Team Obama breaks precedent to try to spoil Romney's convention  —  Bucking protocol, President Obama and the Democrats are planning a full-scale assault on Republicans next week during their convention.  —  Bucking protocol, President Obama and the Democrats are planning a full-scale assault …

Polls Say Medicare Is Key Issue in 3 Swing States  —  The Romney-Ryan proposal to reshape Medicare by giving future beneficiaries fixed amounts of money to buy health coverage is deeply unpopular in Florida, Ohio and Wisconsin, according to new polls that found that more likely voters …

Lubbock Co. Judge warns of potential danger if Obama is re-elected  —  Lubbock County Judge Tom Head and Commissioner Mark Heinrich went into great detail Monday night on FOX 34 News @ Nine about why it is necessary to raise the tax rate by 1.7 cents the next fiscal year.

Sheriff candidate says he wouldn't reject deadly force to stop abortions  —  Candidate says he believes elective, late-term abortions aren't lawful  —  Candidate's abortion comments draw criticism  —  A Republican candidate for Hillsborough County Sheriff said Wednesday …

Michelle Obama: ‘Get to the Polls on November the 2’  —  Michelle Obama, speaking yesterday at a campaign event in Florida: … The presidential election this year is November 6.

‘O-I-H-O’: Barack Obama's Dan Quayle moment  —  President Barack Obama finally found the 57th state, and it's spelled O-I-H-O.  —  To be fair, Obama and his pals finally got it right here: … Some can't believe the President would be so stupid: … Great point!  Except, not really:

Cops: Lesbian Fakes Attack In Which She Carved Anti-Gay Slurs Into Skin  —  LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A former University of Nebraska women's basketball star faked an attack in which she allegedly carved anti-gay slurs into her skin because she felt it would spark change, police said Tuesday.

Mitt Romney says plan will achieve North American energy independence by 2020  —  LITTLE ROCK — Mitt Romney on Thursday will outline a plan that he projects would achieve North American energy independence by 2020 by opening new areas for offshore oil drilling, starting in Virginia and the Carolinas …

AP Exclusive: Energy loan watchdog an Obama donor  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — A veteran Wall Street executive who performed an independent review that exonerated the Obama administration's program of loans to energy companies contributed $52,500 to re-elect President Barack Obama in the months since completing …

The Lost Decade of the Middle Class  —  Fewer, Poorer, Gloomier  —  CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW  —  As the 2012 presidential candidates prepare their closing arguments to America's middle class, they are courting a group that has endured a lost decade for economic well-being.

Agencies warn of possible anarchist activity at conventions  —  Washington (CNN) — Law enforcement officials are concerned about possible violence by anarchist extremists at the upcoming Republican and Democratic national conventions, according to an intelligence bulletin prepared by the FBI and Department of Homeland Security.

Fear of a Black President  —  As a candidate, Barack Obama said we needed to reckon with race and with America's original sin, slavery.  But as our first black president, he has avoided mention of race almost entirely.  In having to be “twice as good” and “half as black,” …

Dan Savage and Brian Brown Debate Gay Marriage Over the Dinner Table  —  THE ancient Greek symposium, which combined drinking with elevated discussion, was often held in a private house; at Parisian salons, conversation frequently took place in the bedroom.  Once upon a time …

Obama: Team Romney coming on strong, playing dirty, time to ‘put them away’  —  President Obama joined a group of former NBA stars at a fundraiser at New York's Lincoln Center Wednesday night.  With Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, Walt Frazier, Bill Bradley and other basketball legends sitting nearby …

Rick Warren cancels Obama-Romney forum at Saddleback Church  —  LAKE FOREST - Rick Warren, Saddleback Church's pastor, announced Wednesday that a civil forum planned with President Barack Obama and presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney at the church has been canceled …

GOP lawmakers rip ATF double dip  —  Two key Republicans ripped the Obama administration on Wednesday for allowing an official involved in Operation Fast and Furious to draw a six-figure salary from JPMorgan even as he received a regular government paycheck.

Ties to Obama Aided in Access for Big Utility  —  WASHINGTON — Early in the Obama administration, a lobbyist for the Illinois-based energy producer Exelon Corporation proudly called it “the president's utility.”  And it was not just because it delivers power to Barack Obama's Hyde Park neighborhood in Chicago.

Marco Rubio on how he learned he wasn't Romney's VP pick; kind words for Nelson, harsh ones for Akin  —  Republican Sen. Marco Rubio told a Forum Club of the Palm Beaches luncheon crowd today about the phone conversation he had with Mitt Romney the day before Romney announced Paul Ryan as his running mate.

Clinton stars in new Obama ad  —  (CNN) - Former President Bill Clinton takes center stage in a new ad released by President Barack Obama's re-election campaign on Thursday.  —  The former president, who's been a top surrogate for Obama this year, largely praises Obama in the spot and attempted …

First Thoughts: Not your ordinary August poll  —  This isn't your ordinary August poll; it looks more like October... The poll's three macro-conclusions: 1) Obama has the advantage heading into the conventions, 2) he's still below 50%, 3) Romney has work to do repairing his image …