GOP men told how to talk to women  —  The National Republican Congressional Committee wants to make sure there are no Todd Akin-style gaffes next year, so it's meeting with top aides of sitting Republicans to teach them what to say — or not to say — on the trail, especially when their boss is running against a woman.

Polis melts down on House floor  —  Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) on Wednesday night lost his cool on the House floor over the issue of immigration, after the presiding officer warned another Democrat not to refer to people sitting in the House gallery.  —  Democrats were calling for House passage …

A Roll of the Dice  —  President Obama is back selling his health-care law with the manic intensity of a late-night-infomercial pitchman who knows that if he doesn't move the product, it could be discontinued.  —  Here's Obama aiming his comments at young people this Wednesday: “The product is good.

Stolen cobalt-60 found in Mexico; curious thieves likely doomed  —  MEXICO CITY — The day after a load of stolen radioactive material was found in a field, Mexican authorities had formed a perimeter around the area and were measuring for contamination as they planned the recovery process Thursday, according to Mexican news reports.

Income inequality is riskier than you think  —  President Obama decried “the relentless, decades-long trend” of “a dangerous and growing inequality and lack of upward mobility” in a speech Wednesday, calling it “the defining challenge of our time.”  Even as he spoke, fast-food workers prepared …

President Obama acknowledges having lived with his uncle  —  President Obama acknowledged on Thursday that he lived with his Kenyan uncle for a brief period in the 1980s while preparing to attend Harvard Law School, contradicting a statement more than a year ago that the White House had no record of the two ever meeting.

Why Barack Obama can't win  —  President Obama has reached a new low in his presidency — this much is clear.  —  But the president's lowest-ever approval ratings don't even tell quite how bad it is for Obama.  For that, you need to look at how he is viewed on the issues.

Pelosi: No Budget Deal Without Unemployment Benefits Extension (UPDATED)  —  House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) on Thursday said Democrats would not support a budget deal that does not extend emergency unemployment benefits, which are set to lapse on Dec. 28 for about 1.3 million people.

De Blasio Names Bratton as New York Police Commissioner  —  Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio on Thursday morning named William J. Bratton to lead the New York Police Department.  —  The move will return Mr. Bratton to the helm of the nation's largest force at a time of historically low crime rates …

Unarmed Man Is Charged With Wounding Bystanders Shot by Police Near Times Square  —  An unarmed, emotionally disturbed man shot at by the police as he was lurching around traffic near Times Square in September has been charged with assault, on the theory that he was responsible …

2 million Facebook, Gmail and Twitter passwords stolen in massive hack  —  Hackers have stolen usernames and passwords for nearly two million accounts at Facebook, Google, Twitter, Yahoo and others, according to a report released this week.  —  The massive data breach was a result …

On Smarm  —  Last month, Isaac Fitzgerald, the newly hired editor of BuzzFeed's newly created books section, made a remarkable but not entirely surprising announcement: He was not interested in publishing negative book reviews.  In place of “the scathing takedown rip,” Fitzgerald said …

Obamacare Is Costing Democrats the White Women They'll Need at the Ballot Box  —  Polls show that when it comes to the troubled health care law, Democrats should be most concerned about one of their key constituencies.  —  A woman votes at the Park Slope Branch Public Library in the Brooklyn borough of New York November 5, 2013.

Jameis Winston not charged  —  TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Nearly one year after Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston was accused of rape by a female FSU student, the state attorney has decided not to charge the Heisman Trophy favorite.  —  Thursday's decision clears the way for him to finish the season with the No. 1 Seminoles.

Palin Hopes Bashir's Attack Won't Stop People From Starting A Business (VIDEO)  —  Responding to the resignation of Martin Bashir for the first time, Sarah Palin said once again Thursday that she accepts his apology.  She just hopes that the former MSNBC host's “unprovoked” …

Here's Some New Hacked Presidential Art From The Clinton White House  —  These new doodles, hacked by the politically-minded Guccifer and published for the first time here on Gawker, appear to be the Bill Clinton doodles that the world has patiently been waiting for.  Read... 12/04/13 8:03pm 50 minutes ago

The righteousness in Hobby Lobby's cause  —  Business people shouldn't be required to check their faith at the door.  —  The Supreme Court has agreed to referee another dispute over President Obama's healthcare law.  This time it will look at whether businesses can use religious objections …

Brooklyn city councilman asks for leniency for alleged mobster  —  Dominic Recchia, who is running for Congress, wrote a letter to a judge extolling the community service performed by reputed Colombo mobster Angelo Spata, who is facing 21 months in prison for money laundering and illegal gambling.

Opinion: Hospitals close as GOP balks at Obamacare  —  Editor's note: Sally Kohn is a progressive activist, columnist and television commentator.  Follow her on Twitter at @sallykohn.  —  (CNN) — The Obamacare website is open for business.  But the Charlton Memorial Hospital in Folkston, Georgia, is closed.

Chris Christie leaves for Oklahoma Thursday, raising ire of Democrats and gay rights activists  —  TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie leaves late Thursday afternoon for his first out-of-state fundraising trip as chairman of the Republican Governors Association — and liberal groups have noticed.

ALEC calls for penalties on ‘freerider’ homeowners in assault on clean energy  —  • Documents reveal conservative group's anti-green agenda  —  • Strategy to charge people who install their own solar panels  —  • Environmentalists accuse Alec of protecting utility firms' profits

Landrieu talks flood insurance hikes and Obamacare  —  US Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-LA, insists support is growing nationally to delay huge increases in flood insurance.  —  Realtors, home builders and banking groups have signed onto the effort.  Landrieu said a coalition of senators …