White House rips Trump over birther reaction  —  President Obama's top spokesman slammed Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump on Friday for failing to condemn a supporter who claimed Obama is a Muslim who was born abroad.  —  “Is anybody really surprised this happened at a Donald Trump rally?”

‘That Face’ Surpasses Trump in New Hampshire  —  Donald Trump will certainly want to take a closer ‘look at that face’ now that Carly Fiorina has surpassed him in a new New Hampshire poll.  In a Voter Gravity survey conducted the day after Wednesday night's second presidential GOP debate, Fiorina comes out on top:

Joe Biden Edges Closer to Joining Presidential Race  —  Vice president's aides debate timing of entry and hone message for a possible campaign  —  Vice President Joe Biden's aides in recent days called Democratic donors and supporters to suggest he is more likely than not to enter the 2016 race …

Phoenix freeway-shootings suspect Leslie Allen Merritt Jr. tied to first 4 incidents  —  After arrest, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey tweets: ‘We got him!’  —  CONNECT  —  For nearly three weeks, life in Phoenix and the Valley was under a darkening cloud of fear as vehicles driving on freeways were hit …

Are Democrats and Republicans talking about the same country?  —  To the Democratic candidates, the 2016 presidential campaign is about shrinking the gap between rich and poor; combating climate change; and expanding voting rights, gay rights and workplace equality for women.

Pope Francis' fact-free flamboyance  —  Pope Francis embodies sanctity but comes trailing clouds of sanctimony.  With a convert's indiscriminate zeal, he embraces ideas impeccably fashionable, demonstrably false and deeply reactionary.  They would devastate the poor on whose behalf he purports to speak …

The White House is more afraid of offending China's president than the pope  —  THE VATICAN has raised objections to a few of the guests invited to the White House arrival ceremony next week for Pope Francis.  The Wall Street Journal reported that the guests include transgender activists …

This Bonkers CNN Guest Who Co-Chairs ‘Women For Trump’ Is Television Magic  —  If you don't know the name Paula Johnson, you soon will.  That's because the co-chair of the New Hampshire-based Women for Trump organization was a guest on CNN's Legal View Friday morning, and it was television magic.

Rand Paul Found His Voice: Can He Find Noninterventionist Voters?  —  Last night Paul found his voice - not just on foreign policy, but on marijuana, federalism, taxes, and the Constitution - and there are millions of Republican voters who share that range of views.  Can he capitalize?

First Wave at Omaha Beach … UNLIKE what happens to other great battles, the passing of the years and the retelling of the story have softened the horror of Omaha Beach on D Day.  —  This fluke of history is doubly ironic since no other decisive battle has ever been so thoroughly reported for the official record.