Inquiry Into Libya Attack Is Sharply Critical of State Dept.  —  WASHINGTON — An independent inquiry into the attack on the United States diplomatic mission in Libya that killed four Americans on Sept. 11 sharply criticizes the State Department for a lack of seasoned security personnel …

EXCLUSIVE: Fear of being committed may have caused Connecticut gunman to snap  —  NEWTOWN, CONN. - The gunman who slaughtered 20 children and six adults at a Connecticut elementary school may have snapped because his mother was planning to commit him to a psychiatric facility …

BREAKING: Michigan Gov. Snyder To Veto Bill Allowing Guns In Schools  —  One day before the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, the Michigan Legislature passed a bill to specifically allow guns into schools and other “gun-free zones.”  This bill joined a so-called “right-to-work” …

Boehner calls for GOP ‘discussion’ on guns  —  Republicans need to “have a discussion on guns” in the wake of last week's grade-school massacre in Newtown, Conn., Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) told his conference Tuesday.  —  Speaking to his troops at a closed-door meeting in the Capitol …

NRA Promises “Meaningful” Contributions  —  The gun group breaks its silence.  “We were shocked, saddened, and heartbroken.”  —  National Rifle Association spokesman Andrew Arulanandam emails the first statement from the organization since Friday's massacre in Newtown.

Flouting veto threat, conferees finish defense bill  —  House and Senate negotiators on Tuesday agreed to a final version of the defense authorization bill, keeping in place several provisions President Barack Obama had objected to when he threatened to veto earlier versions of the legislation.

Chuck Hagel is not the right choice for defense secretary  —  FORMER SENATOR Chuck Hagel, whom President Obama is reportedly considering for defense secretary, is a Republican who would offer a veneer of bipartisanship to the national security team.  He would not, however, move it toward the center …

The Times Embarrasses Itself on Guns-Again!  —  It's too bad the members of the New York Times editorial board don't sign their editorials.  If they did, we could ridicule them by name.  The Times, as an institution, has chosen to place ideology above accuracy.

Obama Social Security Offer at Odds With Top Dems  —  President Barack Obama's offer to slow the growth of Social Security benefits would force fellow Democrats in Congress to abandon promises to shield the massive retirement and disability program from cuts as part of negotiations to avoid the year-end fiscal cliff.

Kagan on the Second  —  There have been so many irresponsible statements by those seeking to exploit the tragedy at Newtown, Connecticut, that it's hard to keep up with them, but for the combination of arrogance and inaccuracy one can't beat the editorial the New York Times ran out this week under …

Conservatives Think Hillary Clinton Is Faking Her Concussion  —  Do you hear that faint sound?  It's the grumbling of conservative pundits who are now churning out a theory that Hillary Clinton is lying about her concussion to avoid having to testify about Benghazi.  Clinton had a concussion recently, her team said Saturday.

New GOP polling firm goal: Catch up with Dems  —  The Republican polling community is about to get a shake-up.  —  With the GOP still reeling from its defeats in the 2012 election, a new Republican polling firm is seeking to help the party bounce back with a fresh stream of data on the state of the electorate.

Family Research Council Sued For Sexual Harassment, Discrimination … REACT:  —  FOLLOW:  —  Video, Family Research Council, William Saunders, Family Research Council Gender Discrimination, Family Research Council Lawsuit, Family Research Council Sexual Harassment, Moira Gaul, Politics News

Party Identity in a Gun Cabinet  —  An American child grows up in a married household in the suburbs.  What are the chances that his family keeps a gun in their home?  —  The probability is considerably higher than residents of New York and other big cities might expect …

Civilian analysts gained Petraeus's ear while he was commander in Afghanistan  —  Frederick and Kimberly Kagan, a husband-and-wife team of hawkish military analysts, put their jobs at influential Washington think tanks on hold for almost a year to work for Gen. David H. Petraeus when he was the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan.

CBS News: ‘Fast and Furious’ Gun Found At Site Where Mexican Beauty Queen Killed  —  WASHINGTON (CBSDC) - A gun found at the scene of a shootout between a Mexican drug cartel and soldiers where a beauty queen died was part of the botched “Fast and Furious” operation, CBS News reports.