy.  —  But back in Kentucky, for many Bluegrass State Democrats, a potential Judd run brings a different feeling: heartburn.

Nate Silver talks politics to filled Graham Chapel  —  New York Times writer and statistician Nate Silver told a full Graham Chapel audience that he might stop writing his renowned blog should his analyses ever start affecting election results.  —  Silver spent an hour minimizing his achievements …

“Friends of Hamas”: The Scary-Sounding Pro-Hagel Group That Doesn't Actually Exist  —  Palestinian high school students show off their skills during a graduation ceremony from a military school course organized by the Hamas security forces and the Hamas Minister of Education on January 24, 2013 in Gaza City.

Stewart Tears Into State Of The Union, Slams Obama: 'Who's Running This Sh*thole, Right, People?'  —  Jon Stewart took on last night's State of the Union, and in the midst of a series of hydration gags mocking Marco Rubio's sip of water, Stewart was alarmed that President Obama …

Report: Hagel Said State Department Controlled by Israel  —  Fox News Channel on Tuesday reported that secretary of defense nominee Chuck Hagel failed to disclose to the United States Senate speeches delivered to controversial groups such as the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee …

Ten years ago we marched against the Iraq war and I learned a lesson in betrayal  —  Ten years ago this month, millions of people all over the world marched against the war in Iraq - and were ignored.  I was one of them.  For me, at the age of 16, there were a lot of firsts on 15 February 2003 …

Obama's plan for preschool  —  President Barack Obama will announce a plan Thursday to partner with states to pay for preschool for every four-year-old in a low- or moderate-income family.  —  The plan fills out details from Obama's State of the Union address on Tuesday …