The President Is Raging Against a Budget Crisis He Created  —  Obama invented the ‘sequester’ in the summer of 2011 to avoid facing up to America's spending problem.  —  A week from now, a dramatic new federal policy is set to go into effect that threatens U.S. national security, thousands of jobs and more.

Debate co-chair: ‘Mistake’ to have Candy Crowley moderate presidential debate  —  Frank Fahrenkopf, a co-chair of the Commission on Presidential Debates, said tonight that the Commission made a “mistake” by selecting CNN anchor Candy Crowley to moderate one of the 2012 presidential debates.

The Senate's Most Conservative Member: Ever Heard of Him?  —  James Risch, an Idaho Republican, edges out his more well-known colleagues in the upper chamber.  —  When people think about conservative “all stars” in the Senate (if people ever actually think about such a thing), a few names probably come to mind.

Supreme Court to consider limits on individual political contributions  —  The Supreme Court reentered the controversial field of campaign finance Tuesday, agreeing to consider a Republican challenge to decades-old limits on the total amount a person can contribute to candidates, political parties and political action committees.

‘Friends of Hamas’: My role in the birth of a rumor  —  A Daily News reporter explains how he inadvertently created the myth that Chuck Hagel spoke to a non-existent group.  —  Daily News reporter Dan Friedman recounts the origin of a rumor he unwittingly started about Chuck Hagel (pictured) …

Release Detail  —  February 20, 2013 - New Jersey Gov Flies High, Buries Unknown Dem, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Christie Close To Clinton, Leads Cuomo In '16 Pres Race  —  New Jersey voters today continue Gov. Christopher Christie's record-breaking 74 - 22 percent approval rating …

California Dept. of Transportation: ‘Be Sure to Black Out the ‘United States’ and [the] Motto’  —  For three years, a private citizen named Steve LeBard has led the effort to build a privately funded memorial in Orcutt, California—a tranquil small town located on the Golden State's gorgeous Central Coast—to honor military veterans.

Conan O'Brien to headline White House Correspondents' dinner  —  Late-night comedian Conan O'Brien has agreed to headline this year's White House Correspondents' Association dinner, a source tells POLITICO.  —  O'Brien signed the contract Tuesday, according to the source who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Jackson Jr. pleads guilty to misusing campaign funds  —  Former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) pleaded guilty on Wednesday to federal charges that he used $750,000 worth of campaign funds for personal purchases.  —  Jackson appeared at a federal courthouse in Washington D.C. to make his plea.

Senate Minority Leader Fooled by Report in Military Version of The Onion  —  The best parody contains elements of truth.  Which might explain how the military's answer to The Onion suckered the Senate's Republican leader.  —  Meet The Duffel Blog, if you haven't already.

Body of missing Canadian woman, 21, found in water tank on Los Angeles hotel roof  —  Elisa Lam, of Vancouver, British Columbia, had travelled to California last month alone.  She was reported missing on Jan. 31.  Officials matched the body found inside a water tank Tuesday at the Cecil Hotel.

The Devil Made Them Do It  —  Senate Democrats try to dodge responsibility for ObamaCare.  —  “Powerful Democrats” subjected a top Obama administration health-care official “to withering criticism” last week, notes Walter Russell Mead.  When Gary Cohen, head of the Center for Consumer Information …

Gas prices are on a mysterious climb  —  The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline has jumped 45 cents in the past 31 days, according to AAA, the fastest run-up since 2005.  —  Retail gasoline prices have climbed for 33 days in a row.  A month ago, a gallon of regular gasoline cost $3.30 …

Woman claims she was fired for voting for Obama  —  DAYTON —  A Kettering woman alleges in a lawsuit that she was fired for voting for President Obama, a charge the company denies.  —  Patricia Kunkle is seeking in excess of $25,000 from Dayton-based defense contractor Q-Mark …

McCain defends immigration plan to angry residents  —  PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona took center stage in the national immigration debate Tuesday as Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano toured the state's border with Mexico and Sen. John McCain defended his proposed immigration overhaul to an angry crowd in suburban Phoenix.

How the Mossad Works: The Mystery of Israel's ‘Prisoner X’  —  An Israeli agent commits suicide in his prison cell.  Was he a traitor?  The mysterious case of “Prisoner X,” reported to be Australian-born Benjamin Zygier, provides an insight into the workings of the Mossad.

A Company That Runs Prisons Will Have Its Name on a Stadium  —  In recent years, where stadium naming rights could be sold, universities and professional sports teams have sold them — to airlines and banks and companies that sell beer, soda, doughnuts, cars, telecommunications, razors and baseball bats.

Michelle Obama to hit the road for 'Let's Move!'  —  First lady Michelle Obama is going to go on tour to mark the third anniversary of her “Let's Move!” initiative and to highlight communities that have made progress in combating childhood obesity.  —  She announced the tour during an appearance on the “Rachael Ray Show” Wednesday.

An Economist Who Made the Science Less Dismal  —  Armen Alchian never won a Nobel Prize in economics.  But no less than Friedrich Hayek said he ‘deserved’ one.  —  In 1975, I attended a week-long conference in Connecticut at which the star attraction was Friedrich Hayek.

Republican Senator Cruz defends style a Democrat likened to McCarthyism  —  (Reuters) - First-term Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas on Tuesday staunchly defended his aggressive, in-your-face style that already is raising eyebrows in Washington and has led a Senate Democrat to suggest his tactics reminded her of McCarthyism.