Nikki Haley Dismisses SOTU Response Backlash: ‘I Stand By What I Believe’  —  South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) said Wednesday that she stands by her GOP response to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address, in response to criticism from real estate mogul Donald Trump and some conservative pundits.

Anatomy of a moment in macho foreign policy posturing  —  In thinking about U.S. foreign policy, it's always best to count to 10 slowly before speaking.  —  An ongoing theme of Spoiler Alerts' foreign policy coverage is that a lot of allegedly smart people don't say terribly smart things when a foreign policy crisis is occurring.

Al Jazeera America shutting down  —  Al Jazeera, which made a massive investment in covering the United States less than three years ago, is slamming the brakes on its American operation.  —  Al Jazeera America, a cable news channel that debuted in August 2013, is shutting down.

Ted Cruz Didn't Disclose Loan From Goldman Sachs for His First Senate Campaign  —  As Ted Cruz tells it, the story of how he financed his upstart campaign for the United States Senate four years ago is an endearing example of loyalty and shared sacrifice between a married couple.

Rancher: 'I didn't know anything' about Bundy entering property, destroying fence  —  “They didn't have my permission to do anything.”  - rancher Tim Puckett, referring to Ammon Bundy's group.  —  BURNS — Tim Puckett, the rancher whose cattle graze private rangeland adjoining …

Ted Cruz Is Breaking Through the Establishment Firewall  —  Several times on RedState we've commented on how the GOP establishment seems to be poised to support and accept a Donald Trump candidacy if the alternative is Ted Cruz (here |  here).  What we are hearing comes mostly from the consultant/bottomfeeder class.

Bernie Sanders may break health care pledge  —  Keene, New Hampshire (CNN)Bernie Sanders could break his pledge to release details on how he would pay for his health care plan before the Iowa caucuses, according to a top aide.  —  His campaign released details Wednesday of how Sanders …

Pelosi: I'm Not for Abortion on Demand  —  House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi sees the recent Republican attempt to defund Planned Parenthood as an “insult to the intelligence and judgment of women.”  —  Asked if she had watched any of the undercover sting videos of Planned Parenthood …

This is what makes Republicans and Democrats so different  —  MSNBC asked Benjy Sarlin, its reporter on the Republican race, and Alex Seitz-Wald, its reporter on the Democratic race, to flip jobs for a week and write up what they learned.  Their conversation is worth reading in full, but something Sarlin wrote caught my eye:

Employees caught doing hair in Waffle House kitchen  —  FORREST CITY, Ark. — A couple of Forrest City Waffle House customers said they got more than expected with their meals early Friday morning.  —  “He was just coughing.  Cough.  Cough.  Making noises like that,” Antonio Robinson said.

Upset Republican donors: Have we wasted our money?  —  Major GOP donors and fundraisers are wondering whether they're wasting their money on super-PACs.  —  They say they're not ready to abandon the super-PACs, but they're starting to look for ways to make them more effective during …