Chris Christie's high-stakes weekend  —  New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has apologized to his constituents for the George Washington Bridge scandal.  Now, he'll face his base.  —  Christie is headed to Florida for a series of events with some of the GOP's deepest pockets …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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.

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.

Former RNC Chair Gillespie to launch Republican Senate bid Thursday  —  Washington (CNN) - Former Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie Thursday will launch his campaign to try to unseat Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, two sources with knowledge of Gillespie's plans confirmed to CNN.

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 …

How Rush Limbaugh Decides What Is True  —  Something special happened Monday on the Rush Limbaugh radio program.  Its host set out to explain why conservatives won't be defending New Jersey Governor Chris Christie during the bridge scandal in the same way that they rallied behind Clarence Thomas during …

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.

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 …