Dirty Politics: Witnessing Firsthand It's Always Heartbreaking, Never Surprising  —  Thank heavens Donald Trump opened so many eyes to the lies, corruption and total lack of accountability that come so naturally to the permanent political class.  And Sen. Ted Cruz was spot on when he once noted that …

First on CNN: Rick Santorum dropping presidential bid  —  (CNN)Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum is ending his presidential bid, two Republican sources told CNN.  —  He is expected to make the announcement Wednesday night.

It's on: We're getting four more Democratic debates  —  The campaigns of Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have agreed on a rough schedule for four new debates over the next few months, according to various sources, a move that shows the Democratic primary is now set to shift into a higher gear …

Winner Of $1.6 Billion Powerball Jackpot Sued By Prisoner  —  As the Powerball jackpot topped $1 billion, the frenzy grew.  It was fun to dream, even if you knew you stood little chance.  But often, a winner faces suits by friends, co-workers, even family.

Obama to rebut GOP Muslim rhetoric in first U.S. mosque visit  —  (CNN)Seeking to rebut what he views as perilous election-year bombast about Muslims, President Barack Obama heads Wednesday to a mosque in Baltimore, his first visit to such a site in the United States.

Jeb Bush, an Also-Ran in Iowa, May Be Pivotal in New Hampshire  —  MANCHESTER, N.H. — In the crowded New Hampshire primary, no candidate may shape the direction of the Republican presidential campaign more than the man who finished sixth in Iowa: Jeb Bush.  —  With Senator Ted Cruz of Texas …

CDC: Young women should avoid alcohol unless using birth control  —  Women of childbearing age should avoid alcohol unless they're using contraception, federal health officials said Tuesday, in a move to reduce the number of babies born with fetal alcohol syndrome.

N.F.L. Great Ken Stabler Had Brain Disease C.T.E. … Shortly before he died last July, the former N.F.L. quarterback Ken Stabler was rushed away by doctors, desperate to save him, in a Mississippi hospital.  His longtime partner followed the scrum to the elevator, holding his hand.

The Latest: Meijer Donates $500,000 to 3 Flint Nonprofits  —  The latest on developments in the lead contamination of Flint's water (all times local):  —  Leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee are asking state and federal environmental officials for information and documents related to the water crisis in Flint, Michigan.

Ted Cruz Is A ‘Natural Born Citizen,’ Board Of Election Finds  —  “Further discussion on this issue is unnecessary.”  —  Legal Affairs Reporter, The Huffington Post  —  On the same day he won the Republican Iowa caucus, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas got a favorable decision from the Illinois Board of Elections …

Goldman Sachs Says It May Be Forced to Fundamentally Question How Capitalism Is Working  —  The profit margins debate could lead to an unsettling conclusion.  —  One of the most heated debates among investors is the question of whether corporate profit margins can maintain their elevated level …

Letter to the RNC regarding debate process  —  To the Chairman and Members of the Republican National Committee,  —  Our debate process is broken.  Networks are making up these debate rules as they go along—not to be able to fit candidates on the stage—but arbitrarily to decide …

Donald Trump nominated for Nobel Peace Prize  —  Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump is reportedly in the running to receive the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize.  —  Mr. Trump, who has attracted international backlash over his controversial rhetoric and call to ban Muslims from entering the U.S. …

Of Teachers and Students  —  I don't know if he was there to kill me.  —  Monday night I was sitting in a hotel lobby in downtown Des Moines with my back to a wall of windows, my eyes fixed on the TV, my attention wholly focused on early caucus results.  I didn't notice until …