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 …

Online Ammunition Sales Highlighted by Aurora Shootings  —  DENVER — Unhindered by federal background checks or government oversight, the 24-year-old man accused of killing a dozen people inside a Colorado movie theater was able to build what the police called a 6,000-round arsenal legally …

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 …

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.

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 …

Obama campaign touts troop withdrawals ahead of VFW convention  —  President Obama's campaign showcased the president's promise to draw down the U.S. military presence in Iraq and his support of veterans in a Web video released Monday.  —  The video, released ahead of Obama's visit …

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 …

How the media shouldn't cover a mass murder  —  A look at the “Batman killer” front pages.  —  Every time there's a mass shooting, I remember this piece of footage from Charlie Brooker's BBC series Newswipe.  In it, a forensic psychiatrist outlines the guidelines for news reporting of such a tragedy …