Justice Department to challenge states' voting rights laws  —  The Justice Department is preparing to take fresh legal action in a string of voting rights cases across the nation, U.S. officials said, part of a new attempt to blunt the impact of a Supreme Court ruling that the Obama administration …

The good wife?  Oh, give us a break!  —  Our would-be Mayor Carlos Danger has done it again.  —  After sitting for lengthy, sympathetic profiles with The New York Times magazine, New York and People — where he declared, “I feel like a different person” — serial online sexter Anthony Weiner and his wife …

Senate Majority Leader Reid: ‘We Should All Work Together’  —  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., says he agrees with the 83 percent of Americans who believe that Congress can be doing a better job.  In an exclusive sit-down with Judy Woodruff, Reid discusses what Congress can do to escape …

The Unprecedented—and Contemptible—Attempts to Sabotage Obamacare  —  Doing everything possible to block the law's implementation is not treasonous—just sharply beneath any reasonable standards of elected officials.  —  When Mike Lee pledges to try to shut down the government unless …

Driver investigated after 78 killed in Spain train crash  —  (Reuters) - Police put the driver of a Spanish train under investigation on Thursday after at least 78 people died when it hit a sharp bend at speed, derailed and caught fire near the pilgrimage center of Santiago de Compostela, in one of Europe's worst rail disasters.

Why I'm Boycotting Russian Vodka  —  Buzzfeed has a photo essay—"36 Photos from Russia That Everyone Needs to See"—that will bring anyone who hasn't been paying attention to the situation in Russia up to speed.  And Harvey Fierstein's opinion piece in Monday's NYT offers a great summary of Putin's escalating anti-gay pogrom:

Some Democrats Look to Push Party Away From Center  —  WASHINGTON — As President Obama made the case on Wednesday about how the American economy was improving, he went off script to underscore how significant the challenges were that remained.  —  “But — and here's the big but …

House Defeats Effort to Rein In N.S.A. Data Gathering  —  WASHINGTON — A divided House defeated legislation Wednesday that would have blocked the National Security Agency from collecting vast amounts of phone records, handing the Obama administration a hard-fought victory in the first Congressional showdown …

The Right Candidate for New York Mayor  —  It certainly is unfortunate, for all involved, that Anthony Weiner's personal dilemma has hijacked the mayoralty race in New York.  This election, in my opinion, is a pivotal one for New York, as the City struggles to redefine itself while climbing …

Thank you, Ray Kelly  —  President Obama shouldn't nominate Ray Kelly to be secretary of homeland security.  He should give the New York City police chief a stern talking to.  He should invite him to examine his conscience and consider the error of his ways.  Failing that, he should hold him up to national obloquy.

Rand Paul caught in the middle in Kentucky  —  Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's campaign manager didn't hold back when he learned that his boss had a new GOP primary challenger.  —  “Matthew Griswold Bevin is not a Kentucky conservative, he is merely an East Coast con man,” …

‘Obamacare’ National Marketing Campaign To Cost Nearly $700 Million  —  CHICAGO (AP) — It will make you stronger.  It will give you peace of mind and make you feel like a winner.  Health insurance is what the whole country has been talking about, so don't be left out.  —  Sound like a sales pitch?

Tax writers promise 50 years of secrecy for senators' suggestions  —  Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and the panel's top Republican, Sen. Orrin Hatch (Utah), assured lawmakers that any submission they receive will be kept under lock and key by the committee and the National Archives until the end of 2064.

Obama: Reporters tell me my ideas are ‘great’  —  President Obama said reporters praise his economic proposals as “great” and tell him they are “all good ideas.”  —  Obama made the remarks in a speech Wednesday in Galesburg, Ill. focused on the economy.  —  The address didn't include …