Poll: Christie cruising through bridge scandal (so far)  —  Nearly 70 percent of Americans say the bridge-closure scandal engulfing Chris Christie has not changed their opinion about the New Jersey governor, according to a new NBC News/Marist poll.  In addition, 44 percent …

Obama's Path From Critic to Overseer of Spying  —  WASHINGTON — As a young lawmaker defining himself as a presidential candidate, Barack Obama visited a center for scholars in August 2007 to give a speech on terrorism.  He described a surveillance state run amok and vowed to rein it in.

Inside the House GOP's immigration push  —  House Republican leaders are within weeks of releasing their principles for immigration reform — a blueprint that will detail positions on everything from border security to legal status.  —  The document, which has been kept under wraps until now …

Obama fighting perception that administration is out of time to make progress on priorities  —  RALEIGH, N.C. — President Obama is touting 2014 as a “year of action,” but it might just as easily be called the year of “measured expectation.”  —  Contrary to the predictions of many in Washington …

Adam Lanza calls in radio station a year before Sandy Hook shooting and gives bizarre interview — LISTEN TO THE TAPE  —  Documents reveal how Lanza, a year before Newtown massacre, used the pseudonym ‘Smiggles’ on a message board to talk about calling an Oregon college radio station and masking …

AP Sources: Armed Services Chairman to Retire  —  Rep. Howard “Buck” McKeon, who as chairman of the House Armed Services Committee has struggled to protect defense spending against deficit hawks, has decided to retire after 21 years in Congress, Republicans officials said Wednesday.

Virginia Legislator Running for Congress Says Spousal Rape Should Be Legal  —  State Senator Richard Black has been telling his fellow Virginians for more than a decade that spousal rape is not a crime, and now he's running for Congress.  —  Good news for Virginians living in the 13th district …

GOP Congressman: Limiting Abortion ‘Promotes Job Creation’  —  Democratic opponents of a new anti-abortion bill moving through the House of Representatives criticized Republicans on Wednesday for fast-tracking a socially divisive piece of legislation that “does not create a single job.”

Senior UK Defense Advisor: Obama Is Clueless About ‘What He Wants To Do In The World’  —  Sir Hew Strachan, an expert on the history of war, says that the president's strategic failures in Afghanistan and Syria have crippled America's position in the world.  —  President Obama is …

Cuomo and Schneiderman Prepare to Fight Over JPMorgan Settlement  —  ALBANY — Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has asked people if they think Eric T. Schneiderman, the attorney general of New York State, wears eyeliner.  —  Mr. Schneiderman has told people that he believes Mr. Cuomo's administration is Machiavellian and is out to undermine him.

Obamacare's a “Bailout” Now?  Conservative Critics Are Getting Desperate  —  Conservatives used to say Obamacare is socialized medicine.  Now they say it is a “government bailout” of insurers.  —  The new claim is just as misleading and cynical as the old one.

Mr. Smith decides to go home  —  To put it bluntly, being a member of Congress sucks — and the 16 members in the growing caucus of legislators heading for the exits seem to agree.  —  Someone has announced his retirement every day this week — on Wednesday it was Northern Virginia Rep. Jim Moran …

Senate GOP More Optimistic About Midterms  —  At the dawn of the election year, Senate Republicans feel a renewed sense of optimism in their fight to net the six seats necessary to win the majority in 2014.  —  The stumbling rollout of Obamacare has given the GOP hope it can loosen …