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 …

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 Order  —  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.

Obama Argues for a Second Term Without Closing the Deal  —  First Lady Michelle Obama greets her husband, President Barack Obama, in Charlotte, N.C., on Sept. 6 2012.  —  The President gave a fine speech Thursday night.  His vision of the country is much closer to the place where I live …

Transcript: President Obama's Convention Speech … PRESIDENT OBAMA: Thank you.  (Sustained cheers, applause.)  Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you so much.  —  AUDIENCE MEMBERS: Four more years!  Four more years!  Four more years!  —  PRESIDENT OBAMA: Thank you.  —  AUDIENCE MEMBERS: Four more years!

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.

White House circulating draft of executive order on cybersecurity  —  The White House is circulating a draft of an executive order aimed at protecting the country from cyberattacks, The Hill has learned.  —  The draft proposal, which has been sent to relevant federal agencies for feedback …

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 …

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 …

Ann Romney KWQC Interview Transcript  —  KWQC TV6: “What is your message to voters?”  —  Ann Romney: “My message, really was, ‘women, I hear your voices,’ and the interesting thing about this economy, this tough economy that we're going through, is that women have been hit the hardest.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan's Benedictions At RNC And DNC (FULL TEXT) … REACT:  —  FOLLOW:  —  Elections 2012, Democratic Convention, Democratic Convention, Elections 2012, Religion and Politics, Video, 2012 Democratic Convention, 2012 Democratic National Convention, Cardinal Timothy Dolan …

Did Obama Phone It In?  —  Barack Obama's speech tonight was....OK.  But that was about all.  It meandered, it skittered, and most of the time it seemed oddly themeless.  It had some good lines, but too often they were left hanging.  Take this jab at Republicans, for example: … That's a good riff.