Hill Poll: Voters say second term undeserved, country is worse off  —  A majority of voters believe the country is worse off today than it was four years ago and that President Obama does not deserve reelection, according to a new poll for The Hill.  —  Fifty-two percent of likely voters …

'64 or Bust  —  In a Bloomberg column, Ramesh Ponnuru makes an argument for Mitt Romney's election that you are going to hear a lot more of soon: it's the only way that partisan gridlock in Washington can be broken.  The basic theory is that Republicans will not change from their current …

Indian delegates seek sit-down with Elizabeth Warren  —  Tribal activist:'Shame on her'  —  CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Elizabeth Warren can't escape her Cherokee heritage controversy even at this gathering of loyal Democrats, as a contingent of skeptical American Indian delegates …

Paul Ryan: Obama didn't close the plant  —  Rep. Paul Ryan said Tuesday that he wasn't suggesting that President Barack Obama was responsible for the closure of an auto plant in Janesville, Wis., during his convention speech last week.  —  “What they are trying to suggest is that I said Barack Obama …

Bedbugs an increasing concern at DNC hotels  —  Charlotte seeing an uptick in pest reports  —  CHARLOTTE, N.C. — You think incumbent politicians are hard to get rid of?  Try bedbugs.  —  The blood-sucking insects have made a resurgence in recent years, including reports of them at nine …

First Lady's Focus Is Drawing Contrast With Romney  —  Michelle Obama rarely mentions Mitt Romney by name.  But everything she says during this presidential campaign is meant to draw a contrast between her husband and his Republican challenger.  —  She implies that Romney …

Exclusive: How Karl Rove's Super PAC Plays the Senate  —  On Thursday, Aug. 30, the final day of the Republican National Convention, Karl Rove gave a breakfast briefing to a group of about 70 of the Republican Party's most influential donors.  As Bloomberg Businessweek reported …

“Are Americans Better Off Today Than They Were Four Years Ago?”  The Question That Exposes Incompetent Reporters  —  While the source is not clear, someone developed a simple way to identify incompetent news reporters.  If you hear a reporter ask people in President Obama's administration …

Johnny Depp Flees France Over Tax Hikes  —  I'm a bad person.  I know it's not nice to take joy in the misery of others, but I can't help but smile when I see a story about bad news in France.  —  In my defense, this is not because of hostility to French people, who have always been friendly to me.

Debt to hit $16 trillion as DNC kicks off  —  Bad timing for Democrats: The gross national debt is set to hit $16 trillion Tuesday as the party's convention gets underway, and Republicans are pouncing.  —  “This is a grim landmark for the United States,” Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) …

Democratic Platform Endorses Taxpayer-Funded Abortions  —  And the Democratic party doesn't want to make abortions “rare.”  —  Charlotte  —  The 2012 Democratic party will officially adopt an extreme position on the issue of abortion on Tuesday.  According to a copy of the party platform …

Exclusive: GQ Reveals Paul Ryan's Secret Service Code Name!  —  According to a campaign official, it's “Bowhunter.”  —  His wife, Janna, is “Buttercup.”  —  Where some candidates choose evocative names—President Obama sees himself as a “Renegade,” while George W. Bush was a “Trailblazer.”

Food-Stamp Use Climbs To Record, Reviving Campaign Issue  —  Food-stamp use reached a record 46.7 million in June, the government said, as Democrats prepare to nominate President Barack Obama for a second term with the economy as a chief issue in the campaign.