MSNBC Is Close to Falling to Third Place in Cable News Ratings  —  How badly has MSNBC been hurt by the loss of Keith Olbermann?  Enough, apparently, to be on the verge of falling back into third place among the cable news networks.  —  The ratings results for the month of September show that CNN …

Occupy Wall Street: ‘Pepper-spray’ officer named in Bush protest claim  —  Anthony Bologna, NYPD officer named in pepper-spray incident, is accused of civil rights violations at the time of the 2004 Republican national convention protests  —  A senior New York police officer accused …

Senate leaders announce bipartisan agreement to avert government shutdown  —  Senate leaders announced a bipartisan agreement Monday evening that would keep government agencies funded until Nov. 18, potentially ending a contentious dispute over how to pay for disaster funds.

Huntsman Spot in Oct. 18 Debate Endangered  —  Jon Huntsman, the former governor of Utah, has been in every presidential debate since he threw his hat in the ring last June.  —  Now, that may change.  —  CNN, which is hosting a debate in Las Vegas on Oct. 18, has set criteria for participation …

Reagan Library speech fuels talk about Christie entering presidential race  —  With speculation rampant that New Jersey governor Chris Christie is eyeing entrance into the Republican presidential primary, those in the political world will be watching a speech Tuesday at the Reagan Library with keen interest.

POTUS testy in BET interview  —  Making the cross face: Obama sits down with Emmett Miller  —  President Obama, slipping in the polls among black supporters and under fire from black Democratic leaders for policies they say fail to address black poverty and unemployment …

Obama advisors raised warning flags before Solyndra bankruptcy  —  Treasury chief Timothy F. Geithner and others were worried that the selection process for federal loan guarantees fell short and raised the risk that funds could be going to the wrong firms.  —  Reporting from Washington …

Obama out West: Opens slashing re-election effort - No shutdown ... for now - Top talker: Coca-Cola CEO says U.S. losing edge - Geithner on Europe: Move fast  —  OBAMA OUT WEST: OPENS SLASHING RE-ELECTION EFFORT - President Obama last night kept up the sharp line he has taken against Republicans during …

In Turn to Politics, Facebook Starts a PAC  —  Facebook wants more friends.  And it is willing to pay for them.  —  The Silicon Valley social media company has for the first time formed an old-fashioned political action committee and will use it to distribute cash to candidates in the coming elections.

Audience Member Asks Obama: ‘Would You Please Raise My Taxes?’  —  President Obama is currently fielding questions from a town hall audience in Mountain View, California, hosted by LinkedIn.  At one point, a man stood and asked Obama, “Would you please raise my taxes?”

Pay-by-race bake sale at UC Berkeley still on, student Republican group says  —  (CNN) — It's meant to be racist, and it's meant to be discriminatory.  —  And the controversial “Increase Diversity Bake Sale” hosted by the Berkeley College Republicans is still on, the club's president said …

What happened at Rev. Lou Sheldon's press conference opposing the FAIR Education Act  —  A guest piece from Courage Campaign's National Field Director Arisha Michelle Hatch on what happened at the Traditional Values Coalition's press conference today -Adam  —  Rev. Louis Sheldon …

Blue-State Math Is Boon to Obama, Target for GOP  —  Amid those dark political clouds overhead right now, President Barack Obama can console himself with this silver lining: The electoral map remains stacked in favor of him and his Democrats.  —  In a close presidential election …

Wallace Kuralt's era of sterilization  —  Mecklenburg's impoverished had few, if any, rights in the '50s and '60s as he oversaw one of the most aggressive efforts to sterilize certain populations  —  Compassionate.  Visionary.  A champion of women and the poor.

Perry moves to reassure Republicans in Iowa, South Carolina  —  Washington (CNN) - As he faces growing scrutiny about his conservative credentials, Texas Gov. Rick Perry called grassroots activists in the key early states of Iowa and South Carolina on Monday evening to address his record and take questions.