Rob Portman commentary: Gay couples also deserve chance to get married  —  I have come to believe that if two people are prepared to make a lifetime commitment to love and care for each other in good times and in bad, the government shouldn't deny them the opportunity to get married.

Mitt Romney gets B-list treatment at CPAC  —  Indifference awaits Mitt Romney Friday at the Conservative Political Action Conference as he delivers his first public speech since election night.  —  The base moved on four months ago, and most Republican activists don't really care what their failed nominee thinks any more.

Sequestration NIMBYism Grips GOP  —  A strange sickness is afflicting congressional Republicans.  —  Unwilling to team up with Democrats to replace sequestration with a mix of spending cuts and tax increases, and unable to pass a cuts-only sequestration measure on their own …

Coulter Destroys Feinstein Over Cruz Debate On Hannity: ‘Liberal Women Should Not Be Able To Hold Office’  —  Sean Hannity invited Ann Coulter on his Thursday night Fox News show to get her take on this morning's Senate showdown between Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX).

Grand jury investigating Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), people familiar with probe say  —  View Photo Gallery — Sen. Robert Menendez: Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) has been embroiled in a controversy involving his relations with a Miami campaign contributor and the awarding …

Sarah Palin's next act: Candidate or ‘Kardashian’?  —  In January 2009, Sarah Palin had the world on a string.  A potential Republican presidential field-clearer for the presidency, every sentence she uttered was news.  A Fox News contract awaited her.  So did book deals.

McConnell decries ‘crybaby caucus,’ tells conservatives they must unify  —  Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Friday called for conservatives to put aside their differences with fellow Republicans and unify to fight President Obama's agenda, specifically the implementation of healthcare reform.

A Kildee Comeuppance?  Or More Obama Aloofness?  —  Michigan Democratic Rep. Dan Kildee has been in Congress for a little more than two months, and today the leader of the free world gave him a gentle ribbing about just how new he is to Capitol Hill.  —  At a closed-door meeting between …

After the Flimflam  —  It has been a big week for budget documents.  In fact, members of Congress have presented not one but two full-fledged, serious proposals for spending and taxes over the next decade.  —  Before I get to that, however, let me talk briefly about the third proposal presented …

Obama couldn't eat at Hill meeting without food ‘taster’ [AUDIO]  —  WASHINGTON — Following President Obama's lunch meeting with Senate Republicans on Capitol Hill, Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins described the food served and the president's reaction to what was on menu.

Live-Blogging Senate Hearing Tomorrow, When J.P. Morgan Chase Will Be Torn a New One  —  Beginning at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow, I'm going to be live-blogging a hearing held by Senator Carl Levin's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations - the best crew of high-end detectives this side of The Wire …

John Boehner Turns Down Obama Invitation To Join Visit To Vatican, New Pope  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker John Boehner says he's turning down President Barack Obama's invitation to be in the U.S. delegation to the installation of Pope Francis.  —  The Ohio Republican says in a statement …

Younger Generations Lag Parents in Wealth-Building  —  WASHINGTON — Pearl Brady has a stable job with good benefits and holds two degrees, a bachelor's and a master's.  But despite her best efforts, she has no savings, and worries that it will be years before she manages to start putting away money …

NRA president tells ‘elitist’ gun control advocates to ‘be damned’  —  NRA President Wayne LaPierre on Friday told gun control advocates to “be damned” and ridiculed Vice President Biden for urging people to use shotguns as protection.  —  “No matter what the elitists who scorn you say …

Matthew Keys Charged In Connection With Anonymous Hack Of The Tribune Company  —  WASHINGTON — Web producer Matthew Keys, 26, has been charged by the Justice Department in connection with an attack on the website of his former employer by the group Anonymous.  —  Keys is currently a deputy social media editor at Thomson Reuters.