Mitt Romney is beginning to emerge as the front runner for the Republican nomination for president in a race that as recently as one month ago was distinguished from most previous Republican nomination campaigns by the absence of such a front runner. Among actual candidates, Romney leads most polls and has raised the most money. Romney is again demonstrating, that for winning a presidential nomination, building an organization and raising money is at least as important as leadership and the ability to excite the base, two characteristics that Romney appears to lack.
Romney has done his work relatively quietly while the decisions by Donald Trump and Mike Huckabee not to run and the disastrous beginning to Newt Gingrich's quixotic bid for the White House have received considerably more coverage in recent weeks. Of these three stories, Huckabee's decision not to run is the most significant. Huckabee is a good politician with excellent communication skills and opinions that would have resonated well with the conservative Republican base. Huckabee also had a very difficult time building an organization and raising money in 2008 and evinced little enthusiasm for doing that again in 2012, seemingly preferring the comfort and compensation of his work for Fox News.
HuffPost's Alex Wagner spoke Thursday night with MSNBC's Cenk Uygur about Newt Gingrich. MSNBC Political Analyst Richard Wolffe appeared alongside Wagner.
Wagner addressed a recent report by HuffPost's Jon Ward about GOP donors deserting Gingrich. She explained, "we know just based on previous numbers that the donor base has been slow to come to this race. There's a lot of hesitancy all over the table in terms of who is going to endorse whom and who is going to actually pony up with some dollars. The fact that, as Jon Ward from The Huffington Post reported today, that 13 of the 18 donors he had lined up for a southern fundraiser were bailing is a testament to just how completely volatile this entire race is. I mean on Saturday, it's we love you Newt, and on Tuesday, it's an ugly divorce."
AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - Texas Governor Rick Perry Thursday signed into law a measure requiring women seeking an abortion in the state to first get a sonogram.
Behind thousands of "Judgement Day" billboards from rural highways to city skylines and a small army of volunteers that have traipsed across the country preaching May 21 as the beginning of the world's destruction is a frail, 89-year-old California multimillionaire who runs one of the largest Christian radio networks in the world.
Each day, Harold Camping's slow and sonorous Bible readings and his Open Forum call-in show broadcast for hours from the Oakland, Calif. headquarters of Family Radio, where his words are punctuated by slots of Christian gospel and shows with titles such as "Beyond Intelligent Design" and "Creation Moments."
I have started doing something that I have not done in probably 40 years: I have started to share my dessert.
This is no minor feat, and not merely about getting over an eating disorder that has plagued me since boarding school. It is about being able to change something in myself at a time when we are told it is unlikely, if not impossible.
It was an amazing night. My daughter Quinn was named valedictorian of her high school class. Exactly one year ago, my other daughter, Kelsey, was named valedictorian of her class. Both were in the National Honors Society with 4.6 GPAs and résumés filled with extracurricular activities and community service. They're thoughtful, compassionate, creative and funny. Kelsey (on the right in the picture below) is now at one of the nation's top film schools, and Quinn is headed to another major university to study international social entrepreneurship.
While I am very proud of them, I have never placed a "proud parent" bumper sticker on my car, and I speak about their accomplishments only when asked. That said, I have been asked countless times what we did to raise such amazing young women, but the truth is, I don't really know. If I did, I'd write a book. Instead, I'll write this -- my best attempt at an honest answer.
While Monday marked the launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour's (STS-134) final mission, the event goes further than the excitement of watching a ship blast off; orbiting beyond earth's atmosphere is also the dreams and aspirations of young student scientists who dared to shoot for the stars.
Through the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP), a STEM education initiative designed to engage students and their teachers in science, classrooms around the United States were challenged to design real experiments to fly in low orbit -- first on the Space Shuttle's final flight, and then on the International Space Station. Out of 447 proposals, 16 experiments designed by students in middle school, high school, and undergraduates at two-year community colleges, were selected to board STS-134.
President Obama should be commended for his emphasis on Israel's security and his concern about Hamas joining the Palestinian Authority without renouncing its violent charter. But he made one serious mistake that tilts the balance against Israel in any future negotiations. Without insisting that the Palestinians give up their absurd claim to have millions of supposed refugees "return" to Israel as a matter of right, he insisted that Israel must surrender all of the areas captured in its defensive war of 1967, subject only to land swaps. This formulation undercuts Security Council Resolution 242 (which I played a very small role in helping to draft). Resolution 242, passed unanimously by the Security Council in the wake of Israel's 1967 victory, contemplated some territorial adjustments necessary to assure Israel's security against future attacks. It also contemplated that Israel would hold on to the Western Wall, the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem and the access roads to Hebrew University, without the need for any land swaps. Land swaps would only be required to make up for any areas beyond those contemplated by Resolution 242. The Obama formulation would seem to require land swaps even for the Western Wall.
Any proposed peace agreement will require the Palestinians to give up the so-called right of return, which is designed not for family reunification, but rather to turn Israel into another Palestinian state with an Arab majority. As all reasonable people know, the right of return is a non-starter. It is used as a "card" by the Palestinian leadership who fully understand that they will have to give it up if they want real peace. The Israelis also know that they will have to end their occupation of most of the West Bank (as they ended their occupation of Gaza) if they want real peace. Obama's mistake was to insist that Israel give up its card without demanding that the Palestinians give up theirs.
This article has been updated to include additional reporting.
HANOVER, N.H. -– The political insider's dark horse in the GOP presidential primary, former U.S. Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman, launched his effort Thursday to see if high brow admiration and a gold-plated resume can translate into grassroots enthusiasm with regular voters.
But how do you know the world is really over? How do you differentiate between a semi-apocalypse and the real thing? Gathered from the pop culture and celebrity behavior - the two dominant forces in the universe - we've put together 9 ways to tell the world is really nearing its end.
WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama had two Republican audiences for his Thursday speech on U.S.-Middle East policy.
One was made up of GOP lawmakers on Capitol Hill, some of whom gave a surprising show of support for Obama. The other was comprised of Republican presidential hopefuls who were seemingly competing with each other to come up with the most vitriolic responses.
Ok, so to begin, I am not a big fan of TV or pop culture in general, and while I think everything has its place in the world, I wasn't overly interested in Lady Gaga a week ago. I certainly knew who she was and of course lots of her songs are catchy -- but a "meat suit" -- really?! It just didn't seem worth following.
Then came my Mom's 70th birthday and my wife and I wanted to do something fun, memorable and uniquely honoring my mother's eternal youth, love of rock and pop culture and wild open mindedness. So what else could we do? We took her to the hippest biggest tour of the season: Lady Gaga's Monster Ball.
All cultures and civilizations contribute to the enrichment of humankind. Human beings must respect one another in all their diversity of belief, culture and language. Differences within and between societies should be neither feared nor repressed but cherished as a precious asset of humanity. This is the vision underpinning the United Nations' action, which is firmly reiterated in the Millennium Declaration adopted by all states worldwide.
But indeed we all know that living at ease with the landscape of diversities poses some challenges because communicating across differences is not always simple and the greater the cultural distance, the more difficult it often gets. This is true on the borders between countries. This is obvious in the tough neighborhoods of our cities. And it is exactly to promote mutual understanding and cultural cooperation UNESCO was created 65 years ago. This is also why five years ago a new initiative -- the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations -- was launched to respond to the ever-greater need to build bridges between societies, to promote dialogue and understanding and to forge the collective political will to address the world's imbalances.
WASHINGTON -- The headlines made it clear. From New York to Tel Aviv, President Obama's call for a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians with borders based on the lines following the Six Day War of 1967 was a first for a sitting American president.
"The borders of Israel and Palestine should be based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps so that secure and recognized borders are established for both states," the president said toward the end of a broader speech on the Middle East. "The Palestinian people must have the right to govern themselves and reach their potential in a sovereign and contiguous state."
The 90s had Cheers-style bars where everyone knew your name. The 2000s have Starbucks where everyone knows your Venti No Foam No Whip Double Mocha Skim Frappuccino.
How did Bucks convince America that happy hour should be wired, not wasted, and that they have a Macchiato deficiency that requires five dollars and 500 calories a day to treat? Are the sleeping pills Ambien and Lunesta lucky beneficiaries or was some kind of quid pro quo arranged?
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Verizon Wireless expects to offer family plans for data services supporting multiple devices including smartphones and tablet computers at some point in the future, according to a top executive of parent company Verizon Communications. (VZ.N)
Katie Couric ended her nearly five-year tenure as the anchor of the "CBS Evening News" on Thursday. Couric looked back at some of her biggest moments during her historic run as the first solo woman anchor of a network newscast.
The greatest hits included her iconic interviews with Sarah Palin, as well as sit-downs with a long list of presidents, celebrities and boldfaced names and reports from around the world, with events leading right up to the killing of Osama bin Laden and the royal wedding.
Calling all consumers! The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) wants to hear from you. The CFPB has rolled out two alternative, two-page mortgage disclosure forms to replace longer, unclear documents in current use. The forms are preliminary, and the CFPB wants your help to make them better.
You can go to this blog by CFPB mortgage expert Patricia McCoy that explains the project. Or, you can go directly to the "Know Before You Owe" consumer tool to let CFPB know which of the proposals you like better (or which parts of each you like more).
Jacksonville, FL -- For the first time in history, Jacksonville, Florida -- one of the places where minority voter suppression tainted the election of 2000 -- has elected an African-American mayor, Alvin Brown. Brown, who campaigned strongly on jobs, education and downtown revitalization, was endorsed by the Sierra Club against a Tea Party opponent, Republican Mike Hogan. It's ironic that Brown was once an advisor to Vice President Al Gore, whose presidential victory was stolen in Florida -- indeed, in this very city. And Brown's victory on a campaign emphasizing better land use planning came after the state legislature voted to gut the state's previously bipartisan tradition of holding developers accountable.
But Jacksonville is not the only place where voters are demonstrating that recently elected Tea Party ideologues got the wrong message from the 2010 election. There is, of course, next week's nail-biter special election in upstate New York for what ought to be a totally safe Republican seat, but where the proposed dismantling of Medicare in the House Republican budget has created a tie in current polls. Two days ago in New Hampshire, another safe Republican seat -- this one for the State House -- was swept by the Democrats in a protest against the extremist views of the Republican nominee. Earlier, Democrats picked up an Assembly seat in Wisconsin.
Did you know that the word "millionaire" in Hindi is masculine? What does that mean for women in India who wants to grow a multi-million dollar business? I learned about this conundrum from a colleague Nalini Mehta who attended our Make Mine a Million $ Business event in San Francisco last Fall.
I often hear from small business owners who are looking for advice on how to break into and navigate international markets like China, India or even Vietnam. It's a hot economic trend and with good reason. A report released this week by TD Economics revealed that from 2004-2009, exports by small U.S. firms to all countries grew 30%, while exports to China and India doubled.
When Time magazine asked Tim Pawlenty when it was that "he first imagined himself worthy of the history books, ready to send soldiers to their deaths and endure the national stage's harsh toll," Pawlenty said, "I wish I had a good answer for you on that."
Pawlenty says it is not an idea that crossed his mind 15 or 20 years ago but that as he considered life as a relatively young ex-governor, he felt obliged not to take the easy path and "go make some money and play hockey and drink beer." He adds that he almost didn't run at all. "Mary and I talked about this at length, and many times, and it was a close call," he says, mentioning his wife of 24 years. He adds with a laugh, "It could have gone the other way for all the reasons you're suggesting."
This year's record-breaking tornadoes, floods, droughts and wildfires will cost the country tens of billions of dollars in economic losses -- and these estimates are expected to climb as the Mississippi flooding and severe drought in Texas continue into the summer.
Economists disagree about the precise figures -- with the estimates varying by billions -- but most agree that $10-15 billion in losses are conservative calculations. Severe weather in April alone -- the month when record-breaking tornadoes tore through much of the Southeast and killed more than 300 people -- cost the country $12 billion in economic losses, according to Steven Bowen, a meteorologist with the Impact Forecasting team of Aon Benfield, one of the world's largest insurance brokers.
Following my post about my plans to participate in the Gaza Freedom Flotilla in opposition to the blockade of Gaza, "Why We Must Sail to Gaza," David Harris, the executive director of the American Jewish Committee, responded by challenging me to answer his concerns about Hamas and Israeli security.
Of course, I welcome the opportunity to respond to David's concerns, and I thank David for giving me the opportunity to do so. Moving the focus of attention from the arena of violence to the arena of engagement and dialogue -- that's a key component of what nonviolent resistance is all about.
The torture debate has once again seeped into the public discourse in America, and it has us focusing once again on all the wrong issues. Suggestions have been made that information that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed provided while being water-boarded helped lead the CIA to bin Laden's door. This has prompted the likes of John Yoo (author of the notorious torture memos signed by Jay Bybee) and former Attorney General Michael Mukasey, to argue that the case for water-boarding has been vindicated. Others, including Senator John McCain, have refuted the assertions that the trail to Bin Laden can be traced back to so-called "enhanced interrogation techniques." In short, the debate is once again centering on the question of whether torture is effective.
First, it should be noted that the debate misconstrues the effectiveness argument. Few people would assert that torture can never produce so called "actionable intelligence." The point, made extensively by FBI interrogators and other specialists in the field, is that torture produces less reliable intelligence than traditional (and lawful) methods of interrogation, since the victim will say anything to avoid the pain, some of it true but much of it not, creating the problem of trying to distinguish between fact and fiction. Moreover, a policy of torture creates longer term strategic costs in the effort to win over hearts and minds, which ultimately makes it counter-productive and ineffective from a broader perspective.
Very little surprised me about IMF Chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn's alleged attempted rape of a New York hotel maid, and even less shocked me about his sketchy record on harassing women. Hello, can we say rich-white-male-power-entitlement-issues?
Apparently Strauss-Kahn's "women problem" was an open secret amongst journalists, especially female ones. His reputation was even celebrated and excused in France where he is known as the "Great Seducer."
Since last summer, activists and family members have been calling for the release of video footage capturing the jailhouse death of homeless street preacher Marvin Booker in the new Van Cise-Simonet Detention Center on July 9, 2010. Last week, that footage was finally released -- along with word that none of the sheriff's deputies involved would be disciplined for any wrongdoing. After seeing the evidence -- and the way officials handled the release -- we think the city made the right decision. But that doesn't make Booker's death any less of an outrage.
President Obama's call for Israel to return to pre-1967 borders has quickly stirred up controversy.
The call joins a heated debate about a key Palestinian demand that the borders be returned to those prior to the Six-Day War, when Israel occupied East Jerusalem, according to the AP. The move is a strong shift from previous U.S. position, and is almost certain to anger Israel.
WASHINGTON -- Immigration advocacy groups have a message for President Barack Obama: Stop using the DREAM Act to ask for campaign money unless you can deliver relief from deportation for undocumented youth.
United We DREAM, a group of young people pushing for the bill, started a petition last week asking the president to remove discussions of the bill in campaign literature and fundraising emails unless he is willing to use his executive power to block deportations for DREAM Act-eligible students.
A video uploaded to YouTube purports to show a merciless attack on two ambulance drivers in Syria.
In the raw footage, two men in the front seat of an ambulance are filmed while bullets rip through the windows. One man is then carried away from the ambulance by frantic bystanders.
All of the classic hallmarks are there: the similar glisten of newly-polished trophies, the glimmer of a Champions League final on the horizon, grossly over-paid prima-donnas 'needing' rest, and a fans cold realization that there are a dark few months ahead. Yes, the end is nigh for another pulsating season of soccer in Europe.
Either last season ended, or this one began with the World Cup of 2010. A poor tournament in most people's views, mostly devoid of class, effort and enthusiasm, but it's what we're sadly growing accustomed to with International soccer nowadays. The old guard fell, the Spanish ruled and youngsters burst onto the scene with attitude. Some rejoiced, but most of us simply awaited intently the start of more regular drama
BUENOS AIRES -- Buenos Aires resembles a South American Paris filled with gregarious people, large avenues and cafes where at least once a day, every day, especially if you're a traveling American, someone will try to rip you off. And so you learn.
Maria is the maid at the hostel in Buenos Aires where I am staying and I can not pronounce her last name but she says it's okay because she has trouble with my name as well. She has dark hair and dark eyes like most here; not the strong features of the many Indian people but a softer look, rather Italian. She is about forty going on sixty and has a thirteen-year-old daughter that she brings with her to work. She washes dishes in the common kitchen area while her daughter sits downstairs and watches television. The mother smiles. The child does not. She only watches the screen indifferently or checks her Facebook account, emotion never flickering across her pretty face. Status updates are very different for her.
Along with many American Muslims, my family and I listened to your speech today on the Middle East and North Africa. While I appreciate your encouraging statements to the people of the Muslim world -- particularly to those who are currently fighting for dignity and civil rights in their own lands -- I also couldn't help feeling that many Americans are not setting the example of which you spoke when it comes to our own Muslim citizens.
"I had no idea," my dinner date for the evening stated. "This is so exciting. I know half the people in this room, and the other half I know their songs, the actual people behind the music, the real hit makers."
The International Monetary Fund has announced that it's placing help wanted ads to find a replacement for disgraced IMF President Dominique Strauss-Kahn.
"We've taken out adverts in major newspapers worldwide," said IMF spokesman Gunter von Hessel-Bottom. "They'll be right there under 'banker.'"
President Obama delivered one of those speeches that cause alarms to go off in AIPAC's offices and New York Post op-ed columnists to look up "defeat" in the thesaurus. A Rockefeller expressed concern about the ruthless ambition of today's young business entrepreneurs. And Newt Gingrich violated ANOTHER one of the Ten Commandments. By our account, he has now breached seven or eight of them, depending on your religion and/or denomination ... and if you consider American Solutions to be an object of religious devotion. This is HUFFPOST HILL for Thursday, May 19th, 2011:
GINGRICH STOLE TO PROMOTE TEN COMMANDMENTS, LAWSUIT ALLEGES - Jason Cherkis: "In December 2009, D.C. photographer Carrie Devorah filed suit in U.S. District Court against Newt Gingrich and his book publishers citing copyright infringement. The former House speaker allegedly swiped five of Devorah's photos for his book, Rediscovering God in America. Two pictures were also used without her consent for the book's DVD version, according to her complaint. The stolen pics, taken from Devorah's series 'God in the Temples of Government,' were as sacred as pictures of Washington architecture and sculpture can get. They included snaps of the Liberty of Worship statute outside the Ronald Reagan Building and several shots of the Ten Commandments found in the Supreme Court, Library of Congress and the National Archives. Gingrich and Co. settled the case for an undisclosed cash settlement last spring. When reached by phone this afternoon, Devorah had this to say about her case and the struggling presidential candidate: 'You don't steal to promote the Ten Commandments. How can you be a person of faith?'"
In the piece, TODAY reporters asked a focus group to brainstorm famous men who pull off gray hair -- Anderson Cooper, Barack Obama and George Clooney, to name a few. But the same group struggled to list women who look good with gray hair -– after some hesitation, they listed Betty White, Paula Deen and Queen Elizabeth.
Just over one month ago, a few dozen fired employees demonstrated outside a Chipotle one block from Sojourners' office. The employees reported that they were taken to the back of the store during their 30-minute break and were dismissed without warning. On their way out of the restaurant they saw their replacements already at work. Chipotle fired 40 employees throughout the D.C. area because of questions regarding their immigration status. Workers reported that Chipotle still has not paid nearly $21,000 in wages.
Stories like this occur day after day across the country. Our immigration system is broken. The status quo is not acceptable. It tears apart families, hurts businesses, and divides communities.
Religious leaders are responding to President Barack Obama's much-anticipated speech on the Middle East, in which the president said that "all faiths must be respected" and suggested "bridges be built among them."
Much of the sweeping speech addressed political and economic issues in light of recent democratic movements in the majority-Muslim region. Obama promised U.S. support for democracy, human rights and a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"It is impossible to distinguish between Muslims who are anti-American and just waiting for a chance to do us harm, and those who are merely pursuing their religious beliefs in this country. The only way to be sure and safe is to exclude them all." -- Letter to the Editor, Gainesville Times, May 13
The sentiment expressed above reflects an Islamophobic mindset unable to distinguish between the vast majority of law-abiding American Muslims and the few who would do us harm.
OAK BROOK, Illinois (Debra Sherman) - McDonald's Corp spurned calls to assess the impact of its food on childhood obesity, and said its trademark clown Ronald McDonald would be hawking Happy Meals to kids for years to come.
HuffPost's Alex Wagner spoke Thursday night with MSNBC's Cenk Uygur about Newt Gingrich. MSNBC Political Analyst Richard Wolffe appeared alongside Wagner.
Behind thousands of "Judgement Day" billboards from rural highways to city skylines and 
While I am very proud of them, I have never placed a "proud parent" bumper sticker on my car, and I speak about their accomplishments only when asked. That said, I have been asked countless times what we did to raise such amazing young women, but the truth is, I don't really know. If I did, I'd write a book. Instead, I'll write this -- my best attempt at an honest answer.
While Monday marked the launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour's (STS-134) final mission, the event goes further than the excitement of watching a ship blast off; orbiting beyond earth's atmosphere is also the dreams and aspirations of young student scientists who dared to shoot for the stars.
President Obama should be commended for his emphasis on Israel's security and his concern about Hamas joining the Palestinian Authority without renouncing its violent charter. But he made one serious mistake that tilts the balance against Israel in any future negotiations. Without insisting that the Palestinians give up their absurd claim to have millions of supposed refugees "return" to Israel as a matter of right, he insisted that Israel must surrender all of the areas captured in its defensive war of 1967, subject only to land swaps. This formulation undercuts Security Council Resolution 242 (which I played a very small role in helping to draft). Resolution 242, passed unanimously by the Security Council in the wake of Israel's 1967 victory, contemplated some territorial adjustments necessary to assure Israel's security against future attacks. It also contemplated that Israel would hold on to the Western Wall, the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem and the access roads to Hebrew University, without the need for any land swaps. Land swaps would only be required to make up for any areas beyond those contemplated by Resolution 242. The Obama formulation would seem to require land swaps even for the Western Wall.
This article has been updated to include additional reporting.
So 
WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama had two Republican audiences for his Thursday speech on U.S.-Middle East policy.
Anthony Bourdain recently chatted with HuffPost Food and shared everything from his thoughts on processed cheese to his dislike for Jay Leno.
WASHINGTON -- The headlines made it clear. From 
Katie Couric ended her nearly five-year tenure as the anchor of the "CBS Evening News" on Thursday. Couric looked back at some of her biggest moments during her historic run as the first solo woman anchor of a network newscast.
By Colin Clark
When Time magazine asked Tim Pawlenty when it was that "he first imagined himself worthy of the history books, ready to send soldiers to their deaths and endure the national stage's harsh toll," Pawlenty said, "I wish I had a good answer for you on that."
This year's record-breaking tornadoes, floods, droughts and wildfires will cost the country tens of billions of dollars in economic losses -- and these estimates are expected to climb as the Mississippi flooding and severe drought in Texas continue into the summer.
Following my post about my plans to participate in the Gaza Freedom Flotilla in opposition to the blockade of Gaza, "
Since last summer, activists and family members have been calling for the release of video footage capturing the jailhouse death of homeless street preacher Marvin Booker in the new Van Cise-Simonet Detention Center on July 9, 2010. Last week, that footage 
During the run-up to the 2010 election, people who regularly consumed political punditry were told frequently to expect 
President Obama's 
WASHINGTON -- Immigration advocacy groups have a message for President Barack Obama: Stop using the DREAM Act to ask for campaign money unless you can deliver relief from deportation for undocumented youth.
Those little blue pills may have some unintended side-effects.
A video 
If you upgrade your electronics every couple years, you've probably got a drawer full of clunky, outdated gizmos that are still in working order.
Does a gray head of hair make you look like a silver fox -- or like you don't care about your appearance? The answer may depend on whether you're a man or a woman, according to 
Religious leaders are responding to President Barack Obama's much-anticipated 
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