House passes clean debt ceiling bill  —  Democrats, again, saved John Boehner.  —  After a frantic few days, the House voted 221-201 to lift the debt ceiling until March 2015, removing the threat of a default until well after the November midterm election.  The bill was supported by 193 Democrats and just 28 Republicans.

‘Significant’ coal slurry spill blackens Kanawha County creek  —  CHARLESTON, W.Va. — State officials were trying this morning to contain a “significant spill” of coal slurry from a Patriot Coal processing facility in eastern Kanawha County.  —  Emergency officials said that the spill …

Tea Party Senate Candidate Accused of Being a Huge Fan of the Bailout - This Is How He Responded  —  U.S. Senate candidate Matt Bevin responded Tuesday to a report alleging he once signed off on a memo supporting the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) and the government takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

The Hillary Clinton Papers: Not Much There  —  In February of 1998, in the midst of the Monica Lewinsky scandal, I interviewed Diane Blair about her dear friend Hillary Clinton.  —  Blair was ill then, suffering from cancer, but she was vehement about two things: that Hillary was a dynamite friend-smart …

Why I'm Getting Sick of Defending Obamacare  —  Incompetence, politics, and delays frustrate advocates of health care reform.  —  It's getting difficult and slinking toward impossible to defend the Affordable Care Act.  The latest blow to Democratic candidates, liberal activists …

The Left Fights Back  —  This weekend's massive protest in North Carolina shows that the GOP doesn't own morality.  —  I spent most of this past weekend answering two questions: “Why are you so interested in what happens in North Carolina?”  (Posed mainly by people not from North Carolina.)

Thought Police: Firms must swear ObamaCare not a factor in firings  —  Buzz Cut:  —  Is the latest delay of ObamaCare regulations politically motivated?  Consider what administration officials announcing the new exemption for medium-sized employers had to say about firms that might fire workers …

Clarence Thomas: Society is overly sensitive about race  —  Americans today are too sensitive about race, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas told a gathering of college students in Florida on Tuesday.  —  Speaking at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Fla., Thomas …

Shirley Temple Black, Screen Darling, Dies at 85  —  Shirley Temple Black, who as a dimpled, precocious and determined little girl in the 1930s sang and tap-danced her way to a height of Hollywood stardom and worldwide fame that no other child has reached, died on Monday night at her home in Woodside, Calif. She was 85.

Inslee halts executions in state while he is governor  —  Gov. Jay Inslee this morning announced a moratorium on executions while he is in office: “During my term we will not be executing people.”  —  Gov. Jay Inslee is calling a moratorium on executions while he is governor.

The Rising Cost of Not Going to College  —  Overview  —  For those who question the value of college in this era of soaring student debt and high unemployment, the attitudes and experiences of today's young adults—members of the so-called Millennial generation—provide a compelling answer.

Torch-Carrying Environmentalists Protest at Oil Exec's Home  —  Masked protesters carrying torches and threatening organized violence protested outside the home of an executive at a major oil pipeline company last week.  —  Eight environmental activists gathered on the lawn of Mark Maki …

Will Demographics Really Destroy GOP?  —  Last week, Peter Wehner wrote a piece in Commentary magazine laying out a collection of data regarding recent elections and demographic trends.  He was mostly content to let the data speak for themselves, save for a codicil to the piece arguing …

Tom Brokaw Diagnosed with Cancer, Prognosis Encouraging - NBC News  —  In a personal note, NBC News Special Correspondent Tom Brokaw revealed he has been diagnosed with cancer and said he and his physicians are very encouraged w...

Before Coming Out, a Hard Time Coming Up  —  COLUMBIA, Mo. — Michael Sam was the loud country boy who wore a tank top and a cowboy hat.  He was the smooth-singing baritone who could irritate his coaches and crack up his teammates with his improvised songs.

Store Owner: Employee Wore Banana Suit To Look ‘Less Alarming’ While Carrying AK-47  —  The owner of a Beaumont, Tex. gun shop on Tuesday explained why his employee was wearing a banana suit and an AK-47 to promote the store's grand opening this weekend.  —  “To help people know where the new spot is …

White's Run Ends With a Thud Instead of a Gold  —  KRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia — Shaun White stood at the top of the halfpipe, the last contestant of the competition, needing a near-perfect run to capture his third consecutive gold medal at the Winter Olympics.  He has built an empire on such moments.