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.

Tea party picking up steam nationwide  —  Fresh off big primary wins in Delaware and Alaska, national “tea party” groups are redirecting the energy of the movement toward the November midterm elections, raising millions of dollars, expanding their advocacy into dozens of congressional races …

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:

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.

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” …

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.

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 …

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 …

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 …

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.

‘Dancing’ Studio on Red Sarah Palin Alert  —  There will be high security tonight when Sarah Palin shows up to watch daughter Bristol perform on “Dancing with the Stars” ... TMZ has learned.  —  Our spies say security guards at CBS Television City in L.A. — the place where “Dancing” is broadcast — is on “heightened alert.”

52% of Voters Say Their Views Are More Like Palin's Than Obama's  —  Fifty-two percent (52%) of Likely U.S. Voters say their own views are closer to Sarah Palin's than they are to President Obama's, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

Bruni denies Michelle Obama likened White House life to ‘hell’  —  New York (CNN) — France's first lady Carla Bruni denied Monday that her U.S. counterpart ever told her that life in the White House was “hell.”  —  “Of course Michelle Obama never said such a thing,” the former model told CNN …

Lady Gaga Goes Political in Maine  —  PORTLAND, Me.  — There were no strobe lights, no outlandish costumes and only a mediocre sound system.  But Lady Gaga was here and the crowd jumped up and down, snapping photos as a whirl of platinum-blond hair emerged from an SUV and walked up a concrete ramp to a tiny stage.

Wiccan Community Upset With O'Donnell, Calls Witchcraft Comments “Teaching Moment”  —  WHAT'S YOUR REACTION?  —  Christine O'Donnell's mercurial candidacy for the United States Senate has elevated the issue of witchcraft to uncommon political heights.  But not everyone associated with the religion is pleased.

UK Proposes All Paychecks Go to the State First  —  The UK's tax collection agency is putting forth a proposal that all employers send employee paychecks to the government, after which the government would deduct what it deems as the appropriate tax and pay the employees by bank transfer.

Nita Lowey rival wrote anti-integration, racially charged essay  —  Longtime Democratic incumbent Rep. Nita Lowey's Republican challenger this fall is a Christian conservative author and activist whose writings have frowned on inter-racial marriage and movies like “Save the Last Dance,” …

Rauf's Group Claims Credit for ‘Training’ NY Times Reporter  —  A reporter who helped write the first and positive New York Times story on the Ground Zero Mosque was trained by the group run by mosque leader Feisal Abdul Rauf, according to that group's website.

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.

Gays Discuss Their Military Service  —  Opponents of the “don't ask, don't tell” policy on gay people serving in the American military hope that they will move one step closer to repeal this week.  The Senate majority leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, has indicated that the Senate …

Cantor: Palin is ‘certainly’ a leader in the Republican Party  —  Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) is “certainly” a leader in the Republican Party, House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said Monday.  —  Cantor said Palin, the 2008 vice presidential nominee who's occasionally crossed establishment figures …

Friedman's Flawed Beijing Bulletin  —  What's Your Reaction:  —  There are some superb foreign journalists based in China these days, including more than a few working for American news outlets, ranging from NPR to various newspapers and magazines.  They know the country well and provide coverage …