Former president Bill Clinton had a private telephone conversation in late spring with Donald Trump at the same time that the billionaire investor and reality-television star was nearing a decision to run for the White House, according to associates of both men.

There is No Pro-Life Case For Planned Parenthood  —  I'm hoping to do something broader about the abortion issue in this space soon, given the prominence that the debate over Planned Parenthood funding has suddenly assumed.  But for this week a word (well, a few words) on the argument …

The GOP Is About to Become the Party of Trump  —  When Donald Trump takes center stage at Thursday's Fox News debate in Cleveland, it will be a critical moment for the Republican Party.  Until recently, Americans mentally categorized Trump as a celebrity entertainer and interpreted …

Jeb Bush: Not Ready for Prime Time [Updated]  —  It's not my biggest problem with Jeb Bush, but one of the issues with his candidacy is that he is badly out of shape as a candidate.  He last ran a campaign in 2002, thirteen years ago.  As a result, he isn't sharp, and keeps making mistakes.

Police: Active shooter reported dead at Nashville area theater  —  Metro Police report the shooter at the Carmike 8 Cinema is dead.  —  The Nashville Fire Department confirmed that shots were being fired at the Carmike 8 Cinemas on Bell Road at 1:55 p.m.  —  Police responded to a shots fired call about 1:15.

George W. Bush causes a stir at George Allen courthouse when called for jury duty  —  Being summoned for jury duty at the George L Allen Sr Courts Building in downtown Dallas was anything but dull for Sheri Coleman.  —  In fact, Coleman and other jurors were in for quite the surprise …

John Kerry on the Risk of Congress ‘Screwing’ the Ayatollah  —  When I met with Secretary of State John Kerry in his office this past Friday, it was apparent that he was in an exceedingly feisty mood, and it's not easy to display feistiness when you're trapped, as he was, in a recliner.

THREE MEMBERS OF 2012 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN STAFF CHARGED WITH CONCEALING PAYMENTS MADE TO STATE SENATOR  —  Three members of a 2012 presidential campaign committee were charged with offenses relating to the concealment of payments made to a former Iowa State Senator.

Princess Chelsea  —  My apologies to Jessica Contrera.  A few minutes ago as I settled in on the Acela and looked at Twitter, I saw all of these tweets about Contrera's Washington Post profile of Chelsea Clinton, in particular the line “Chelsea Clinton is the closest thing America has to a princess.”

Poll: Americans, 4 to 1, choose religious freedom over gay rights  —  Share Tweet Reddit Digg Mail Print SMS More  —  Americans reacting to the Supreme Court's approval of same sex marriage desire a truce between religious freedom and gay rights, but if pushed, overwhelmingly side with protecting …

The day I ordered pizza that 'doesn't exist'  —  One of my favourite things about living in Italy is the pizza, and it's recently given me an insight into how our brains are wired differently.  —  Pizza has taught me that logic can be subjective and that subjective logic can be cultural.

Police: Plea for help with rent payment saves woman from captivity, rape  —  A 34-year-old Lenexa man is accused of holding a woman captive for four months and raping her at least twice during the ordeal.  —  Tuesday afternoon, Anthony Darryl Allen appeared before a Johnson County judge who set Allen's bond at $500,000.

Why is Marco Rubio sliding in the polls?  —  Share Tweet Reddit Digg Mail Print SMS More  —  The verdict was clear when Marco Rubio announced his presidential run with a well-received speech in Miami last April: There was a new member of the top tier in the Republican race.

The Fox News ‘Nerve Factor’  —  Baier, Kelly and Wallace talk of sleepless nights prepping for the first GOP debate.  —  Baier, center, Kelly, right, and Wallace, left, represent the hard news side of a network better known for its outspoken conservative pundits.  Getty

Appeals Court Strikes Down ‘Discriminatory’ Texas Voter ID Law  —  AUSTIN, Texas — A U.S. appeals court struck down a Texas law on Wednesday requiring voters to show authorized identification before casting ballots, saying the measure violated the U.S. Voting Rights Act through its “discriminatory effects.”

Donald Trump on GOP Debate: 'I'd Like It to Be Very Civil'  —  When the top 10 Republican candidates for president take the stage Thursday night in Cleveland for the first debate of this election cycle, all eyes will be on Donald Trump, the candidate who is leading the polls and appears to be winning the media war.

In Zimbabwe, We Don't Cry for Lions  —  Winston-Salem, N.C. — MY mind was absorbed by the biochemistry of gene editing when the text messages and Facebook posts distracted me.  —  So sorry about Cecil.  —  Did Cecil live near your place in Zimbabwe?  —  Cecil who?  I wondered.

The employee experience at Microsoft: Aligning benefits to our culture  —  When I look at how rapidly the traditional workplace is changing, not just at Microsoft, but throughout business in general, I see a tremendous opportunity for companies to put a stake in the ground around what they believe …