David Carr, Media Equation Columnist for The Times, Is Dead at 58  —  David Carr, who wrote about media as it intersects with business, culture and government in his Media Equation column for The New York Times, died at the office on Thursday.  He was 58.  —  For the past 25 years, Mr. Carr wrote about media.

U.S. Orders Alabama to License Gay Unions  —  MOBILE, Ala. — A federal judge here ruled on Thursday that the local probate judge cannot refuse to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, potentially adding some clarity to a judicial quarrel that has roiled Alabama for most of a week.

Obama Secretly Partied With Bill Ayers Last Summer  —  On Aug. 30, 2014, MSNBC anchor Alex Wagner and former White House chef Sam Kass got married at a private wedding north of New York City.  It was widely reported at the time that President Obama, a longtime friend of the groom, attended the ceremony with his family.

Biden: 2016 is battle for third Obama term  —  The 2016 Democratic presidential nominee should embrace the notion of a third term of the Obama presidency, Vice President Biden said Thursday, during a speech at Drake University in Iowa.  —  “I call it sticking with what works,” Biden declared.

The war on Jeb Bush  —  His fast start has reordered the Republican 2016 race, and put a bull's-eye on his back.  —  The war on Jeb Bush is on.  —  Rand Paul is attacking him as a hypocrite on marijuana who's indistinguishable from Hillary Clinton.  Ted Cruz is questioning whether Bush's stands …

Rush Limbaugh: Scott Walker should announce he quit college to avoid rape accusations  —  DON'T MISS STORIES.  FOLLOW RAW STORY!  —  Rush Limbaugh suggested that Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker announce that he quit college to avoid being accused of rape.  —  The likely 2016 Republican …

House conservatives push McConnell to gut filibuster  —  A growing number of House GOP conservatives are pressuring Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Thursday to invoke the “nuclear option” and change the chamber's rules to pass a bill defunding President Obama's executive actions on immigration.

“Sarah Palin with a Harvard degree”: Why new senator Tom Cotton is so frightening … Newly elected Tom Cotton of Arkansas is one of the youngest members of the Senate, only 37 years old, a graduate of Harvard and Harvard Law and a veteran of both Afghanistan and Iraq.

League Of The South Celebrates Assassination Of Abraham Lincoln  —  As we reported earlier today, Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore has close personal and financial ties with Michael Peroutka, the neo-Confederate activist and theocrat who has helped develop the view …

FBI director acknowledges ‘hard truths’ about racial bias in policing  —  In an unusually frank, personal speech, FBI Director James B. Comey on Thursday acknowledged “hard truths” about racial bias in policing, saying there's a desperate need for law enforcement to understand …

Military approves hormone therapy for Chelsea Manning  —  WASHINGTON — Chelsea Manning, the convicted national-security secrets leaker, has been approved for hormone therapy for transition to a woman at the Army's Fort Leavenworth prison, according to a memo obtained Thursday by USA TODAY.

Which image of Obama mugging for BuzzFeed's cameras diminishes the presidency the most, ranked  —  The #Millennial-friendly website BuzzFeed has taken over for Zach Galifianakis as the White House's preferred video venue for encouraging young people to sign up for health insurance.

What Did Obama Really Say About the Crusades?  —  Crusades art, “Saladin and Guy” by Said Tahsine (1904-1985 Syria) ( Wikimedia )  —  Last week President Obama spoke about faith, doubt, violence, and extremism, and was roundly criticized by many conservatives for what they saw as the “anti-Christian” tone of his remarks.

The Destroyer Goeth  —  I met Walter Cronkite once.  He was a jerk.  —  The occasion was the 100th anniversary of my college newspaper, the Daily Texan, where Cronkite had worked as a young man before dropping out of the University of Texas.  It was 1999, and the possibility of …

David Cassidy files for bankruptcy protection  —  ‘The Partridge Family’ star filed for protection in Florida on Wednesday, saying he made the filing ‘to reorganize my life’ and ‘restructure my finances.’  —  David Cassidy has fallen on hard times: “The Partridge Family” star has filed for bankruptcy protection.

Photos Show Russian Military in Ukraine Arming Separatists  —  UPDATE 3:11 P.M.: Following publication of this story, serious questions have been raised about the authenticity of some of the photographs provided by Sen. Jim Inhofe (R., Okla.).  Several images of the Russian convoys appear …

Islamic State fighters seize western Iraqi town: officials  —  (Reuters) - Islamic State insurgents took control on Thursday of most of the western Iraqi town of al-Baghdadi, threatening an air base where U.S. Marines are training Iraqi troops, officials said.

Bill would allow concealed weapons across state lines  —  Gun owners would be allowed to carry concealed weapons around the country under new legislation introduced in the Senate.  —  The Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act would allow gun owners who have a concealed carry permit …

Campaign Manager Pleads Guilty to Coordinated Campaign Contributions and False Statements  —  First Criminal Prosecution in the United States For  —  Campaign Finance Coordination between Political Committees  —  A campaign finance manager and political consultant pleaded guilty today …

Transgender former Navy SEAL plans to challenge second-ranking House Democrat in Maryland congressional primary and snipes that ‘religion ... is going to destroy the earth’  — Steny Hoyer, the House Whip, will face a primary challenge from Kristin Beck, born Christopher Beck