Swing states poll: Health care law hurts Obama in 2012  —  WASHINGTON - The health care overhaul that President Obama intended to be the signature achievement of his first term instead has become a significant problem in his bid for a second one, uniting Republicans in opposition and eroding his standing among independents.

1 student killed, several hurt in shooting at Chardon High School; suspect in custody  —  One student died after the shooting this morning at Chardon High School, police said.  —  Police are not releasing names.  But Junior Nate Mueller, who said his ear was grazed by a bullet, identified the shooter as T. J. Lane.

Santorum Makes Case for Religion in Public Sphere  —  TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — With two days left before the high-stakes Republican primaries in Arizona and Michigan, Rick Santorum delivered a full-throated defense of religion in public life on Sunday, appealing to the social conservatives who have revived his presidential campaign.

Romney: Not a NASCAR fan, but friends are owners  —  Mitt Romney went to the races today, and instead of putting his pedal to the metal, seems to have put his foot in his mouth.  —  Asked by a reporter from the Associated Press about whether or not he follows NASCAR, Romney reportedly responded …

2012 or Never  —  Republicans are worried this election could be their last chance to stop history.  This is fear talking.  But not paranoia.  —  Of the various expressions of right-wing hysteria that have flowered over the past three years—goldbuggery, birtherism, death panels at home …

Bob Kerrey changes his mind, will run for Senate, source says  —  Former senator Bob Kerrey (D-Neb.) has changed his mind and plans to run for the open Senate seat in Nebraska, according to a senior Democratic aide.  —  The aide said Kerrey has called Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to inform him of his plans.

Louis Farrakhan warns of racial hatred that could lead to attempts to kill President Obama  —  Nation of Islam leader in Chicago to speak at annual event  —  In a fiery lecture to thousands of followers of the Nation of Islam on Sunday in Chicago, Minister Louis Farrakhan warned that racial hatred …

Will Bush v. Gore make an election-year return?  —  Tracie Hunter is a Democrat whose still-unsettled 2010 election contest with her Republican opponent will be decided by a legal battle over a batch of disputed and uncounted votes.  —  Irony alert: One of her legal lifelines is the decision …

The odious ‘Israel first’ libel  —  Attacks against AIPAC are a disgrace  —  The author says that it is deeply reprehensible to suggest that American Jews are more loyal to Israel than to the U.S.  —  It's the kind of virulent hate speech you'd expect to find on a neo-Nazi website …

Blurred Line Between Espionage and Truth  —  Last Wednesday in the White House briefing room, the administration's press secretary, Jay Carney, opened on a somber note, citing the deaths of Marie Colvin and Anthony Shadid, two reporters who had died “in order to bring truth” while reporting in Syria.

Free speech issue bypassed  —  Government employees who get into trouble for disobeying a superior's plea to file a report that the employee thinks is false and believes will contribute to covering up misconduct will get no legal guidance on their plight from the Supreme Court …