Clarence Thomas's Disgraceful Silence  —  As of this Saturday, February 22nd, eight years will have passed since the last time Clarence Thomas asked a question at a Supreme Court oral argument.  His behavior on the bench has gone from curious to bizarre to downright embarrassing, for himself and for the institution he represents.

Ted Nugent Apologizes for Obama Insult  —  HOUSTON — The rock guitarist Ted Nugent, responding to cascading criticism that had become an embarrassment for his conservative Republican allies, apologized Friday for calling President Obama a “subhuman mongrel.”

Ukraine crisis: President's Kiev offices abandoned  —  Protesters in Ukraine have been able to enter the presidential complex in the capital, Kiev, after it was apparently abandoned by police.  —  The BBC's Kevin Bishop in Kiev says there is no sign of police and protesters appear to be in control.

Obama to award Medal of Honor to two dozen veterans, including 19 discrimination victims  —  President Obama will correct a historical act of discrimination next month when he awards the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest commendation for combat valor, to a group of Hispanic …

Setting the Record Straight About the Draft Study  —  Washington, D.C.  — FCC Spokesperson Shannon Gilson issued the following statement today:  —  entrepreneurs and small business from competing in the media marketplace, and pursue policies to  —  eliminate those barriers.

GOP wages war with ‘imperial presidency’  —  House Republicans will push the Obama administration to roll back regulations over the next few weeks as they combat an “imperial presidency.”  —  In an email to House Republicans, Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) accused President Obama of …

Federal Judge Rules Same-Sex Marriages Allowed Immediately In Cook County, Illinois  —  “There is no reason to delay further when no opposition has been presented to this Court and committed gay and lesbian couples have already suffered from the denial of their fundamental right to marry.”

NY lawmaker: Parents should take parenting classes  —  New York state Sen. Ruben Diaz Jr. introduced a bill that would require parents of elementary school children to attend a minimum of four parent support classes.  If parents don't go, 6th graders won't move onto 7th grade.

Venezuela tells CNN journalists to ‘get out’  —  Sorting fact from fiction in Venezuela  —  (CNN) — Venezuela has revoked or denied press credentials for CNN journalists in the country, following the president's announcement he would expel CNN if it did not “rectify” its coverage of anti-government protests.

Ole Miss Students May Face Charges in Racist Episode  —  OXFORD, Miss. — The University of Mississippi said Friday that students could face criminal charges for placing a noose on a statue honoring the college's first black student, and a fraternity announced that it had expelled three men because of the incident.

The changed politics of late-night TV  —  The curtain rose this week on a new era of late-night TV — altering the terrain for politicians who frequent the shows and complicating life for Republicans, who have lost their most comfortable seat in front of the camera.

Walker Staff on the Mentally Ill: “No One Cares about Crazy People”  —  “We cannot as a country allow people with mental illness to be treated as second-class citizens any longer” — Sen. Paul Wellstone  —  One of the more disturbing exchanges in recently-unsealed court documents shows …

Obama meets with Dalai Lama despite China warnings  —  (Reuters) - President Barack Obama held low-key talks with the Dalai Lama at the White House on Friday after warnings from Beijing that the meeting with the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader would “seriously damage” ties with Washington.

Arizona passes law allowing discrimination  —  The Arizona legislature sent a bill to the Gov. Jan Brewer's desk Thursday that would carve a massive hole into state law allowing business owners to turn away gay and lesbian customers, employers to deny equal pay to women …