West Point Sergeant Accused of Spying on Female Cadets

via Flickr

An Army Sergeant employed at West Point Military Academy has been charged with secretly videotaping female cadets in the school's showers and locker rooms. 

By Elspeth Reeve

Mar 27, 2013

A Guide to the Last Anti-Gay Marriage Holdouts and What They Really Believe

Many politicians and pundits have noticed that gay marriage has become so popular that they have to evolve on the issue to stay relevant. But there are still several conservatives who do have strong feelings. There are a few distinct arguments against gay marriage, and they don't always mesh well together.

Comments | 3,152 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 27, 2013

Jon Stewart Imitates Reince Priebus as a Drunk Muppet

Jon Stewart took on the RNC plan to remedy the Republican party, and — in the spirit of the thing — decided to say things how Reince Priebus says things. You know, like a "drunk Muppet." 

Comments | 1,575 Views

By Philip Bump

Mar 27, 2013

All Congress Needs to Do to Get People to Like It: Its Job

There are a few lessons for Washington in the new ABC/Washington Post poll released today. One is that (non-Republican) people still like Obama. The second is that one option for Congress to turn its horrible ratings around would be for it to actually do something.

Comments | 525 Views

By Adam Clark Estes

Mar 27, 2013

A User's Guide to Day 2 of Gay Marriage at the Supreme Court, DOMA Edition

Today's oral arguments are a big deal, compounded all the more by the will-they-or-won't-they hedge from Day 1. But if you haven't been following this Defense of Marriage Act case for the past four years, or if the last 24 hours have been a little overwhelming with all the legalese, don't worry. We've got you covered.

Comments | 2,079 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Mar 26, 2013

A History of Gay Rights Going Mainstream, as Told by Newsweekly Covers

You can measure how quickly public opinion on gay rights has changed by looking at poll numbers, or you can see it on the covers of the national newsweeklies. 

Comments | 4,362 Views

By Philip Bump

Mar 26, 2013

Some Other Popular Things Jon Tester Might Like in Addition to Gay Marriage

Congratulations to Montana's Jon Tester, the latest Democratic senator to clamber onto the back of the gay marriage train as it leaves the station. We've gone ahead and compiled some other popular and/or inevitable things he might want to look into.

Comments | 698 Views

By Connor Simpson

Mar 26, 2013

Can a Female Leader Put an End to the Secret Service's Boys Club?

Following an awful scandal in which a bunch of Secret Service agents were busted for drinking and partying with hookers in Columbia, the President is moving towards a "culture change" by appointing the first woman ever to run his security detail. 

Comments | 2,093 Views

By J.K. Trotter

Mar 26, 2013

David Petraeus Is Getting Ready to Say He's Sorry

It's been nearly five months since David Petraeus stepped down as the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency after revealing his affair with biographer and acolyte Paula Broadwell, and now Petraeus wants to say he's sorry.

Comments | 2,267 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Mar 26, 2013

Stephen Colbert's Sister Is Polling Pretty Well Against Mark Sanford

Mark Sanford, famous for not hiking on the Appalachian Trail, is polling behind Elizabeth Colbert Busch, famous for being the sister of a guy who lampoons conservatives, in the race for South Carolina's conservative first congressional district.

Comments | 3,466 Views

By Connor Simpson

Mar 26, 2013

What Is This, a Race to Pass the Harshest Abortion Law That Defies Roe v. Wade?

North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple on Tuesday one-upped Arkansas and signed his state's extremely restrictive abortion measures into law — one of them would outlaw abortion just six weeks into pregnancy, and, well, that's got abortion-rights advocates headed back to appeals court... again. 

Comments | 349 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Mar 26, 2013

The Curious Case of the Ted Cruz Birthers

Ted Cruz birthers are like classic birthers in that they deny reality, which is that the freshman Texas senator meets the constitutional requirements to be president. They are not like classic birthers in that they are not seeking mythical documents that will prove Cruz was born outside America.

Comments | 2,341 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Mar 26, 2013

The Shadow of DOMA's Origin Story Is Back in the Spotlight

Clinton signed the federal Defense of Marriage Act in the middle of the night in 1996 because he'd been burned by supporting allowing gays in the military, and he didn't want to get burned again. He's been doing penance for it ever since, and times have certainly changed.

Comments | 1,558 Views

By Liz Day, ProPublica

Mar 26, 2013

How the Maker of TurboTax Fought to Keep Your Taxes Complicated

Why can't you file your taxes in five minutes — and for free? Well, it doesn't help that simpler a system for filing your taxes has been opposed for years by the company behind the most popular consumer tax software — Intuit, maker of TurboTax.

Comments | 1,209 Views

By Philip Bump

Mar 26, 2013

Gun Store Owner Believes in the Second Amendment Until He Doesn't

For all of the decades of debate about what the Second Amendment means, it apparently took a Tucson gun store owner just a few weeks to discover the limits to the right to bear arms: people who support gun control aren't covered. Sorry, Mark Kelly. Your assault rifle purchase has been cancelled.

Comments | 4,707 Views

By Philip Bump

Mar 26, 2013

Relax, Obamacare's Voter-Registration Question Is Not a Secret Democrat Ploy

The implied insinuation of conservative media outlets is that a simple question in an online application for the Affordable Care Act is a backdoor effort by the administration to encourage people to register to vote. Which is partially right, but not unfamiliar.

Comments | 1,394 Views

By Esther Zuckerman

Mar 26, 2013

Jon Stewart Tells Obama He's Allowed to Say Matzah Sucks

On the first night of Passover, Stewart took it upon himself to offer some free advice following the President's trip to Israel. And first off, it's not necessary for anyone to compliment the matzah.

Comments | 1,743 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

Mar 26, 2013

How to Follow Today's Supreme Court Prop 8 Hearing, Voraciously

Here's a guide to keeping track of the historic proceedings, beginning with today's oral arguments on Hollingsworth v. Perry (aka Proposition 8) with expectations high and low, conclusions fast and slow, on social media and by way of a drinking game — with coffee, but still.

Comments | 21,328 Views

By Philip Bump

Mar 26, 2013

Rand Paul Threatens Boring, Quiet Filibuster of Senate Gun Proposal

If you liked the Rand Paul filibuster of March 2013, you'll love the Rand Paul filibuster of April 2013. Unless you want the Senate to enact new gun restrictions, and unless you liked the part where he stood up and talked for twelve hours.

Comments | 1,917 Views

By Philip Bump

Mar 25, 2013

The Window for Embracing Same-Sex Marriage Has Closed

Mark Warner became the latest member of the Senate to announce his support for gay marriage Monday afternoon — and perhaps the last to do so with any effectiveness. In the recent history of buzzer-beaters for political benefit, others have not been quite so advantageous on the once hot-button issue.

Comments | 2,438 Views

By Richard Lawson

Mar 25, 2013

What Comes After Gay Marriage?

In the coming days, the Supreme Court will be hearing arguments on both a challenge to the federal Defense of Marriage Act and to California's Proposition 8. In a very real way, we could see the beginning of the end of the marriage equality struggle this week. Here's a look at what's next, because within that optimism there is also some confusion.

Comments | 7,004 Views

By Connor Simpson

Mar 25, 2013

Tim Johnson's Retirement Pushes Democrats' 2014 Fears Close to Brink

Well, it's pretty much confirmed at this point: South Dakota's Democratic Senator, Tim Johnson, will announce his retirement during a press conference on Tuesday. Now get ready for another Johnson to save the Democrats' narrow lead in the chamber.

Comments | 522 Views

By Richard Lawson

Mar 25, 2013

Now It's Will Portman Coming to His Dad's Defense

In a column in today's issue of Yale Daily News, Will Portman writes about his coming out process, the one that led to his father, Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, to supporting same-sex marriage. The younger Portman's column is clear and concise, though it raises more questions about how his father sought to publicly portray this ideological shift.

Comments | 2,262 Views

By Philip Bump

Mar 25, 2013

Michele Bachmann's Presidential Campaign Keeps Coming Back to Haunt Her

Bachmann was never going to be president. Her quirky, doomed campaign elevated the four-term Congressmember from Minnesota to increased public attention. It also spurred attention, it was revealed today, from the Office of Congressional Ethics.

Comments | 4,002 Views

By Philip Bump

Mar 25, 2013

McCain May Hold the Key Vote on Universal Background Checks for Guns

As is usually the case in DC, we can predict the outcome of the Senate's vote on gun measures a few weeks before the vote happens. One of the only question marks — universal background checks — may also be resolved, thanks to a big name. Not Bloomberg. McCain.

Comments | 2,087 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

Mar 25, 2013

What John Roberts's Lesbian Cousin Knows About a Huge Week in the Court

In what may be the most personal preview of the Chief Justice's emotional opinion on cases that may come down to many more legal specifics than that, his cousin is speaking out on her attendance at the Supreme Court's hearings on Prop 8 and DOMA.

Comments | 2,435 Views

By Connor Simpson

Mar 24, 2013

Mississippi Politician Found Shot Dead at Former Mississippi Politician's Home

State Rep. Jessica Upshaw was found dead from a single gunshot to the head at the house of a former colleague in the state house on Sunday afternoon, and an investigation is under way.

Comments | 7,070 Views

By Connor Simpson

Mar 24, 2013

The Sunday Grind

Bloomberg and LaPierre Trade Shots; Rand Paul Disapproves of Your Dope

We were denied the sure-to-be-explosive on-camera face-off between NRA chief Wayne LaPierre and New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, but they still fired shots at each other during their solo segments on the Sunday talk shows. Elsewhere, Rand Paul talked about his feelings on marijuana. Hint: He's a bit more mellow than you'd expect. 

Comments | 2,259 Views

By Connor Simpson

Mar 23, 2013

The Senate's Doomed Budget Would Raise About $1 Trillion in Tax Revenue

During the long and arduous financial fights on Capitol Hill, one of the Republicans favorite attacks was how the Democratic Senate had not passed a budget in four years. Well, that changed last night. The Senate finally got around to approving a budget that will die on arrival in the House. 

Comments | 1,562 Views

By Connor Simpson

Mar 23, 2013

You're Probably Not Invited to Mitt Romney's Summer Mixer

Mitt Romney is hosting a mixer in Park City, Utah this summer to unite "political, business and other thought leaders," according to the Chicago Tribune, but you probably aren't invited unless you're a future Republican contender for President or a deep-pocketed donor. 

Comments | 3,124 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Mar 22, 2013

Matt Yglesias' $1.2 Million House Stokes Class Envy in Conservatives

Slate's liberal economics blogger Matt Yglesias bought a $1.2 million three-bedroom condo in Washington, D.C., and a bunch of conservatives are pretty appalled that a liberal would have the gall to be rich. 

Comments | 5,548 Views

By Philip Bump

Mar 22, 2013

Another of Obama's Blocked Judicial Nominee Gives Up

In a quiet news statement sent out at 3 p.m. on a Friday, the Obama administration officially withdrew the nomination of Caitlin Halligan to sit on the U.S. Court of Appeals' D.C. Circuit, replacing John Roberts. The withdrawal leaves the court with only seven of its eleven members in place — and reemphasizes the problem of slow or blocked judicial nominations.

Comments | 867 Views

By Philip Bump

Mar 22, 2013

The Incredibly Low Bar for Success in Our Broken Senate

Only two things have really changed in the push by Senate Democrats to enact a slate of new gun legislation. The first is that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid saved a little face. The second is that a vote isn't coming until April. What hasn't changed is that the Senate is a broken institution.

Comments | 1,387 Views

By J.K. Trotter

Mar 22, 2013

Harvard Has Sullied the Integrity of Quiz Bowl

According to a "security update" posted earlier this week by the National Academic Quiz Tournaments, LLC (which holds and judges quiz bowl tournaments), a member of Harvard's quiz bowl team will be stripped of four quiz bowl championship titles after the company caught him illicitly accessing official quiz questions before the tournaments were held. 

Comments | 1,381 Views

By Philip Bump

Mar 22, 2013

This Time We Actually Believe the Daily Caller

The Washington Post is reporting that the man who reportedly paid women to accuse Senator Robert Menendez of prostitution says he was hired by the conservative political outlet that reported the news. Prompting this unprecedented statement: We must rise in defense of the Daily Caller.

Comments | 2,253 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Mar 22, 2013

Obama Wants to Connect Civil Rights to Middle East Peace, but It's Not That Easy

The civil rights movement wanted to integrate black people into American society. Obama, most Israelis, and Palestinians want a two-state solution. That takes more than changing hearts and minds of average people.

Comments | 520 Views

By Philip Bump

Mar 22, 2013

Why the Santorum-Gingrich Unity Ticket Still Would Have Lost

As Mitt Romney inched closer to the Republican nomination, Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich considered fusing their campaigns, according to new revelations from a Santorum advisor. The plan never came to be — but it doesn't matter. It wouldn't have worked.

Comments | 1,040 Views

By Adam Clark Estes

Mar 21, 2013

FCC Chairman's Resignation Gives Obama One Last Chance to Diversify His Administration

Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Julius Genachowski will announce his resignation on Friday, according to unnamed sources, and the hunt for his replacement is well underway.

Comments | 519 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Mar 21, 2013

Maybe George W. Bush Is the Dog in His Dog Paintings

After careful study of Bush's work, we are forced to consider the theory that Bush is the dogs.

Comments | 10,658 Views

By Philip Bump

Mar 21, 2013

Twitter Destroys Pro-Oil Congressman After 'Best Thing About Earth' Trolling

"The best thing about the Earth," Rep. Steve Stockman of Texas tweeted today, "is if you poke holes in it oil and gas come out." This was a provocation that Twitter couldn't resist.

Comments | 9,517 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Mar 21, 2013

Say Goodbye to Bachmann's Tea Party

Does the Tea Party still exist? Michele Bachmann's Tea Party Caucus has been all but dormant for months, while new Republican stars are stealing the limelight.

Comments | 8,920 Views

By J.K. Trotter

Mar 21, 2013

Obama Heckled at Jerusalem Speech, but College Kids Still Love Him

Barack Obama knows how to work a crowd. While speaking to a group of 600 college students at the International Convention Center in Jerusalem, the President was briefly heckled by a lonestudent speaking in Hebrew. Here's the video of Obama's reaction.

Comments | 3,459 Views

By J.K. Trotter

Mar 21, 2013

A U.S. Secret Service Agent Almost Shot Ahmadinejad

He is no stranger to assassination attempts — both real and potentially imaginary — but according to a piece in the new issue of The Atlantic the Iranian leader's closest brush with death was entirely accidental.

Comments | 1,557 Views

By J.K. Trotter

Mar 21, 2013

Today's Best

Five Best Thursday Columns

Dianne Feinstein on the trial of Sulaiman abu Ghaith, Richard Florida on misunderstanding the creative class, Mehdi Hasan on anti-Semitism among British Muslims, Roy Bourgeois on the call for female Catholic priests, and Irin Carmon on rehabilitating rapists.

Comments | 1,384 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Mar 21, 2013

Obama and Congress Are Some of Obamacare's First Test Subjects

President Obama, members of Congress, and their aides will have to enroll in Obamacare's health exchanges next year — Congress because they legally have to, and Obama because he publicly promised to.

Comments | 865 Views

By Philip Bump

Mar 21, 2013

Is This the Last Big Gay-Marriage Fight?

Next week, the Supreme Court will hear arguments on the two gay marriage cases in front of it. Either decision could legalize the practice in one quick blow. So a bumper crop of organizations and activists are weighing in now, while there's still a reason to.

Comments | 4,496 Views

How Many Americans Are on the Kill List? Zero.

No Americans are currently marked for death on the U.S. government's terrorist strike list, according to the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.

Comments | 1,037 Views

By Elspeth Reeve

Mar 20, 2013

Conservatives Worry Latinos Aren't Worth Pandering To

If Latinos won't reward Republicans, why should Republicans do anything to help Latinos? 

Comments | 1,555 Views

By Alexander Abad-Santos

Mar 20, 2013

These Steubenville Rape Apologists May Make You Forget You're Mad at CNN

CNN's Poppy Harlow is  apparently "outraged" that criticisms of her as an on-air rape apologist have gotten "out of control." But after seeing the ugliness of blatant online rape apology collected all in one place, it puts Harlow's missteps into perspective. 

Comments | 21,441 Views

By Philip Bump

Mar 20, 2013

How Federal Workers Became the New Welfare Queens

The House Oversight Committee today signed off on a bill that would lead to the termination of any federal employee delinquent on federal taxes. With just the right amount of loopholes, the bill hits a conservative sweet spot: perceived abuse by government employees, the new "welfare queens."

Comments | 3,110 Views

By J.K. Trotter

Mar 20, 2013

Obama Paints His Red Line on Syria

President Obama faced a simple question: Did the dueling accusations about chemical weapons in Syria cross his supposed line to engage or not? Well, in a press conference with Benjamin Netanyahu, he said the line is still there, and chemical weapons are a "game changer" — he's just not sure who crossed it yet. But he's "deeply skeptical" the opposition did.

Comments | 1,727 Views

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