All eyes on Kerry for secretary of state

Sen. John Kerry, D-Massachusetts, appears to have the inside track to be nominated as secretary of state. Sen. John Kerry looks like the front-runner to replace outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Senate Republicans have been touting Kerry for that Cabinet post in recent weeks Kerry has a long history of overseas experience, starting with his childhood (CNN) -- Now that embattled U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice has withdrawn her name from secretary of state consideration, attention is turning toward Sen. John Kerry, D-Massachusetts, the other top candidate to replace outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Republicans opposed to a Rice nomination have bandied about Kerry's name for weeks, and Thursday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell told CNN that Kerry would be a "popular choice with the Senate." It's ironic that several prominent Republicans are rallying behind Kerry, just eight years after their party demonized him during his failed 2004 presidential campaign against President George W. Bush. Kerry remembered that experience in a statement he released about Rice. "As someone who has weathered my share of political attacks and understands on a personal level just how difficult politics can be, I've felt for her throughout these last difficult weeks, but I also know that she will continue to serve with great passion and distinction," Kerry said. Hear Susan Rice explain why she withdrew Brazile: Rice was attacked viciously Kerry, McCain rib each other about jobs The senior senator from Massachusetts is noted for the experience, gravitas and relationship-building skills that could help him succeed as the United States' top diplomat. In his current role as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Kerry has traveled the globe on behalf of the Obama administration to mend frayed relationships. Most notably he has traveled to Pakistan after a series of incidents, including the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, that had set relations back. World travel is second nature to Kerry. While he was born in Denver, on December 11, 1943, he spent much of his childhood overseas, living in Berlin, then went to a Swiss boarding school at age 11. After graduating from Yale University in 1966, Kerry was deployed to Vietnam as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy. Kerry served as a gunboat officer on the Mekong Delta, earning the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts. Upon his return home in the early 1970s, Kerry gained public recognition as the head of the group Vietnam Veterans Against the War and for his anti-war testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In 1972, Kerry ran his first campaign, a losing effort for a congressional seat in Massachusetts. He eventually entered politics in 1982 as lieutenant governor under Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis. Two years later, Kerry won the U.S. Senate seat he has held for five consecutive terms. The Vietnam experience came back to haunt Kerry during the 2004 presidential election. A Republican-funded group called "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" aired campaign ads accusing Kerry of lying to receive two of his five combat decorations and criticizing his anti-war activism. The incumbent Bush won the Electoral College vote 292 to 252 and racked up 3 million more votes than Kerry nationwide. After winning his fifth senate race in 2008, Kerry took over the Senate Foreign Relations Committee the next January. And while Kerry has a powerful voice outside the Obama administration in his current role, with Rice out of the running, a path to the Cabinet has one less obstacle for the man Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, jokingly called "Mr. Secretary" last week. Read more: Rice once looked like shoo-in Ted Barrett and Jamie Crawford contributed to this report from Washington.

Family confirms Jenni Rivera’s remains have been identified

Jenni Rivera's family has confirmed that her body has been positively identified, following statements by state officials that DNA tests on her remains had been verified Thursday. "We have received 100 percent confirmation that my sister Jenny has gone to be with the Lord," her brother Pedro Rivera, Jr. said in a press conference outside father Pedro Rivera's Los Angeles-area home on Thursday. "They did show pictures to my brothers of the body, but not the full body. Juan  was able to say 'that was my sister' and he said 'I don't need more.' Gus also said that was our sister.'" Rivera added that the two brothers, who arrived to the scene of the tragic incident on Wednesday, did not wait for the DNA results to confirm that their sister had passed away in the plane crash. "They didn't have to wait for the DNA," explained Rivera. "They just knew it was my sister and now they are flying back to Los Angeles with the body." RELATED:  Jenni Rivera's daughter Chiquis breaks silence: "You're on my mind" A Mexican state official had confirmed Thursday afternoon that Jenni Rivera's remains had been positively identified, ending days of speculation surrounding the Mexican-American star's death in a plane crash near Monterrey in northern Mexico on Dec. 9. Nuevo Leon state security spokesman Jorge Domene, a spokesman for Nuevo Leon State, said that DNA tests confirmed Rivera's remains, reported a Telemundo reporter on the scene.  The 43-year-old entertainer's remains have been cremated and delivered to her brother, musician Lupillo Rivera. RELATED: Jenni Rivera, advocate and champion of women The remains of Rivera's entourage – her makeup artist, stylist, publicist and attorney, as well as the two pilots who navigated the Learjet 25 plane – who accompanied her on the flight following her sold out concert at Arena Monterrey were also been identified by The Forensic Medical Service of Monterrey, Mexico, the Associated Press. Saavedra had previously told reporters that she still had hopes her daughter would be found alive. At the press conference Thursday, Pedro Rivera, Jr. stated that plans would soon be underway for a free public service in remembrance of the deceased singer in Los Angeles. He also added that arrangements would be made to organize a concert in her memory as well and that any details about his sister's will would be disclosed at a later date by their younger sister Rosie. Like this: Be the first to like this.

Concealed-guns issue reveals states' political split

By M. Alex Johnson, NBC News Seth Perlman / AP file Gun owners and supporters rallied for Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day in Springfield on March 7, 2012. Two states, two takes: Even as Illinois officials are lamenting a court order requiring them to let state residents carry concealed weapons, Florida officials are boasting about just how many hundreds of thousands of state residents are carrying concealed weapons. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam happily announced Wednesday that some time next week, Florida would become the first state with more than 1 million residents holding "active" concealed-carry permits. That's proof, said Putnam — whose agency administers the permit program — of Florida's "strong tradition in upholding Second Amendment rights." M. Alex Johnson is a reporter for NBC News. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. As Putnam spoke at a news conference Wednesday, anguished officials in Illinois, including Gov. Pat Quinn, were strategizing how to respond after the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday ordered state lawmakers to write a law legalizing concealed carry to uphold Second Amendment rights. It's quite a dichotomy: Illinois for the moment is the only state where you can't legally carry a concealed weapon (the court gave Illinois lawmakers 180 days to come up with a law legalizing it). By contrast, Florida is quite proud of being the most heavily armed state, at least in terms of concealed weapons permits. Putnam, a prominent Republican strategist during five terms in Congress, where he headed the party's Policy Committee, called reporters to Tallahassee, the state capital, to highlight that slightly fewer than a million "active" — that is, unexpired and valid — concealed-weapons permits were in circulation. With his agency issuing new permits at the rate of 10,000 to 15,000 a month, he said, the 1 millionth permit was on course to be issued next week. Putnam said demand for permits was so high that he's had to hire more staff to handle the workload under a "fast track" system that lets gun owners get their permits more quickly. It now takes about 35 days, compared to about 12 weeks before he became commissioner in 2011, he said. State figures show that requests for permits spiked in late July after a gunman opened fire in a crowded theater in Aurora, Colo., killing 12 people. That's when the Agriculture Department started issuing occasional updates on the race to 1 million. Poll: Views on gun laws unchanged after Aurora theater massacre Other factors appear to have played their parts in making the program so popular. For one thing, the Legislature made it cheaper to carry a concealed weapon, dropping the fee from $85 to $70 last year. Then there's the persistent belief that President Barack Obama wants to take away everyone's guns — despite his repeated reassurances that he supports the Second Amendment and even though during his first term he signed a law expanding the federal lands where guns are allowed. Ed Hensen, owner of the St. Lucie Shooting Center in Port St. Lucie, Fla., said his gun sales had risen consistently 30 percent every month during the last four months, when the presidential campaign was at its most feverish. "People panicked, and rightfully so," Hensen said. "They're concerned about their Second Amendment." Jeanne Rochester of Port St. Lucie told NBC station WPTV of West Palm Beach this week that she was taking shooting lessons at Hensen's store to qualify for a permit because "I want to have protection for myself for the future, and I know that guns are going to be hard to get." Hensen said letting people pack hidden heat made the state safe, because "if you have educated people, well-trained people with a firearm, it may eliminate some of these bad guys." In Illinois, however, officials generally warned that allowing residents to carry concealed weapons would make the state more dangerous. Watch US News crime videos on NBCNews.com "What we're doing is going to legalize guns, and then guess what? A lot of those guns are going to end up in the wrong hands," Democratic state Rep. Charles Jefferson told NBC station WREX of Rockford. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel called a news conference at City Hall to offer his city's advice and resources to any effort state Attorney General Lisa Madigan planned to challenge the court ruling. Madigan said she was studying whether to seek new hearing or to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. "This ruling runs counter to not only common sense but what every police chief in the country says, which is we should not allow more guns on the street," said Emanuel, who called the opinion "wrongheaded." Gun control group alleges Armslist.com caused woman's death through Internet sale In fact, law enforcement isn't nearly as united as Emanuel claimed. In 2009, for example, the Illinois Sheriffs' Association passed a resolution supporting a concealed-carry law in Illinois. Macon County Sheriff Tom Schneider told NBC station WAND of Springfield this week: "I believe the argument would be in favor of the fact that by having people that are trained to protect themselves out there on the streets, they're going to be more inclined to do the right thing and not the wrong thing." "Cops can't be on every corner ... and law-abiding citizens should have the right to protect themselves,"  he said. Each side argues that crime figures support its argument, but the reality is there's no clear evidence either way, the National Academy of Sciences reported in its last comprehensive overview of the issue, in 2004.  The study found "conflicting estimates" of the impact of such laws, concluding that "it is not possible to determine that there is a causal link between the passage of right-to-carry laws and crime rates." More content from NBCNews.com: Susan Rice drops out of running for secretary of state Swarming police response in mall shooting highlights 'paradigm shift' George H.W. Bush expected to be home by Christmas, hospital says Rape victim used tongue to dial 911 while hands were bound 'A better future': College student from India wins $1 million lottery prize Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

Opinion: Obama, don't abandon unions

Michigan State Police in riot gear push back against protestors during a rally against right-to-work legislation at the Michigan State Capitol on Tuesday, December 11, in Lansing, Michigan. The House approved two controversial right-to-work measures that would weaken unions' power. Thousands of people, many of them union workers, gathered outside the statehouse, chanting and holding signs as snow fell. People line up to try to enter the House chamber in the Michigan State Capitol where the bills are voted on. Michigan State Police guard the entrance to the House chamber as protestors fill the building. Union members hold a sit-in in the rotunda of the Michigan State Capitol as they protest the right-to-work legislation. A trampled protestor's sign lies on the ground where union members rallied at the Michigan State Capitol. Michigan, birthplace of the United Auto Workers and where 17.5% of employees are represented by unions, is by far the most heavily unionized state to pass such legislation. Nelson Lichtenstein: Will more states pass right-to-work laws like Michigan? Lichtenstein: The potential spread of the laws in the North is startling and ominous He says opponents try to paint the union, not the employer, as oppressors of workers Lichtenstein: President Obama need to defend trade unionism in its hour of need Editor's note: Nelson Lichtenstein is MacArthur Foundation chair in history at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he directs the Center for the Study of Work, Labor and Democracy. He is co-editor of "The Right and Labor in America: Politics, Ideology, and Imagination." (CNN) -- Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder's stunning decision to sign a right-to-work law poses the question: Are these anti-union statutes, which make illegal any union contract that requires union membership or payment of dues a condition of employment, the future? During the last two years Indiana and Wisconsin have also passed laws that curb union strength and slash dues income. "If Michigan can do it, then I think everybody ought to think about it," asserts Mark Mix, president of the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation. Mix listed Alaska, Missouri, Montana and Pennsylvania, where Republicans enjoy large majorities in state legislatures, among the top contenders. The potential spread of right-to-work laws in the North, even in states where voters heavily favored President Obama for a second term, is a startling and ominous development. For decades, right-to-work laws were confined to the South or Mountain West, heavily agricultural states where new unions born during the Depression era evoked, among many employers and conservative politicians, the specter of Communism, race-mixing or both. These laws were almost all enacted in the years after the 1947 Congressional passage of the Taft-Hartley Act, which gave states the right to make illegal any collective bargaining contract that mandated union membership as a condition of employment. Become a fan of CNNOpinion Stay up to date on the latest opinion, analysis and conversations through social media. Join us at Facebook/CNNOpinion and follow us @CNNOpinion on Twitter. We welcome your ideas and comments. Opponents of unionism hailed these laws as insuring a "right-to-work" because they encouraged workers to take a job, even one where the wages and working conditions had been negotiated by a union, without paying the dues necessary to sustain the labor organization. To note that employers encouraged such free-loading would be an understatement. Then and now they denounced "compulsory unionism" and the "labor bosses" who sought to live high on the hog on member dues. In this imagining, it was the union, not the employer, who oppressed the workers. Opinion: A victory for right-to-work laws In 1958, right-to-work advocates thought the time was ripe to invade the North. A sharp recession in the late 1950s had sapped union strength at the same moment that the Senate's McClellan Labor Rackets Committee investigation had uncovered unsavory links between Jimmy Hoffa, the Teamsters, and organized crime. Urged on by conservative Republican Sen. Barry Goldwater and financed by a newly created National Right to Work Committee, these anti-union activists put right to work referenda on the ballots of California, Ohio, Washington, Kansas, Idaho and Colorado. Sweeping law limits union power in MI Gov. Snyder: This is good for Michigan Obama: Unions built a stronger America Michigan's fight over 'right-to-work' But with the exception of Kansas, all these initiatives went down in overwhelming defeat. That was not only because labor was still a powerful force -- in Ohio union density, the proportion of all workers in a union, stood at nearly 40% -- but also because the Democrats linked their fortunes to the labor movement and to the fight against right to work. As Pat Brown, the California gubernatorial candidate put it, right to work represented "a return to the ugly and destructive law of the economic jungle." The battle for the votes of African-Americans constituted one of the most remarkable features of these referenda. Right-to-work advocates pointed out, often quite accurately, that many American trade unions failed to adequately represent their minority members. If unions were weaker, minority workers might well get better jobs and promotions. But in Ohio and California especially that argument failed to persuade. The NAACP distributed a pamphlet entitled "Keep Mississippi Out of California," but even without this kind of propaganda most African-Americans and Latinos knew that an imperfect union was a better friend that a non-union employer whose power and prejudices ruled the workplace unchecked by any countervailing institution. Today, right-to-work forces are once again making a push to eviscerate unionism in its heartland. Thanks to Citizens United they have unlimited money. Thanks to globalization, slow growth, and corporate attacks, trade unionism is far weaker than in 1958. In Ohio union density stands at 13.4%, in Pennsylvania 14.6%, in Michigan, birth state of the once powerful United Automobile Workers, just 17.5%, a disastrous drop since the industrial union heyday in the 1950s. To staunch this anti-union assault, the Democrats have to make the defense of union rights and power a central, organic component of their message to American voters, office holders and workers -- both white collar and blue. Although Democratic legislators in Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio have bravely fought the Republican right on this issue, President Obama has been notably missing from the action. Obama denounced "right to work for less" in a post-election speech at a factory outside Detroit, but he was almost entirely silent on the issue both during the demonstrations that convulsed Madison, Wisconsin, in the winter of 2011, during the effort to recall Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker in the spring of the next year, and throughout the presidential campaign itself. Obama and his advisers undoubtedly thought that if they wanted to win right-to-work states like Virginia and Florida, they better keep quite about union rights in the North. But this was and is an exceedingly shortsighted and self defeating calculation. Trade unions stand at the core of the Democratic coalition. They are the last organizations remaining on the liberal side that can effectively appeal to white, working-class men in the Rust Belt swing states. Without the union organization and mobilization of blue collar Latinos in California, Nevada, and New Mexico those states would be almost as red as Texas. When Obama declared his support for gay marriage, he helped consolidate a growing national consensus in favor of that right. The president and other national Democrats need to use the same bully pulpit to defend trade unionism in its hour of need, not only because their destruction threatens the living standards of our working middle class, but because these institutions are the living embodiment of democracy, interracial solidarity and personal dignity in the world of work. Follow us on Twitter @CNNOpinion Join us on Facebook/CNNOpinion The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Nelson Lichtenstein.

With Rice out, attention shifts to John Kerry for State post

By NBC's Carrie Dann When he ran for president, many in the GOP slammed Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., pilloried for his late opposition to the Vietnam War and his famed flip on the conflict in Iraq. But, as criticism mounted against U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice as the apparent frontrunner to become the next secretary of State, Kerry was publicly embraced by Republican colleagues in the Senate as a comparatively slam-dunk candidate to replace Hillary Clinton. Now that Rice has withdrawn her nomination to the post, as NBC News reported exclusively on Thursday, all eyes turn to the onetime Democratic nominee as a much-praised possible pick for the job.  In her withdrawal letter to the president, Rice said she was convinced her nomination would prove "lengthy, disruptive and costly" as Republicans have raised questions about her role in the public response to the 9/11 attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya.  The exclusive NBC News interview with Rice will air tonight on Rock Center with Brian Williams at 10 p.m. ET. Host of MSNBC's "The Daily Rundown," Chuck Todd joins The Cycle to give an update on the state of fiscal dealings on Capitol Hill, as well as poll result perceptions of Democrats, Republicans, and the way Washington is dealing with the fiscal cliff In a statement, Kerry praised Rice as an "extraordinarily capable and dedicated public servant" and alluded to his own past political battles. "As someone who has weathered my share of political attacks and understands on a personal level just how difficult politics can be, I've felt for her throughout these last difficult weeks, but I also know that she will continue to serve with great passion and distinction," he said.  Elected to the Senate in 1984, Kerry rose to national prominence as a foreign policy expert when he returned to the Senate after his failed 2004 presidential bid. The chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee since 2009, he has made high-profile visits to Afghanistan and Pakistan and helped negotiate the new arms treaty with Russia that was signed in 2010. Respected in the upper chamber and nationally as a shaper of the nation's foreign policy, Republicans have indicated that Kerry would face little opposition to be confirmed to the secretary of State post. "I think John Kerry would be an excellent appointment and would be easily confirmed by his colleagues," said Republican Susan Collins, R-Maine, late last month. Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, a close ally of former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, declared that Kerry would have "an easy time" being confirmed in the Senate.  Kerry's confirmation would likely not come without some minor re-litigation of past controversies.  One of Congress's richest members, he was painted as an out-of-touch patrician by his presidential foes. The onetime Navy lieutenant was criticized by opponents during his campaign for his high-profile protests of the Vietnam War, including his nationally-covered challenge to a congressional panel in 1971 to defend the deaths of men "for a mistake." Jason Reed / Reuters Sen. John Kerry waves at the end of his speech during a segment on U.S. veterans during the final session of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina in this September 6, 2012, file photo. Kerry worked closely with the president in the just-finished election, playing Romney in debate preparations and had been seen as a potential choice to head either the State Department or the Department of Defense. Earlier today a top Pentagon official told NBC News that former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel appeared to be the likely choice for secretary of Defense. But the main headache for Democrats if Kerry is appointed will be the triggering of a special election in Massachusetts next year to replace him. Democrats recently celebrated the ousting of Republican Sen. Scott Brown, who won a January 2010 special election to replace the late Sen. Ted Kennedy. Elizabeth Warren bested Brown in the heavily blue state by a margin of 54 percent to Brown's 46 percent. If Kerry is picked, Brown will be viewed as a formidable Republican candidate to replace him. A wider bench of Democrats, including former Senate candidate Martha Coakley, may vie for the nomination. But whoever wins the potential replacement race would have a grueling path, as would voters weary of statewide contests. Another special election would be the state's second in three years, and Kerry's successor would be up for re-election again in 2014.

Susan Rice withdraws, citing 'disruptive' process

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice withdrew her name from consideration for secretary of state on Thursday. Susan Rice withdraws from consideration as secretary of state Nomination would be "be lengthy, disruptive, and costly," she says in letter to president Republicans criticized Rice's statements about Benghazi, Libya, attack (CNN) -- Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations who drew heavy criticism from Republicans over her statements after the September attacks on a U.S. diplomatic mission, withdrew her name from consideration for secretary of state on Thursday. In a letter to President Barack Obama, she said "the confirmation process would be lengthy, disruptive, and costly -- to you and to our most pressing national and international priorities. That trade-off is simply not worth it to our country." Obama acknowledged her letter in a statement that described her as "an extraordinarily capable, patriotic, and passionate public servant." Read Rice's letter to the President She was thought to be a frontrunner for the post, which Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she would vacate as soon as a successor is confirmed. But Rice drew criticism for her description of the September 11, 2012, attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya, which killed four including the U.S. Ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens. On several television programs several days after the attack, she described a protest of an anti-Islam video outside the mission buildings. She said her comments were based on declassified talking points, and sources within the intelligence community said the talking points were not modified by any other body, such as the White House. Obama had defended her, describing the criticism from several key Republicans as "outrageous." "If Senator McCain and Senator (Lindsey) Graham and others want to go after someone, they should go after me," Obama said at a White House news conference in late November. "When they go after the U.N. ambassador, apparently because they think she's an easy target, then they've got a problem with me." She visited Capitol Hill in an attempt to answer what the legislators called "unanswered questions," but her visit there appeared to backfire. Senators who sat in on the meetings said her appearances raised more questions than they answered. 5 questions on Susan Rice

Are you gay? University of Iowa asks applicants

By Andrew Mach, NBC News The University of Iowa has become the first public university in the U.S. to include a question about students' sexual orientation in their application for admission. As of Dec. 1, students applying to the university have the option of answering: "Do you identify with the LGBTQ community?" Students may also mark "transgender" instead of only male or female when noting their gender on their applications. With the changes, the university became the first public university and second college in the U.S. to ask applicants such demographic questions. Elmhurst College, a private college in suburban Chicago, was the first U.S. college to include questions involving sexual orientation on its application last August.  "LGBTQ students are important members of our campus community, and we want to provide them with an opportunity to identify themselves in order to be connected to resources and to build networking structures," the university's chief diversity officer, Georgina Dodge, said in a press release. "What we've heard from students, especially LGBT students, is that they don't find out about support services and organizations until they've been here for a year or two, unfortunately. This allows us to do some more personal outreach." Stay informed with the latest headlines; sign up for our newsletter "This is a question whose time had come," added Michael Barron, Iowa admissions director. "We think this will cause them to look more closely at the university because we value that part of who they are. We want students to feel we are receptive to and sensitive to their lifestyle and their description of themselves."  The move was heralded by gay rights advocates. It reflects "a growing paradigm shift in higher education to actively recognize out LGBT youth populations and to exercise greater responsibility for LGBT student safety, retention and academic success," said Shane Windmeyer, executive director of Campus Pride, an organization that promotes creating a safer college experience for LGBT students, in a press release. The questions will give the university, which enrolls more than 30,000 students, information to determine incoming students' needs, track retention rates, potential interest in campus programs, and to offer support resources, university officials said. The optional question appears in a section of other optional questions asking students about family connections to the university, parents' educational background, interest in ROTC programs, and interest in fraternities and sororities.  Watch the most-viewed videos on NBCNews.com  The admissions office will immediately email students who identify as LGBT with links to information on housing options and campus resources that may interest them, Barron said.  Dodge said the applicants' responses would be stored confidentially in the university's records. She said that student groups who wanted to reach LGBT students, for instance, could ask the university to send them a mass email — but the recipients' identities would not be released.  Dodge said that university administrators recognize that not everyone who is LGBT will choose to identify, but the university's goal is "to create an environment where all personal identities are celebrated, and increased visibility is certainly one way to help eliminate stigma." According to school officials, the University of Iowa was the first U.S. public university to admit men and women on an equal basis, the first state university to officially recognize the LGBT community, and the first public university to offer insurance to employees' domestic partners. In 2009, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled unanimously that Iowa's marriage laws prohibiting same-sex marriage violated the state's constitution, making the state the first in the Midwest to allow gays and lesbians to wed.  More content from NBCNews.com: Oregon shopping mall gunman identified; motive unclear Rock legends perform at Sandy benefit show Cops: Dad carves pentagram into son's back on 12-12-12 Girl, 15, shot in Oregon mall cheats death twice 'Unique' smuggling attempt: $42,500-worth of marijuana shot into Ariz. by cannon Much-criticized 'drum major' quote on Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial to be removed Video: Driver ticketed for truck covered in Christmas lights Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook