The awful, awful August jobs report  —  This was not the employment report either American workers or the Obama campaign were hoping for.  A huge miss. It shows the U.S. labor market remains in a deep depression, generating few jobs and little if no income growth.  As IHS Global Insight puts it:

Eastwood says his convention appearance was ‘mission accomplished’  —  AFTER A week as topic No. 1 in American politics, former Carmel Mayor Clint Eastwood said the outpouring of criticism from left-wing reporters and liberal politicians after his appearance at the Republican National Convention …

Romney On Omitting U.S. Troops From RNC Speech: ‘You Talk About Things You Think Are Important’  —  Romney giving his speech to the Republican National Convention  —  In an interview with Fox News this afternoon, Mitt Romney shot back at critics who complained that he didn't mention Afghanistan …

Obama Bounces Up to 52% Approval, 48% to 45% Over Romney  —  President Barack Obama and the Democratic Party look as if they are getting at least a preliminary bounce from their convention.  Today's (Friday, Sept. 7) Gallup Daily tracking update puts Obama's job approval rating at 52% …

Romney Endorses Ultraconservative Congressman  —  Rep. Steve King takes a hard line on issues like abortion and Islam.  The Obama campaign seizes opportunity to cast Romney as extreme on social issues.  —  Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney …

“They Won't Magically Turn You Into A Lustful Cockmonster”: Chris Kluwe Explains Gay Marriage To The Politician Who Is Offended By An NFL Player Supporting It  —  Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo has spoken out in favor of a Maryland ballot initiative that would legalize gay marriage.

Obama's Message Breaks Through In Swing State Newspapers  —  An emphasis on the path forward.  Lukewarm reception to his speech from pundits doesn't make the headlines.  —  Andrew Kaczynski  —  an hour ago  —  22 responses

Ohio Secretary Of State Backs Down On Early Voting  —  After being summoned to court by a federal judge, Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted on Friday backed away from his order that would have banned counties from planning for early voting.  —  Husted's original order had essentially ignored …

The Democrats' Soft Extremism  —  Obama is out of ideas, and Clinton's speech was unworthy of him.  —  Barack Obama is deeply overexposed and often boring.  He never seems to be saying what he's thinking.  His speech Thursday was weirdly anticlimactic.  There's too much buildup, the crowd was tired, it all felt flat.

Romney's Playing Field Narrows  —  Mitt Romney's team announced last night, in the immediate wake of the Democratic convention, that it was unleashing a massive swing-state ad blitz.  Since the announcement came well before the lousy jobs report, and even before the mixed reviews for Obama's speech …

Even Fox News Is Fed Up With Romney Failing To Provide Details Of His Tax Plan  —  The Romney campaign has so far refused to clarify which tax deductions and loopholes it would eliminate in order to make its huge proposed tax cut for the rich revenue neutral.

Jackson Jr. back in Washington DC  —  Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) has left the Mayo Clinic, where he was receiving treatment for bipolar disorder, and is back in Washington D.C.  —  Rick Bryant, Jackson's chief of staff, confirmed Friday to The Hill that the Illinois congressman had left …

CHART: The Racial Makeup Of Obama, Romney Presidential Coalitions  —  When it comes to building a winning coalition, President Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney have very distinct paths to victory.  Romney is betting on winning big with white voters.

Judge To Woman Sexually Assaulted By Cop: ‘When You Blame Others, You Give Up Your Power To Change’  —  Last summer, a drunk Arizona police officer named Robb Gary Evans drove himself to a bar, flashed his badge to avoid paying cover at the door, and then walked up behind a woman …

Separatism threatens the future of Spain  —  Canadian regional elections seldom set the international pulse racing but this week's victory in Quebec of the separatist Parti Québécois was closely watched in Spain, now facing a revival of Basque and Catalan independence demands.

Reshuffling the deck: Barak now opposes Israeli strike on Iran, sources say  —  People who have met the defense minister in recent weeks say he cites his objections with the same conviction and skill he used to support an attack just two months ago.  —  Word is that Defense Minister Ehud Barak …

O'Reilly ‘Stunned’ At Caroline Kennedy's ‘Catholic Woman’ Abortion Remarks  —  The O'Reilly Factor began last night by broadcasting the convention speech of Caroline Kennedy, who came out and declared “As a Catholic woman,” she supports Obama because “Now isn't the time to roll back the rights …

Report to Congress on the Haqqani Network  —  Press Statement  —  Washington, DC  —  Today, I have sent a report to Congress saying that the Haqqani Network meets the statutory criteria of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) for designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).

Ask the DNC: Is Romney Ready for the Kill List?  —  As you may have heard last night, Osama bin Laden is dead, has perished from the earth, is at the bottom of the sea, and is not better off than he was four years ago.  The Democrats are trying to pull a Bush on national security …