Candidates lightly tread back on the campaign trail  —  The campaign resumes, though not to the level we saw before Friday's tragic shooting... Obama addresses the VFW in Reno, NV at 3:30 pm ET, while Romney stumps in Costa Mesa, CA... Romney's upcoming overseas trip offers risks and rewards …

The Hill Poll: Majority of voters blame president for bad economy  —  Two-thirds of likely voters say the weak economy is Washington's fault, and more blame President Obama than anybody else, according to a new poll for The Hill.  —  It found that 66 percent believe paltry job growth …

Weiner wife under guard  —  Police and federal officials have placed security around ex-Rep. Anthony Weiner's wife, Huma Abedin, after a New Jersey man threatened her, law-enforcement sources said.  —  An individual, described as a Muslim man, made the unspecified threat after Rep. Michele Bachmann …

Penn State sanctions: $60M, bowl ban  —  The NCAA has hit Penn State with a $60 million sanction, a four-year football postseason ban and a vacation of all wins dating to 1998, the organization said Monday morning.  —  The career record of former head football coach Joe Paterno will reflect …

Democrats shun Pelosi's plea for cash  —  One by one, the pictures of House members adorning the lobby of Democratic Party headquarters have come down, turning neat rows of framed photos into a disjointed mess — “splattered,” as one aide described it.  —  The half-dozen or so lawmakers whose mugs …

Loading the Climate Dice  —  A couple of weeks ago the Northeast was in the grip of a severe heat wave.  As I write this, however, it's a fairly cool day in New Jersey, considering that it's late July.  Weather is like that; it fluctuates.  —  And this banal observation may be what dooms us to climate catastrophe, in two ways.

Romney says Obama visit to Colorado was the ‘right thing’ to do  —  Presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney praised President Obama's decision to visit Aurora, Colorado and meet with victims of a mass shooting as “the right thing” to do.  —  Romney, who returned to the campaign trail …

SATURDAY'S SHOOTING  —  Anaheim's police chief confirmed Sunday the shooting victim on Anna Drive was unarmed.  There were no weapons recovered at the scene that could have belonged to him, Welter said.  —  Welter said he could not immediately confirm how many shots were fired or precisely …

Sen. Ron Johnson: 100-round rifle magazine is a ‘basic freedom’  —  Tea party-backed Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) says that the right to own high-capacity ammunitions magazines like the 100-round drum that was used to kill at least a dozen people in Colorado last week is a “basic freedom” that is protected by the U.S. Constitution.

California Republicans Seek a Turnaround  —  LOS ANGELES — This would seem a moment of great opportunity for California Republicans.  The state has become a national symbol of fiscal turmoil and dysfunction, the Legislature is nearly as unpopular as Congress and Democrats control every branch of government.

Iraq Insurgents Kill Nearly 100 After Declaring New Offensive  —  BAGHDAD — In a coordinated display intended to show they remain a viable force, Iraqi insurgents launched at least 37 separate attacks on Monday morning, setting off car bombs, storming a military base and ambushing checkpoints, Iraqi authorities said.

Examiner Editorial: Liberal pundits always rush to blame the Tea Party  —  Popular in Opinion  —  Whenever a new cause or movement is born, and a large number of people feel passionate about it, there's always the danger that it will inspire someone — perhaps just a lone nut …

Obama Job Approval Up Slightly in 14th Quarter  —  Averages 46.8%, up from 45.9% in prior quarter  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Barack Obama averaged 46.8% job approval during his 14th quarter in office, marking a slight improvement from quarter 13.  His quarterly average approval rating has improved …