Robert Menendez donor courted President Obama, Harry Reid  —  Salomon Melgen had a knack for going straight to the top.  —  He posed for pictures with President Barack Obama, flew Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on his private jet and sought advice on a port security deal from an ex-CIA agent …

Religious Right Could Be Left Behind By New Republican Plan  —  Abandoned by the Establishment, beset by libertarians, the base is playing defense.  —  When the great Republican resurrection comes to pass, will conservative Christians be left behind?  —  Some leaders of the religious right …

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.

G.O.P. Opposition to Immigration Law Is Falling Away  —  WASHINGTON — Republican opposition to legalizing the status of millions of illegal immigrants is crumbling in the nation's capital as leading lawmakers in the party scramble to halt eroding support among Hispanic voters …

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.

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 …

South Korea raises alert after hackers attack broadcasters, banks  —  (Reuters) - South Korean authorities were investigating a hacking attack that brought down the servers of three broadcasters and two major banks on Wednesday, and the army raised its alert level due to concerns of North Korean involvement.

Clinton courts alternative to Judd  —  Democratic heavy hitters — including Bill Clinton — are quietly trying to woo a new candidate to jump into the race to unseat Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, even as actress Ashley Judd is taking steps toward launching a star-studded campaign of her own.

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.

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.

Assassination ‘Joke’ Sheriff Doubles Down, Compares Critics To Nazis  —  Plymouth County, MA Sheriff Joe McDonald (R)  —  A day after ThinkProgress and others reported that Joseph D. McDonald, Jr. (R), Sheriff of Plymouth County, Massachusetts, told a “joke” at a Republican St. Patrick's …

Bachmann's claim that 70 percent of food stamps go to ‘bureaucrats’  —  “Here's the truth that the president won't tell you.  Of every dollar that you hold in your hands, 70 cents of that dollar that's supposed to go to the poor doesn't.  It actually goes to benefit the bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. — 70 cents on the dollar.

Fla. poll: Crist crushes Gov. Scott  —  Former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist easily beats the Sunshine State's current Gov. Rick Scott in a gubernatorial matchup, according to a new poll Wednesday.  —  Crist — who switched to the Democratic Party after having served as a GOP governor …

Congress makes progress on short-term fiscal bills  —  WASHINGTON — Congress is on track to approve competing party-line budget blueprints as well as legislation to fund the government and prevent a shutdown March 27, but newfound fiscal momentum on Capitol Hill is a temporary reprieve from the budget battles that will renew this year.

Issa video slams Obama over canceled White House tours  —  House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) is hammering President Obama over cancelled White House tours, with a new video accusing him of failing to take responsibility for the decision.

Photos contradict Syria's claim of chemical weapon attack, expert says  —  (CNN) — As accusations fly over who may have unleashed chemical weapons in Syria, some are skeptical about whether a chemical assault happened at all.  —  The ruckus centers on an attack Tuesday in Khan al-Asal, in the northern province of Aleppo.

Want to Win Your March Madness Pool?  Don't Follow Obama's Bracket.  —  There's no doubt that President Obama enjoys basketball.  Just ask Chicago Bulls Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen.  Or future Hall of Famer LeBron James.  Or—sure, why not—Education Secretary Arne Duncan.

Angry man takes microphone from KC mayor at speech  —  Mayor Sly James of Kansas City was delivering an upbeat State of the City speech Tuesday when an irate man commandeered the microphone at the Gem Theater.  —  The man was quickly tackled on the stage by bodyguard Marlon Buie and taken to a back area …

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.

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.

American Withdrawal and Global Disorder  —  As Obama ends U.S. security guarantees, nuclear weapons and violence will spread.  —  Since the days of the Monroe Doctrine, American foreign policy has rested on a global system of explicit or implicit commitments to use military power to guarantee the interests of the U.S. and its allies.