In defense of GOP consultants: It's the candidates' fault … If there was any villain at the just-completed Conservative Political Action Conference, it was the generic figure of the Republican political consultant.  Overpaid, unprincipled, always on the lookout for the next client …

The Steubenville Verdict Is in, and These Boys Are Guilty  —  On the fifth and final day of a long and emotional rape trial recounting a drunken and violent evening, Judge Thomas Lipps delivered a guilty verdict on all charges Sunday morning in the Steubenville rape trial, calling the situation …

Sen. Rand Paul introduces ‘fetal personhood’ bill to outlaw abortion  —  Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) on Friday introduced so-called “fetal personhood” legislation that would completely outlaw abortion in the United States.  —  The Life at Conception Act would declare that human life began at conception …

When The GOP Told Whitey I Aint Gonna Take It No More  —  Yesterday, a CPAC breakout session on reaching out to black voters broke down in shouting and acrimony as a handful of ‘disenfranchised whites’ attacked the premise of the session (along with black complaints about slaveholders) …

RNC announces $10 million plan to beef up Republican outreach  —  (CNN) - Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus announced Sunday the organization will spend $10 million on hundreds of staff workers to communicate conservative principles in cities across the country.

GOP Senator: Republicans Are Open To Tax Increases In Grand Bargain  —  Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) believes Senate Republicans would be open to increasing revenue through tax reform as part of a “grand bargain” to reduce the deficit.  During an appearance on Fox News Sunday …

A Decade on, Most are Critical of the U.S.-Led War in Iraq  —  Ten years after U.S. airstrikes on Baghdad punctuated the start of the Iraq war, nearly six in 10 Americans say the war was not worth fighting - a judgment shared by majorities steadily since initial success gave way to years of continued conflict.

Cyprus' savers bear brunt of unprecedented bailout  —  (Reuters) - The euro zone agreed on Saturday to hand Cyprus a bailout worth 10 billion euros ($13 billion), but demanded depositors in its banks forfeit some money to stave off bankruptcy despite the risk of a wider run on savings.

Food stamps put Rhode Island town on monthly boom-and-bust cycle  —  View Photo Gallery — Rhode Island town relies on food stamps: In Woonsocket, R.I., a third of the residents use SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, to pay for groceries.  That means the businesses in the struggling town also rely on the program to survive.

Cops: Pa. Guard Shot Finger Trying to Remove Wedding Ring During Fight  —  PITTSBURGH (AP) — A federal prison guard has been charged with shooting his own finger in a drunken attempt to remove his wedding ring during an argument with his wife at their northwestern Pennsylvania home, police said.

Americans' Sympathies for Israel Match All-Time High  —  Republicans, conservatives, older Americans most likely to voice sympathy for Israel  —  PRINCETON, NJ — As President Barack Obama prepares to visit Israel, the Palestinian West Bank, and Jordan next week — his first trip to the region …