Harry Reid escalates nuclear threat in a big way  —  An important moment on the Senate floor just now: Harry Reid said he would be filing cloture today on a whole bunch of executive nominations, and challenged Republicans to act on them — a major escalation of the threat to change the Senate rules …

House approves farm bill in big win for Boehner, GOP leaders  —  The House approved a stripped-down farm bill Thursday in a tight 216-208 vote, giving a huge boost to Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and other Republican leaders after the embarrassing failure of an earlier bill last month.

Revealed: how Microsoft handed the NSA access to encrypted messages  —  • Secret files show scale of Silicon Valley co-operation on Prism  —  • Outlook.com encryption unlocked even before official launch  —  • Skype worked to enable Prism collection of video calls

Jay-Z says he texts with Obama  —  (CNN) - It's no secret that Jay-Z is close with President Barack Obama.  The hip hop artist held big fundraisers for the president, and his megastar wife, Beyoncé, performed at Obama's second inauguration.  —  But Jay-Z said this week their friendship …

Eliot Spitzer submits signatures in NYC race  —  Eliot Spitzer submitted 27,000 signatures to qualify for the ballot in the Democratic primary for New York City comptroller tonight, an effort completed less than four days after a rocky start.  —  Spitzer delivered the signatures …

Could “North Colorado” be America's 51st state?  —  PLAY CBS NEWS VIDEO  —  There's a growing effort to create a 51st state out of parts of northeast Colorado and southwestern Nebraska.  —  Ten counties started talking about seceding last month.  Now some people in Lincoln and Cheyenne counties …

Pelosi Draws Her Bright Lines On Immigration Reform  —  After a two-hour meeting Wednesday in the Capitol basement, House Republicans were no closer to an immigration reform consensus other than that they don't like the Senate bill, they don't like big bills, and they don't like a …

Is Doubling Down on White Voters a Viable Strategy for the Republican Party?  —  Alan I. Abramowitz and Ruy Teixeira, Guest Columnists July 11th, 2013  —  Perhaps the key question in American presidential politics is how the growing and overwhelmingly Democratic nonwhite vote will affect future elections.

Abortion Poll Finds Support For 20-Week Ban  —  Most Americans would favor sweeping new national restrictions on abortion after the 20th week of pregnancy, according to a new HuffPost/YouGov poll.  But the poll also shows many Americans remain conflicted in their views on abortion.

Public Esteem for Military Still High  —  Clergy in the Middle, Lawyers at the Bottom  —  Navigate this page:  —  Americans continue to hold the military in high regard, with more than three-quarters of U.S. adults (78%) saying that members of the armed services contribute “a lot” to society's well-being.

Hedge Funds Are for Suckers  —  At the height of the financial crisis in 2008, a group of famous hedge fund managers was made to stand before Congress like thieves in a stockade and defend their existence to an angry public.  The gilded five included George Soros, co-founder of the Quantum Fund …

Robertson: ‘We Are Not Anti-Gay’ Since Gays Are Just Confused Straight People  —  Pat Robertson is disturbed that people, for whatever reason, might believe that he is somehow anti-gay.  After all, how could blaming gays for 9/11, warning that gay rights will destroy America, using anti-gay slurs …

San Diego Mayor Bob Filner apologizes, admits ‘I need help’  —  SAN DIEGO — Facing calls for his resignation amid sex harassment claims, San Diego Mayor Bob Filner issued an apology Thursday for his treatment of women and vowed to change his behavior, admitting “I need help.”