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Commencement season: Speakers share inspiration, insight, and advice with college grads

It’s college graduation season and the strains of “Pomp and Circumstance,” which began in late April, will be heard at commencement ceremonies until mid-June. Many more speeches have yet to be given that impart the usual pearls of wisdom and advice on pursuing dreams, being daring, and contributing to society. Here’s a sampling of excerpts from speeches given to graduates around the country.
Heisman Trophy: Top 10 winners who succeeded in pro football

The Heisman Trophy was awarded Saturday night to Auburn QB Cam Newton, as the most outstanding college football player in 2010. But a Heisman is not a guarantee of success in the NFL. Some of the 74 winners since 1935 didn't make the transition, some didn't live up to their potential due to injury. With help from heisman.com and nfl.com, we compiled a list of Heisman winners who went on to have the most success on the professional gridiron.
Photos of the Day: Photos of the Day 11/16

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Commencement season: Speakers share inspiration, insight, and advice with college grads

It’s college graduation season and the strains of “Pomp and Circumstance,” which began in late April, will be heard at commencement ceremonies until mid-June. Many more speeches have yet to be given that impart the usual pearls of wisdom and advice on pursuing dreams, being daring, and contributing to society. Here’s a sampling of excerpts from speeches given to graduates around the country.
Education Secretary Arne Duncan endorses gay marriage. Is Obama cornered? (+video)

Now, both Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary Duncan have spoken up for gay marriage, but Obama is holding back. That could be a political calculation, but gay activists are frustrated.
Trayvon Martin killing in Florida puts 'Stand Your Ground' law on trial

The shooting of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teenager, in a gated Florida community has raised allegations of racial injustice and highlighted the burden that 'Stand Your Ground' laws impose on law enforcement officers.
Can Mitt Romney, 'unofficial Southerner,' make it official in Ala., Miss.?

While playing down expectations in a skeptical Bible Belt, Mitt Romney has a shot to close down the Republican nomination with primary wins in Alabama and Mississippi on Tuesday.
Tampa debate: Newt Gingrich could face his Freddie Mac moment

The debate Monday night in Florida – the 18th of this cycle – is arguably the most important yet. Newt Gingrich faces fresh scrutiny of his record, and Mitt Romney’s campaign is in crisis.
Martin Luther King, Jr.: How would American life be different without him?

Institutional racism in the United States has declined greatly thanks to the work of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. Yet 'we have not reached the promised land MLK talked about,' says one scholar, nor has the economic equality King sought for all races been achieved.
If Mitt Romney wins both Iowa and N.H., it may be 'game over'

If Mitt Romney wins both Iowa and New Hampshire, it would be a first for someone who isn’t already president. But the Iowa caucuses have a habit of producing surprises, and there are scenarios under which Romney doesn't live up to expectations.
Newt Gingrich wouldn't beat Obama in 2012, new poll shows

Newt Gingrich would do worse than Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election, says a new Reuters-Ipsos poll. But Mitt Romney wouldn't beat Obama either.
Belt-whipping Texas judge suspended: Sign of shift on corporal punishment?

The Texas Supreme Court suspended the family-law judge who was caught on video beating his 16-year-old daughter. The move could signal that views on corporal punishment of kids are changing – even in the South.
Steve Jobs: what we can learn from how he lived

Steve Jobs had vision and focus from an early age, and he took courses that piqued his interest – even if they seemed offbeat. Steve Jobs also had an innate sense of a new emerging generation.
Epic scorching drought testing Texas' ways

Massive droughts caused by wildfires in Texas have ravaged the environment, incited a tug of war for available water, and fundamentally changed the way of life for the state’s millions of residents.
Can Obama turn it around?

A feistier President Obama has emerged as he makes the case for his jobs bill. But will campaigning for a plan that faces dim prospects with Republicans be enough to save his presidency?
Perry vs. Romney: Does it matter whom Obama faces in 2012? In short, yes.

Even with high unemployment and a sluggish economy, it still matters whom the Republican Party nominates to face Obama. For now, Romney appears likely to be a tougher foe than Perry.
Rick Perry: Smart politics for him to call Social Security a Ponzi scheme?

If Rick Perry wins the GOP presidential nomination, his remarks on Social Security and other issues could haunt him. But right now, his play to the Republican base appears to be spot on.
BART puts social media crackdown in 'uncharted' legal territory

The decision by BART officials to cut cellphone service Thursday – denying train-riding protesters access to social media – raises deep legal questions, analysts say.
Rick Perry, on eve of likely presidential run, gambles with big faith rally

Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who is weigning a presidential run, is headlining 'The Response: A Call to Prayer for a Nation in Crisis.' The evangelical event could help him in GOP primaries but make voters in a general election nervous.
Rick Perry's most rapt audience: Michele Bachmann and Mitt Romney

A Perry candidacy for the 2012 GOP nomination could be devastating for conservative rival Michele Bachmann. Rick Perry would also be a bigger threat than Bachmann to moderate Mitt Romney.
Obama's push to boost tax revenues: Will voters approve?

In deficit talks, Republicans insist on spending cuts, while Obama and Democrats want a 'balanced approach' that includes higher tax revenues. Political analysts say it's time for the president to make his case to the public.
Huma Abedin and wronged political wives: few options, hard choices

Scandal-tarred Rep. Anthony Weiner says he and his wife, Huma Abedin, will stay together. She has not spoken publicly. How political wives respond to wrongdoing may affect their husbands' political survival, some analysts say.
The bin Laden effect: How the Al Qaeda leader changed America

In life, Osama bin Laden made a huge impact on the US, all in the name of preventing another 9/11. If he and Al Qaeda fueled antagonism between the US and the Muslim world, they also pushed America toward a better understanding of the Middle East.
The Vote
After 'Birth Certificate Day,' what now for Donald Trump?

Donald Trump has ridden far on the ‘birther’ issue. But some strategists have their doubts that he can withstand sustained scrutiny by primary voters.
Obama's reelection bid: Can he recapture the magic? Does he need to?

President Obama announced his reelection bid Monday morning via e-mail and Web video. Unlike 2008, this time he has all the advantages and disadvantages of an incumbent.
Top Picks: Ken Burns's 'The Civil War,' a Horton Foote festival, a tax tracker, and more

Ken Burns's miniseries documentary 'The Civil War,' a Dallas festival dedicated to famed playwright and screenwriter Horton Foote, a mobile phone application to track your tax return, and more recommendations.
The Vote
Why is Jeb Bush sharing the stage with President Obama?

Jeb Bush, former governor of Florida, will appear with President Obama at an education event in Florida on Friday. What's in it for him?
What Obama needs to achieve in his State of the Union address

The State of the Union address is expected to lay out five ‘pillars’ for ‘winning the future’ – education, infrastructure, innovation, deficit reduction, and reform of government.