POLITICO: Black pols stymied in Obama era. “More than five years after Barack Obama won the Iowa caucuses and demolished the notion that white voters wouldn’t support a black presidential candidate, progress for other African-American politicians remains elusive. Even as the country elected and reelected Obama, making it seem increasingly unremarkable to have a black family in the White House, African-Americans are scarce and bordering on extinct in the U.S. Senate and governorships.”

IF ONLY THEY WERE THIS INDEFATIGABLE ABOUT PROTECTING OUR RIGHTS: Sen. Manchin vows to continue fight to pass background check bill.

Related: Pushing background checks by state initiative.

STATING THE OBVIOUS: Damn, It Feels Good to Be an Ivy Law Grad.

WASHINGTON POST: Are there more abortion doctors like Kermit Gosnell? And do we want to know?

NEWS YOU CAN USE: Teens Do Better When School Starts Later.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN Newtown and Watertown.