Good-bye, Public Life  —  Alec Baldwin, photographed by Steve Schofield.  —  As told to Joe Hagan.  —  I flew to Hawaii recently to shoot a film, fresh on the heels of being labeled a homophobic bigot by Andrew Sullivan, Anderson Cooper, and others in the Gay Department of Justice.

Harold Ramis, Chicago actor, writer and director, dead at 69  —  Best-known as an actor for ‘Ghostbusters’, ‘Stripes’, writer/director for ‘Caddyshack’, ‘Groundhog Day’  —  Chicago Tribune reporter Mark Caro reflects on the career of Harold Ramis, who passed away at the age of 69.

Michigan's John Dingell to retire from Congress after 58 years  —  Rep. John Dingell is leaving the Congress he's served for longer than anyone else in United States history.  —  At a luncheon Monday in his beloved Downriver, the Dearborn representative says he will announce he won't seek re-election …

Virginia Republican Says A Pregnant Woman Is Just A ‘Host,’ Though ‘Some Refer To Them As Mothers’  —  Steve Martin Virginia State Senate Steve Martin Virginia Steve Martin Host Steve Martin Pregnant Woman Host Pregnant Women Hosts Pregnant Woman Host Steve Martin Pregnant Women Virginia Abortion Rights Virginia GOP Politics News

Governors: Obama expects Keystone decision within months  —  Republican governors say President Barack Obama assured them Monday that he expects to make a decision on the Keystone XL oil pipeline within a couple of months.  —  The White House declined to confirm the governors' accounts.

‘What the hell is wrong with you?’  Was this Samantha Power baffling Daniel Pearl tweet evil or stupid?  —  Arguably the former.  You see, this happened: … No, really. … Speechless.  Twitter users were not speechless, however, and gave Ambassador Power the business over the baffling tweet …

Pentagon Plans to Shrink Army to Pre-World War II Level  —  WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel plans to shrink the United States Army to its smallest force since before the World War II buildup and eliminate an entire class of Air Force attack jets in a new spending proposal …

Morgan Squanders the Brit Bonus  —  Dave Weigel has a fascinating take today on the cultural politics of the Piers Morgan fiasco at CNN: … Now as someone who definitely speaks with a Southern accent, I admit that on occasion I have used the prejudice of which Dave speaks to pick the pockets …

Pierce wants Brewer to veto denial of service bill  —  Arizona Sen. Steve Pierce of Prescott is joining several gubernatorial candidates in calling for Gov. Jan Brewer to veto a controversial piece of legislation that would allow business owners to refuse to serve gays by citing their religious beliefs.

UT/TT Poll: Abbott Holds 11-Point Lead Over Davis … UT/TT Poll, February 2014: Summary UT/TT Poll, February 2014: Methodology  —  After what are shaping up to be easy primary wins in March for the leading gubernatorial candidates, Republican Greg Abbott starts the general election race …

Fewer Americans Think Obama Respected on World Stage  —  Slim majority still think world views U.S. favorably  —  PRINCETON, NJ — For the first time, more Americans think President Barack Obama is not respected by other world leaders than believe he is.  Americans' opinions have shifted dramatically …

Health Care Horror Hooey  —  Remember the “death tax”?  The estate tax is quite literally a millionaire's tax — a tax that affects only a tiny minority of the population, and is mostly paid by a handful of very wealthy heirs.  Nonetheless, right-wingers have successfully convinced many voters …

Spy Chief James Clapper: We Can't Stop Another Snowden  —  President Obama's Director of National Intelligence spent his life protecting secrets.  Then came the biggest leak of all.  —  Every morning at around 4:30 a.m., James Clapper wakes up and prepares for the worst job in Washington.

Enactment of Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill  —  Press Statement Secretary of State Washington, DC  —  This is a tragic day for Uganda and for all who care about the cause of human rights.  Ultimately, the only answer is repeal of this law.  —  The United States is deeply disappointed …

4 Ways A Majority Leader McConnell Could Make Obama's Life Miserable  —  Republicans have a leg up in the Senate races in 2014, and election forecasters say they have a real chance of winning the six seats necessary to take the majority.  —  In that scenario, Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky will probably be the next majority leader.

The right's sociopathic new scam: Using Americans to harm their own health plans  —  GOP-aligned groups are now exploiting innocent people who need Obamacare — by having them campaign for its demise  —  Every time an enemy of the Affordable Care Act promotes a new Obamacare “horror story …