The New Pope: Bergoglio of Argentina  —  VATICAN CITY — With a puff of white smoke from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel and to the cheers of thousands of rain-soaked faithful, a gathering of Catholic cardinals picked a new pope from among their midst on Wednesday — choosing the cardinal from Argentina …

Tense meeting between President Obama, House GOP  —  President Barack Obama tangled with House Republicans for more than an hour Wednesday, answering questions on topics ranging from whether the White House spends too much time campaigning to how serious the administration is about slashing the nation's deficit.

Florida Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll resigns  —  Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll has resigned.  —  The resignation comes two days after Florida Department of Law Enforcement officers interviewed Carroll about her involvement with Allied Veterans of the World, a non-profit that operates internet cafes in Florida.

North Korea Trolls American Poverty In Greatest Propaganda Video Ever  —  Living in tents.  Drinking coffee made from snow.  This is your life in America, filtered through the incisive prism of North Korean propaganda.  —  The world's most militarized society is shaking its head …

Meet Scott Prouty, the 47 Percent Video Source  —  For months, he and I shared a big secret and repeatedly discussed whether he should go public or stay hidden.  —  “Scott Prouty.”  —  The fellow on the other end of the phone call pronounced his name with hesitation.

The Morning Plum: No, the GOP isn't “winning” the argument over sequester  —  President Obama is set to meet with House Republicans today, and the air is thick with suggestions that Obama is losing the political battle over the sequester.  And indeed, a new Washington Post poll has some toplines that are troubling for the president.

Transcript: President Obama's Exclusive Interview With George Stephanopoulos  —  GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS:  —  Mr. President, thank you for doing this.  —  PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA:  —  It's great to be here.  —  GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS:  —  So, you've done all meetings on Capitol Hill …

EXCLUSIVE - U.S. to let spy agencies scour Americans' finances  —  (Reuters) - The Obama administration is drawing up plans to give all U.S. spy agencies full access to a massive database that contains financial data on American citizens and others who bank in the country, according to a Treasury Department document seen by Reuters.

The Veronica Mars Movie Project  —  Here it is.  Our one shot to see a Veronica Mars movie happen.  Kristen is in.  I'm in.  Let's do it!  —  Almost since Veronica Mars went off the air, there's been talk of making a movie.  In that span, I've taken different tactics in dealing with the question of whether it might happen.

Paul Ryan and the problem with losing  —  Like myriad candidates before him, Paul Ryan is learning how damaging being part of a failed ticket can really be  —  What was most striking about the unveiling of Paul Ryan's latest budget blueprint on Tuesday was how familiar it felt.

Police ID fatal shooting suspect as Kurt Myers of Mohawk  —  Mohawk police have identified the man suspected of fatally shooting six and wounding two others as 64-year-old Kurt Myers of Mohawk.  —  Police have not yet apprehended Myers.  State police expect to hold a news conference at the Herkimer barracks within the hour.

CPAC muddle mirrors GOP mess  —  It's not hard to make fun of CPAC.  From the presence of Donald Trump to a meaningless straw poll to a cavalcade of fringe-dwelling book merchants, the event has become more carnival than conservative salon.  —  What is more notable about this year's rendition …

GSA ordered to give job back to executive fired after Las Vegas conference scandal  —  The General Services Administration was ordered this week to reinstate a senior executive who lost his job last year amid revelations of lavish spending at a Las Vegas conference.

Senate Dems Weigh Consequences For GOP Filibusters Of Key Nominees  —  Senate Democratic leaders have engaged in preliminary discussions about how to address Republican procedural obstruction, according to a senior Democratic aide, reflecting an awareness that key administration …