Post-ABC News poll shows Democrats at risk in November as Obama's approval rating falls  —  Democrats face serious obstacles as they look to the November elections, with President Obama's approval rating at a new low and a majority of voters saying they prefer a Congress in Republican hands …

John Kerry backpedals on Israel ‘apartheid state’ comment  —  Secretary of State John Kerry, under fire for warning that Israel risks becoming “an apartheid state” in the absence of a peace deal, released a statement Monday evening pushing back hard.  —  “I will not allow my commitment …

Welcome to the Finger-Wagging Olympics  —  It's time to look at ourselves — and our collective moral outrage — in the mirror, says former NBA player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.  —  Moral outrage is exhausting.  And dangerous.  The whole country has gotten a severe case of carpal tunnel syndrome …

Cobb Co. police say suspect in Kennesaw FedEx shooting is dead  —  KENNESAW, Ga. —  Cobb County police say the person suspected of a shooting at a Kennesaw FedEx facility is dead.  The body is on FedEx property, police said.  —  Police said the suspected gunman died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Saving the System  —  All around, the fabric of peace and order is fraying.  The leaders of Russia and Ukraine escalate their apocalyptic rhetoric.  The Sunni-Shiite split worsens as Syria and Iraq slide into chaos.  China pushes its weight around in the Pacific.

Kerry: U.S. Taped Moscow's Calls to Its Ukraine Spies  —  The secretary of state claimed in a private meeting that the U.S. intelligence community has recordings of pro-Russian forces being managed by government handlers in Moscow.  —  The United States has proof that the Russian government …

Why Democrats Should Avoid the ‘R’ Word  —  From time to time, we all read something where suddenly words jump out from the page, grabbing our attention.  This happened to me the other day while reading a memo from Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg and strategist James Carville …

Candidates won't commit to McConnell  —  A slew of Republican candidates running for the upper chamber won't say whether they would back Sen. Mitch McConnell (Ky.) if he bids for another term as GOP leader.  —  While Tea Party candidates often run against GOP leaders in Washington during primary contests …

DOJ's ‘Operation Choke Point’ May Be Root of Porn Star Bank Account Closings  —  Despite being in good financial standing, adult film performers and others in the porn industry have had bank accounts abruptly terminated—and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) may have had something to do with it.

Ending Asia Trip, Obama Defends His Foreign Policy  —  MANILA — President Obama, stung by criticism of his response to turmoil from Eastern Europe to the Middle East, defended his approach to foreign policy as a slow but steady pursuit of American interests while avoiding military conflict …

Ratings Slip at MSNBC as Jet Coverage Lifts CNN  —  April proved a cruel month for MSNBC, with the news channel hitting some of its lowest ratings in seven years, and its prominent morning show, “Morning Joe,” falling to third place in the cable news competition.

Snowden Retained Expert in Espionage Act Defense  —  WASHINGTON — Edward J. Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor who provided journalists a trove of classified documents, retained a well-known Washington defense lawyer last summer in hopes of reaching a plea deal …

How to Really Rein In the Super Rich  —  Thomas Piketty is right—inequality is on the rise.  But until Wall Street gets out of Washington, neither the French economist nor regular Americans will be able to shift the status quo.  —  Thomas Piketty, meet Bobby Tolbert.

Dems' hopes rise to keep Senate  —  The gossipy, amusing political narrative in the fight for majority control of the Senate is now all about the feuding between Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and the Koch brothers.  —  Last week Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee …