Obama Rated at 3-Year High in Poll, Republicans at Bottom  —  President Barack Obama enters the latest budget showdown with Congress with his highest job- approval rating in three years and public support for his economic message, while his Republican opponents' popularity stands at a record low.

Gov. Rick Scott, feds reach Medicaid deal  —  TALLAHASSEE — Hours after the federal government agreed to grant Florida a conditional waiver to privatize Medicaid statewide, Gov. Rick Scott appears ready to endorse a plan to conditionally expand the health care program to about 1 million Floridians or more.

Majority of U.S. citizens say illegal immigrants should be deported  —  (Reuters) - More than half of U.S. citizens believe that most or all of the country's 11 million illegal immigrants should be deported, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Wednesday that highlights …

Release Detail  —  February 21, 2013 - Donor Controversy Takes Toll On NJ Senator, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Booker Tops Rivera 2-1 In 2014 Senate Race  —  New Jersey voters disapprove 41 - 36 percent of the job U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez is doing, a 15-point drop in less than a month …

G.O.P. Resisting Obama on Tax Increase  —  WASHINGTON — House Republicans, shrugging off rising pressure from President Obama, are resolutely opposing new tax increases to head off $85 billion in across-the-board spending reductions, all but ensuring the cuts will go into force March 1 …

Stuff gets in the way  —  Why would a couple risk so much — respect and even their freedom — for furs, furniture and a fedora?  —  This was the question that came to my mind when I read the federal charges against Jesse L. Jackson Jr., the former congressman from Illinois.

Ed Markey Compares Campaign Finance Ruling To Decision Upholding Slavery  —  “The Dred Scott decision had to be repealed, we have to repeal Citizens United,” Massachusetts Democrat says days after meeting with black clergy.  —  Image by Josh Reynolds / AP  —  WASHINGTON — Rep. Ed Markey …

Preschool debate obscures core problem: Our view … ‘Fragile families’ harm children's development.  —  In the eyes of many parents and most educators, starting a child's schooling before kindergarten is an indisputable virtue.  Your kid acquires learning and social skills that give him or her an advantage.

George Galloway in anti-Israel storm  —  Content on this page requires a newer version of Adobe Flash Player.  —  To view the video directly, please click here  —  Video: Eylon Aslan-Levy  —  George Galloway, the Respect MP for Bradford West, has been accused by Oxford students of anti-semitism.

First on EWN: Pistorius cop facing ‘drunken’ shooting charges  —  JOHANNESBURG - Eyewitness News has learnt that the investigating officer in Oscar Pistorius' criminal case is in fact facing seven counts of attempted murder.  —  The charges are related to a shooting incident which occurred …

John Kerry: The un-Hillary Clinton  —  John Kerry is no Hillary Clinton — and he's OK with that.  —  In the three weeks since Kerry succeeded Clinton as secretary of state, he's already sent unmistakable signals of his independence with a more assertive, proactive and risk-taking stewardship …

Sensing weakness, Karl Rove's critics pounce  —  For the first time in a dozen years, Karl Rove's critics smell blood.  —  After his electoral wipeout in November — and motivated by years of resentment that's spilling over — Rove's credibility within his own party is at an all-time low.

Sen. Graham: I Support Drone Strikes  —  Senator Lindsey Graham on judicial approval of drone use: “We're not fighting a crime, we're fighting a war.”  —  Senator Lindsey Graham said he supports the president's use of drone strikes in the Middle East.  —  Graham spoke to Easley Rotary …

Lawyers on Abuse Suits in Milwaukee Depose Dolan  —  A week before Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan is set to leave New York for Rome, where his name is being floated as a candidate for pope, he was questioned for three hours on Wednesday behind closed doors in a legal deposition concerning the sexual abuse of children by priests.

Ex-Sen. Domenici discloses son born in secrecy  —  Former New Mexico Sen. Pete Domenici told the Journal on Tuesday he fathered a son outside of his marriage over 30 years ago, revealing a secret kept for decades.  —  Statements given to the Journal by Domenici and the son's mother …

AAA reports largest increase in gasoline prices in three years  —  The 44-cent jump in gasoline prices over the past four weeks was the largest in well over three years, according to AAA.  —  “The 44-cent month-over-month increase is the most dramatic since June 2009.

Cyprus bomb-plot suspect admits Hezbollah ties  —  Lebanese-Swede accused of July terror plot against Israeli tourists in Cyprus sheds light on Hezbollah activities in court testimony.  —  BERLIN - Hossam Taleb Yaacoub, one of the suspects in a thwarted terrorist attack against Israelis in Cyprus in July …

State reps propose repealing 17th Amendment  —  The 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was adopted on May 31, 1913, and provided for the direct election of U.S. Senators by popular vote.  —  Now, 100 years later, a group of Georgia state representatives would like to repeal the 17th Amendment …