Mistakes, Excuses and Painful Lessons From the Iraq War  —  I supported the Iraq War, and I'm sorry.  —  I have my excuses, of course.  I was a college student, young and dumb.  I thought that if U.S. President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell and former President Bill Clinton …

Religious Right Could Be Left Behind By New Republican Plan  —  Abandoned by the Establishment, beset by libertarians, the base is playing defense.  —  Image by John Gara/Buzzfeed  —  When the great Republican resurrection comes to pass, will conservative Christians be left behind?

Obama honeymoon may be over  —  The second-term honeymoon for President Obama is beginning to look like it is over.  —  Obama, who was riding high after his reelection win in November, has seen his poll numbers take a precipitous fall in recent weeks.  —  A CNN poll released Tuesday showed …

Obama takes Indiana over Louisville for title  —  President Barack Obama is favoring the Big Ten in this year's NCAA tournament, ultimately selecting Indiana to win it all.  —  The president predicted that Louisville, Indiana, Ohio State and Florida will reach the Final Four …

Family's Home Raided over Facebook Photo of Child's Rifle  —  New Jersey police and Dept. of Children and Families officials raided the home of a firearms instructor and demanded to see his guns after he posted a Facebook photo of his 11-year-old son holding a rifle.  —  FOLLOW TODD ON FACEBOOK FOR CULTURE WAR NEWS.

DHS questioned over decision to let Saudi passengers skip normal passport controls  —  A Department of Homeland Security program intended to give “trusted traveler” status to low-risk airline passengers soon will be extended to Saudi travelers, opening the program to criticism for accommodating …

On first visit to Israel as president, Obama vows ‘eternal’ alliance  —  President Obama arrived in Israel on Wednesday and praised the “eternal” alliance between the U.S. and Mideast nation.  —  Obama was greeted at Ben Gurion airport at Tel Aviv by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on his first visit to Israel as president.

Sugary Drinks Linked To 180,000 Annual Deaths Around The World  —  New research finds that the consumption of sugary drinks and sodas contributes to about 180,000 obesity-related deaths around the world — including the deaths of about 25,000 adult Americans — each year.

Roger Ailes Couldn't Care Less What You Think About His Obama Comments  —  The Fox News chief tells Howard Kurtz he stands by the laziness charge and says Sarah Palin made ‘mistakes’ and that Dick Morris looked like a ‘jerk’ when he predicted a Romney landslide.  Plus, read the 16 juiciest bits from the new Ailes biography.

Americans Widely Back Government Job Creation Proposals  —  Seven in 10 favor business tax breaks and infrastructure repair programs  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Americans widely support each of three job creation proposals, including offering tax breaks to businesses that create jobs in the U.S …

Exclusive: No More Drones for CIA  —  Three senior officials tell Daniel Klaidman that the Obama administration is poised to shift the CIA's drone program to the Pentagon.  —  At a time when controversy over the Obama administration's drone program seems to be cresting …

Cyprus seeks Russian bailout aid, EU threatens cutoff  —  (Reuters) - Cyprus pleaded for a new loan from Russia on Wednesday to avert a financial meltdown, but won no immediate relief after the island's parliament rejected the terms of a European bailout, raising the risk of default and a bank crash.

Sanford advances to GOP runoff in SC House race  —  CHARLESTON, S.C. — Former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford advanced Tuesday to a runoff in the Republican contest for an open congressional seat, taking a step toward reviving a political career that was derailed by an extramarital affair while he was governor.

Ken Cuccinelli's airbrushed policies  —  VIRGINIA ATTORNEY General Ken Cuccinelli II (R) casts himself as a no-apologies conservative.  But when it comes to his campaign for governor, Mr. Cuccinelli isn't beyond a little airbrushing.  —  As recently as November, Mr. Cuccinelli's campaign Web site boasted …

Spineless pols spit on the graves of Newtown victims by not pushing for assault weapons ban  —  The words of a teary-eyed President and other politicians meant nothing, because they didn't turn into action, as a ban on assault weapons won't be included in gun legislation that's shaping up in the U.S. Senate.

Israeli Official: Chemical Weapons Used in Syria  —  A senior Israeli official said Wednesday that it is “apparently clear” that chemical weapons were recently used in Syria, and that the alleged attack will be a main topic of conversation with visiting President Barack Obama.

Journalism Professor Sues Columbia, Claiming Misuse of Endowment Funds  —  A tenured professor at Columbia's Graduate School of Journalism and co-director of that school's business program filed a lawsuit on Tuesday accusing the university of misdirecting $4.5 million in funds over the last decade.

Durbin: Grand bargain odds less than 50-50  —  A debt-ceiling hike could be a “catalyst” for a deal, but the Senate majority whip isn't terribly optimistic.  —  Durbin said that the need to raise the nation's $16.6 trillion debt ceiling this summer will provide an “opportunity” …

Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper signs gun control bills  —  DENVER — Gov. John Hickenlooper signed bills Wednesday that place new restrictions on firearms and signaled a change for Democrats who traditionally shied away from gun control debate in Colorado - a state with a moderate streak …