John McCain: Getting Back To Maverick, With An Eye On Retirement  —  WASHINGTON — Last August, a few minutes before GOP vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan took the stage at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., I was hurrying down a flight of stairs to get to the floor to watch.

Juan Williams' plagiarism problem  —  EXCLUSIVE: Fox News pundit blames researcher for word-for-word similarities.  “Unacceptable,” says Hill editor  —  In a case of apparent plagiarism, Fox News pundit Juan Williams lifted — sometimes word for word — from a Center for American Progress report …

How the GOP forced President Obama's hand  —  President Barack Obama used to want a grand deficit deal because he philosophically believed it was best for the country, and politically believed it was best for him.  —  Now he needs it because he has no choice.

Exclusive: Elisabeth Hasselbeck Leaving The View After Nine Years, Viewers Found Her “Too Extreme and Right Wing”  —  The people have spoken.  Elisabeth Hasselbeck, one of the five cohorts of ABC's daytime talk show The View, will not be returning to the couch next season …

John Brennan Sworn in as CIA Director Using Constitution Lacking Bill of Rights  —  According to the White House, John Brennan was sworn in as CIA Director on a “first draft” of the Constitution including notations from George Washington, dating to 1787.

Record 89,304,000 Americans ‘Not in Labor Force’ — 296,000 Fewer Employed Since January  —  (CNSNews.com) - The number of Americans designated as “not in the labor force” in February was 89,304,000, a record high, up from 89,008,000 in January, according to the Department of Labor.

Andrew Breitbart and James O'Keefe Ruined Him, and Now He Gets $100,000  —  Former ACORN employee Juan Carlos Vera sued after being wrongly portrayed as a willing participant in an underage sex-trafficking scheme.  Breitbart still hasn't corrected the item!

Secret supper  —  President Barack Obama has been hosting a lot of high-profile dinner companions lately, but here's one guest list that didn't leak for a week:  —  On March 1st, the president, First Lady Michelle, former President Bill Clinton and outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton enjoyed …

A Reconstruction of Regional and Global Temperature for the Past 11,300 Years  —  1College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA.  —  2Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.

The Market Speaks  —  Four years ago, as a newly elected president began his efforts to rescue the economy and strengthen the social safety net, conservative economic pundits — people who claimed to understand markets and know how to satisfy them — warned of imminent financial disaster.

Dow 36,000 Author: I Was Right!  —  James K. Glassman is an interesting and noble figure on the American right for his willingness to continue to defend the symbols of right-wing economic thought that have been discarded by fellow conservatives because they expose the ridiculousness of the whole project.

School Confiscates Cupcakes Decorated with Toy Soldiers  —  A Michigan elementary school is defending its decision to confiscate a third-graders batch of homemade cupcakes because the birthday treats were decorated with plastic green Army soldiers.  —  FOLLOW TODD ON FACEBOOK FOR CULTURE WAR NEWS.

Feinstein: Veterans May Have PTSD And Should Not Be Exempt From Assault Weapons Ban  —  At a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting on Thursday, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-California) opposed an amendment to her Assault Weapons Ban legislation that would allow military veterans to continue to buy the firearms that would be banned.