A Defiant Rancher Savors the Audience That Rallied to His Side  —  BUNKERVILLE, Nev. — Cliven Bundy stood by the Virgin River up the road from the armed checkpoint at the driveway of his ranch, signing autographs and posing for pictures.  For 55 minutes, Mr. Bundy held forth to a clutch …

A fatal wait: Veterans languish and die on a VA hospital's secret list  —  (CNN) — At least 40 U.S. veterans died waiting for appointments at the Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care system, many of whom were placed on a secret waiting list.  —  The secret list was part of an elaborate scheme designed …

Wynn, Clooney exchange barbs over heated dinner conversation  —  George Clooney, right, shown last year at Wynn Las Vegas promoting his Casamigos tequila with Steve and Andrea Wynn, reportedly took issue with Steve Wynn's comments about President Barack Obama.  (Courtesy)  —  George Clooney.

Michelle Obama scraps graduation speech  —  First lady Michelle Obama is scrapping her plans to deliver a graduation speech for high school seniors in Topeka, Kan., after hundreds signed a petition in protest.  —  Instead of delivering a graduation speech, Obama will speak before the school district …

Dorm storming at NYU targets Jewish students  —  “Dorm Storming” is a tactic used by anti-Israel activists at many campuses to slide mock eviction notices under student bedroom doors in the middle of the night, allegedly to let students know how Palestinians feel when served with eviction notices prior to demolition of their homes.

Retired Justice John Paul Stevens: Marijuana Should Be Legal  —  Retired Justice John Paul Stevens made some news in an interview with NPR's Scott Simon on Thursday.  —  Scott asked him if the federal government should legalize marijuana.  —  “Yes,” Stevens replied.

Obama administration prepares to take over Oregon's broken health insurance exchange  —  The Obama administration is poised to take over Oregon's broken insurance exchange, according to officials familiar with the decision, who say that it reflects federal officials' conclusion …

Gay veteran: 'Ashes of a couple old lesbians isn't going to hurt'  —  BOISE, Idaho (KBOI) — Madelynn Taylor wants to spend eternity next to the love of her life.  —  The 74-year-old U.S. Navy veteran from Boise instantly fell in love with her partner back in 1995.  They were inseparable and married soon after.

THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE  —  Scott Walker

Southern Whites' Loyalty to G.O.P. Nearing That of Blacks to Democrats  —  President Obama's landslide victory in 2008 was supposed to herald the beginning of a new Democratic era.  And yet, six years later, there is not even a clear Democratic majority in the country, let alone one poised for 30 years of dominance.

Defending ObamaCare, Sen. Shaheen gets defensive.  —  Jeanne Shaheen, the senior senator from New Hampshire, won her seat by defeating a Republican incumbent in 2008.  She was thought to have a safe seat this year, and most polls and observers still give her an edge, if a tenuous one, over likely GOP challenger Scott Brown.

Opposing Gay Marriage Doesn't Make You a Crypto-Racist  —  Lots of people compare the opposition to gay marriage and the resistance to interracial relationships.  It's a flawed analogy.  Here's why.  —  I seem to have made an unexpected midlife career move, and no, it isn't lucrative.