Reid calls Gillibrand the ‘hottest’ member at fundraiser  —  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had an unusual form of praise for New York's junior senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, this morning at the fundraiser Mayor Bloomberg hosted for him at his townhouse - referring to her as “the hottest member” …

GOP worries Murkowski write-in bid could cost party a Senate seat  —  Republican leaders are angry with Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) for jeopardizing their chances of winning the Senate.  —  Murkowski's decision to mount a write-in campaign risks splitting the Republican vote between …

Watchdog: Christine O'Donnell “Clearly a Criminal”  —  Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW, today filed a pair of complaints concerning Delaware Republican Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell's use of more than $20,000 in campaign funds for personal expenses.

Major health insurers to stop offering new child-only policies  —  Some of the country's most prominent health insurance companies have decided to stop offering new child-only plans, rather than comply with rules in the new health-care law that will require such plans to start accepting children …

NY-18: Lowey's challenger opposes interracial marriage and school integration; supports eugenics.  —  I wish that this were something out of the Onion, I really do.  —  Jim Russell, a right-wing activist running against Congresswoman Nita Lowey in the 18th district mid-state, has a rather interesting past.

Carter: ‘Probably superior’ to other ex-presidents  —  Former President Jimmy Carter (right) standing off to the side in a photo with the living presidents (and then-President-elect Obama) in the Oval Office.  —  *** UPDATE 3:59 pm ET *** Former President Carter issued a written statement after his comments aired:

IT'S TRUE- Proof That the DNC and Team Obama Are Targeting Tea Parties and Top Conservatives  —  These Are Dangerous Times  —  With one-in-seven Americans living in poverty, with unemployment at record levels, with an unprecedented national deficit, with foreclosures up and businesses …

Poll: Voters clueless about Charlie Baker  —  Gov. Deval Patrick 41, Baker 34 and Tim Cahill 14 percent in Suffolk University/7News poll  —  Nearly half of all prospective voters either don't know who Republican gubernatorial candidate Charlie Baker is or haven't made up their minds about him …

Generic Ballot Virtually Tied: Democrats 46%, Republicans 45%  —  Republicans losing strength in September compared with August  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Gallup's generic ballot for Congress for the week of Sept. 13-19 shows a 46% Democratic and 45% Republican split in registered voters' preferences for the midterm congressional elections.

Madam President?  It could happen  —  Speculation that she will run for President in 2012 is reaching fever pitch.  But what do those who watched Sarah Palin grow up make of her meteoric ascent - and ruthless ambition?  By Shushannah Walshe  —  The first thing you notice …

A warning from Israeli ambassador?  —  Was Israel's ambassador warning the Jewish community on Kol Nidre that Israel has decided to take a preemptive strike in Iran?  —  Some congregants at Adas Israel Congregation in D.C. thought so following Ambassador Michael Oren's remarks there on Friday night.

Town Hall Questioner To Obama: “I'm Exhausted Of Defending You”  —  “I'm one of your middle class Americans.  And quite frankly, I'm exhausted.  Exhausted of defending you, defending your administration, defending the mantle of change that I voted for,” a woman told President Obama at a town hall.

Koch Industries Lawyer to White House: How Did You Get Our Tax Information?  —  Lately, the White House and its allies have been drawing attention to the political activities of libertarian billionaires Charles and David Koch.  In an August 9 speech, President Obama singled out Americans for Prosperity …

Remarks by the President at CNBC Town Hall Discussion on Jobs Newseum, Washington, D.C.  —  Washington, D.C.  —  MR. HARWOOD: Good afternoon from Washington, D.C. I'm John Harwood.  It is noon on the East Coast.  The Dow Jones average stands around 10,700 points; 15 million Americans are out of work.

Olmert: Bush offered to absorb 100,000 Palestinian refugees if peace deal reached  —  In address to Geneva Initiative conference, former prime minister calls himself first Israeli leader to publicly recognize Palestinian plight; also hints Barak tried to thwart ‘daring defense efforts’, defends ‘every word’ of upcoming book.

Aunt Zeituni: ‘The System Took Advantage Of Me’  —  President Obama's Aunt Speaks Exclusively With WBZ-TV  —  BOSTON (WBZ) ― “If I come as an immigrant, you have the obligation to make me a citizen.”  Those are the words from 58-year-old Zeituni Onyango of Kenya in a recent exclusive interview with WBZ-TV.

DCCC outpaces NRCC in August  —  The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee heads into the final stretch of the midterm campaign season with a $14 million cash edge over its GOP counterpart.  —  The DCCC announced Monday that it outraised the National Republican Congressional Committee $8.3 million to $6.6 million during August.

Fearing a soaring deficit, many analysts favor letting Bush tax cuts expire  —  The tax cuts at the heart of a fierce pre-election battle on Capitol Hill were designed when the economy was booming, the federal budget was in surplus and George W. Bush was campaigning for president on a promise to return the extra cash to taxpayers.

Disappointed Supporters Question Obama  —  WASHINGTON — It was billed as “Investing In America,” a live televised conversation between President Obama and American workers, students, business people and retirees on the state of the economy, a kind of Wall Street to Main Street reality check.