Navy Yard: Swat team ‘stood down’ at mass shooting scene  —  On Wednesday, investigators continued to process the scene  —  One of the first teams of heavily armed police to respond to Monday's shooting in Washington DC was ordered to stand down by superiors, the BBC can reveal.

House Republicans question Cruz's Obamacare-defunding fervor  —  Washington (CNN) - Republicans in the House of Representatives expressed outrage with one of their compatriots on the other side of the Capitol Wednesday, questioning whether or not Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is really all-in on defunding Obamacare …

Senator John McCain: Russians deserve better than Putin  —  When Pravda.ru editor, Dmitry Sudakov, offered to publish my commentary, he referred to me as “an active anti-Russian politician for many years.”  I'm sure that isn't the first time Russians have heard me characterized as their antagonist.

Give Back?  Yes, It's Time For The 99% To Give Back To The 1%  —  It's time to gore another collectivist sacred cow.  This time it's the popular idea that the successful are obliged to “give back to the community.”  That oft-heard claim assumes that the wealth of high-earners is taken away from “the community.”

Chuck Todd: It's Not Media's Job To Correct GOP's Obamacare Falsehoods (VIDEO)  —  MSNBC host Chuck Todd said Wednesday that when it comes to misinformation about the new federal health care law, don't expect members of the media to correct the record.  —  During a segment on “Morning Joe …

Iran's president Rouhani: We will never develop nuclear weapons  —  In his first interview with a U.S. news outlet since becoming president, Hassan Rouhani told NBC News' Ann Curry that he has full authority to strike a nukes deal with the west.  Watch more on Nightly News at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Congressman on Obamacare Exemption: ‘Go Home and Talk to Your Wife’  —  A debate among congressional Republicans over a potential line of attack on Obamacare is pitting their pocketbooks against the chance at political gold.  —  At issue is a requirement in the law that congressional staffers purchase …

Obama Convening Export Panel at White House  —  President Barack Obama is convening his advisory council on international trade as the U.S. pursues an aggressive goal to double its exports.  —  Obama will meet with the President's Export Council on the White House grounds Thursday.

Growing IRS Scandal Requires A Special Prosecutor  —  Corruption: As the layers on the IRS scandal are peeled back, it's become increasingly clear the law has been broken and the White House may have been far more deeply involved than claimed.  Time for a special prosecutor.

The Obama M.O.  —  Barack Obama's modus operandi is: I think, therefore you do.  —  We should admit the obvious: Barack Obama is the most anti-political president the United States has had in the post-war era.  Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter (even), Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush.

McAuliffe on defensive as Cuccinelli gets a boost  —  RICHMOND — Terry McAuliffe said Wednesday that he knew nothing about a failed effort by his supporters to wrest an important business endorsement from Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II, his Republican rival in the governor's race.

Egypt Arrests Brotherhood Figure Who Handled News Media  —  CAIRO — Security forces on Tuesday arrested Gehad el-Haddad, a senior official of the Muslim Brotherhood who handled the group's communication with the foreign news media, security officials said.  His arrest was part of a continuing roundup …

Federal Government To Recognize All Same-Sex Married Couples Under Private Pension Plan Law  —  Labor Department announces that same-sex couples' marriages will be recognized under ERISA, regardless of whether the couples' home states recognize their marriage.  —  Mel Evans / AP

We Shall Overwhelm  —  Four years ago, the modern Tea Party seemed to emerge from nowhere, leaving journalists bewildered and the public with few reference points to understand seemingly spontaneous rallies by middle-class people seeking lower tax rates.  A search for the phrase “tea party” …

Hillary Clinton calls Quinn ‘luckiest politician’ after Daley drops out … Clout Street  —  Even as Hillary Clinton declared him the “luckiest politician” in the world, Gov. Pat Quinn on Wednesday wasn't publicly exhaling about former challenger Bill Daley dropping out of the Democratic primary.

Secret ban on face veils for staff at 17 hospitals  —  At least 17 NHS hospitals have banned front line staff from wearing the veil, The Telegraph has learned, as ministers called for new guidelines to ensure all patients can have “face to face” contact with those who care for them.