Fire Valerie Jarrett  —  If Obama really wants to shake things up, his closest adviser should be the first to go.  —  Almost since the start of Barack Obama's presidency, people who have actual, real duties in the West Wing of the White House—the working, executive part of the government …

Alleged Bin Laden Shooter: Osama “Died Like a Pussy”  —  According to Robert O'Neill—the former Navy SEAL who claims he shot Osama bin Laden—the Al Qaeda leader “died like a pussy” and “knew that we were there to kill him.”  —  In a previously unreleased audio interview aired last night on CNN …

Does Obama Even Know How to Negotiate?  —  Like many of you, I watched President Barack Obama's press conference yesterday to see how he would approach Republicans, and an electorate that just sent him a pretty harsh “Dear John” letter.  Like many of you, I was surprised at his approach.

Health Care Reform Imperiled  —  Will five Supreme Court justices eliminate essential health care subsidies for more than four million lower-income Americans, based on a contorted reading of four words?  —  It sounds inconceivable, but that would be the effect of a ruling in favor …

Sen. Rob Portman's upstream paddle toward a 2016 White House bid  —  Jonathan Karl, Richard Coolidge and Jordyn Phelps  —  When Sen. Rob Portman found himself in the middle of a river in Chile, unable to swim following a kayaking accident that dislocated his shoulder, he had one thought: Mel Gibson.

Low-profile NYC prosecutor emerges as contender to be first black woman US attorney general  —  FILE- In this April 28, 2014 file photo, Loretta Lynch, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, speaks during a news conference in New York.  Lynch could be one of a handful of contenders …

Cover Story: Obama's Elephant Problem  —  “I hope Obama finds some way to maneuver around this situation,” Liniers, the Argentine artist behind next week's cover, “The Elephant in the Room,” says.  —  “In my first draft, I had the elephant sitting on Obama's head,” he says.  “This version is a bit more subtle.”

Poli Sci Experiment Takes Heat For Asking If Blacks Are ‘Too Demanding’  —  Like their peers across the country, when some South Carolina voters walked out of the polling station this week, they were asked to take an exit poll.  But some of the questions were a little different — things like …

GORBACHEV WARNS WORLD ‘ON BRINK OF NEW COLD WAR’  —  BERLIN (AP) — Tensions between the major powers have pushed the world closer to a new Cold War, former Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev said Saturday.  —  The 83-year-old accused the West, particularly the United States, of giving in to …

Police: 4 teens accused of videotaping sex with intoxicated 15-year-old girl  —  KANNAPOLIS, N.C. —  A 16-year-old and two 15-year-olds face charges after deputies said they videotaped themselves having sex with a 15-year-old who was intoxicated.  —  Police arrested a fourth teenager Friday afternoon.

How Much Did Your Vote Cost?  Spending Per Voter in the 2014 Senate Races  —  Totaling more than $111,000,000.00, the 2014 North Carolina Senate contest between Kay Hagan and Thom Tillis is the most expensive Senate election in the nation's history (not adjusted for inflation).

White House: Obama will act on immigration despite GOP warnings to hold off  —  President Obama firmly rejected advice from top congressional Republicans on Friday that he delay his promised executive action on immigration reform, dismissing calls from critics inside and outside his party to allow Congress to debate the issue next year.

Peters widens lead over DeMaio  —  Registrar updates tally; number of uncounted ballots quickly dwindling  —  SAN DIEGO — Democratic Rep. Scott Peters widened his lead over Republican Carl DeMaio on Friday afternoon from 861 votes to a seemingly insurmountable 4,491 votes …

Obama to Send 1,500 More Troops to Assist Iraq  —  WASHINGTON — President Obama has authorized the deployment of an additional 1,500 American troops to Iraq in the coming months, doubling the number of Americans meant to train and advise Iraqi and Kurdish forces.

The Wendy Davis Experiment  —  I mentioned the Texas Democrats' gubernatorial nominee in passing in my immediate post-election post, but I can't let the week disappear without saying a bit more about the Davis candidacy's epic failure ... one that's been featured prominently in discussions …