U.S. Added 192,000 Jobs in February; Rate at 8.9%  —  America's job engine picked up some steam last month.  —  The nation's employers added 192,000 jobs in February, after having added just 63,000 the previous month, the Labor Department reported on Friday.  —  The February number was about what economists had been forecasting.

The Disposable Woman  —  FORTY-THREE minutes into his “special live edition” with Charlie Sheen on Monday night, Piers Morgan finally got around to asking his guest a real question.  Before that, Mr. Morgan and Mr. Sheen had mostly traded chuckles and anecdotes about multiday benders …

Huckabee clarifies Portman criticism  —  (CNN) - Mike Huckabee is explaining comments he made earlier this week criticizing Oscar winner Natalie Portman for being pregnant and unmarried.  —  “In a recent media interview about my new book, A Simple Government, I discussed the first chapter …

Statement on SB 116 (Same-Sex Marriage Bill)  —  I have heard from constituents, friends, and advocates from across the spectrum of views and have thought about the issue of same-sex marriage extensively.  I understand their concern—this is a very serious issue, and one that many people feel passionately about.

How to Kill a Recovery  —  The economic news has been better lately.  New claims for unemployment insurance are down; business and consumer surveys suggest solid growth.  We're still near the bottom of a very deep hole, but at least we're climbing.  —  It's too bad that so many people …

Federal grand jury indicts Loughner in Ariz. shootings  —  A federal grand jury in Arizona has indicted accused Tucson gunman Jared Lee Loughner on 49 counts in the January rampage that wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and 12 others and left six dead, including a chief federal district judge.

Boehner makes step toward defending DOMA in court  —  House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) took a step Friday toward formally defending the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in court.  —  House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) took a step Friday toward formally defending the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in court.

PFC Manning Stripped Naked Again  —  PFC Manning was forced to strip naked in his cell again last night.  As with the previous evening, Quantico Brig guards required him to surrender all of his clothing.  PFC Manning then walked back to his bed, and spent the next seven hours in humiliation.

Before George Will was against high-speed rail, he was for it  —  Remember how we told you the other day that Newsweek columnist George Will thinks high-speed rail is a sinister progressive plot to undermine American individualism?  —  Well, big thanks to reader Ed D'Amato …

Wisconsin Governor Walker: 43% Approval Rating  —  Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker won his job last November with 52% of the vote, but his popularity has slipped since then.  —  A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Wisconsin Voters finds that just 34% Strongly Approve of the job he is doing …

Rep. Nick Milroy tackled while trying to enter Capitol  —  MADISON (WKOW) — Representative Nick Milroy (D-South Range) had a confrontation with Capitol police as he tried to enter the building Thursday night.  —  Milroy was trying to get clothes from his office but police would not let him into the building.

McConnell: White House offer to cut $6.5B is ‘unserious’  —  Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Friday rejected the White House's opening offer to cut an additional $6.5 billion in spending as “unserious.”  —  Speaking on the Senate floor, the GOP leader said that Republicans …

NASA satellite rocket launch fails, lands in ocean  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — A rocket carrying an Earth-observation satellite plummeted into the Pacific Ocean after a failed launch attempt Friday, the second-straight blow to NASA's weakened environmental monitoring program.

Public Broadcasting Should Go Private  —  If these outfits can afford to pay lavish salaries to their heads, they don't need taxpayer help.  —  When presidents of government-funded broadcasting are making more than the president of the United States, it's time to get the government out of public broadcasting.

Rory Reid's gubernatorial campaign circumvented contribution limits, created 91 shell PACs to infuse $750,000 into campaign  — Who funded Rory Reid's PAC — California bigwig, Vegas cab magnate, unions, gamers  — PAC names were designed to cover true purpose

Daley: U.S. a ‘country of whiners’  —  Retiring Mayor Richard Daley on Thursday contended America is a “country of whiners” that's spent the last four decades fearing the impact of foreign governments on the nation's economy instead of showing the confidence and sacrifice to lead on a global stage.

James Franco Straddles Two Roles at Yale  —  On Sunday night he was in Hollywood, as co-host of the Oscar telecast in black tie.  At 9 the next morning, he was in a Starbucks in New Haven, hunched over a book and barely recognizable in a gray sweatshirt, but still wearing his tuxedo pants.

The Struggles of Men  —  11:35 a.m. |  Updated to correct percentage decline in median wages since 1969.  —  The Hamilton Project has produced a fairly stunning chart, suggesting that median real wages for men have dropped significantly more than is commonly understood:

Agent: I was ordered to let U.S. guns into Mexico  —  ATF agent says “Fast and Furious” program let guns “walk” into hands of Mexican drug cartels with aim of tracking and breaking a big case  —  WASHINGTON - Federal agent John Dodson says what he was asked to do was beyond belief.

Presidential hopefuls Huntsman, Romney share Mormonism and belief in themselves  —  IN SALT LAKE CITY — Jon Huntsman Jr. and Mitt Romney go way back.  —  In the Huntsman Corp. headquarters below Red Butte Canyon, Peter Huntsman, the younger brother of Jon Huntsman Jr. …

Few Winning Scenarios for Gingrich  —  About a year ago, back at the old FiveThirtyEight, I had a very skeptical take on Newt Gingrich's potential candidacy for president.  The issue I highlighted is that Mr. Gingrich is neither especially well-liked by Republicans — his numbers among Republicans are fine …