Brutal new Obama ad features Mitt Romney and the 47 percenters  —  The Obama campaign has not sent this ad to national reporters, but I'm told it will air in the seven key swing states.  It is a brutal shot at Mitt Romney's videotaped remarks about the freeloading 47 percent …

From video to terrorist attack: a definitive timeline of administration statements on the Libya attack  —  “We are still doing an investigation.”  —  In any kind of confused overseas event, initial reports are often wrong.  But the Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. diplomatic post in Benghazi …

NEW ROMNEY VIDEO: In 1985, He Said Bain Would “Harvest” Companies for Profits  —  This clip shows the young CEO focusing on businesses as targets for his investors, not as job creators or community stakeholders.  —  Campaigning for the presidency, Mitt Romney has pointed to his stint …

Shock Photos of Netanyahu at U.N. from AP, Reuters  —  Two shocking photos coming off the wire of Benjamin Netanyahu addressing the United Nations moments ago.  —  The first is from the Associated Press:  —  Associated PressAssociated Press  —  The second is from Reuters:  —  ReutersReuters

Todd Akin says Claire McCaskill is not as ‘ladylike’ as 2006  —  JEFFERSON CITY - More than a month after his comments about “legitimate rape” nearly derailed his campaign for U.S. Senate, Republican Todd Akin said Thursday that it has become clear to him that he will triumph over Democratic incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill this fall.

CES Preliminary Benchmark Announcement  —  In accordance with usual practice, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is announcing the preliminary estimate of the upcoming annual benchmark revision to the establishment survey employment series.  The final benchmark revision will be issued on February 1 …

Soros Gives $1 Million to Democratic ‘Super PAC’  —  The billionaire George Soros is committing $1 million to Priorities USA Action, the “super PAC” supporting President Obama, two people with knowledge of the decision said Thursday, a significant donation that could help spur further contributions …

Phoenix Mayor Attempts To Live On A Food Stamp Budget: 'I'm Tired, And It's Hard To Focus'  —  When local activist groups challenged Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton to live on a food stamp budget for a week to mark Hunger Awareness Month, he took them up on the offer and found out just how hard it was.

Medicare working to boost Obama in swing states, poll finds  —  Voters in three critical swing states broadly oppose the sweeping changes to Medicare proposed by Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan and, by big margins, favor President Obama over Mitt Romney on the issue …

New Justice Department Documents Show Huge Increase in Warrantless Electronic Surveillance  —  Justice Department documents released today by the ACLU reveal that federal law enforcement agencies are increasingly monitoring Americans' electronic communications, and doing so without warrants …

Americans' Preference Shifts Toward One-Party Government  —  Change in preferences driven mostly by Democrats  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. — A record-high 38% of Americans prefer that the same party control the presidency and Congress, while a record-low 23% say it would be better if the president …

Poll Shows Romney Winning High Water Mark for Libertarian Vote  —  In a recent article on TheBlaze, Reason's Matt Welch, FreedomWork's Matt Kibbe, and David Boaz, speculated whether Romney can win over libertarians.  As we've shown in previous studies, libertarians represent a key swing vote that decides elections.

The Politics of Beer: Stay Nonpartisan, My Friends  —  Americans who most often drink Dos Equis are in the middle-of-the-road while drinkers of Heineken's flagship brand are strongly Democratic.  Samuel Adams drinkers are strongly Republican, and more likely to vote.

While Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad soaks up Manhattan high life, his underlings go on shopping spree at discount chains Payless, Costco, Walgreens and Duane Reade  —  Visiting delegation rack up on shampoo, soap and vitamins.  One visitor debated dropping $40 for kids' shoes at Fifth Ave.

Why you shouldn't vote for Obama  —  From the campaign trail … (CNN) — It has been said that a democratic republic such as ours is a do-it-yourself enterprise.  People change the course of this country through conversation, debate and, eventually, consensus.

GDP collapse puts U.S. economy into recession red zone  —  GDP growth for the second quarter was revised down to 1.25%.  Here is Reuters: … U.S. economic growth is dangerously slow.  I've frequently written about research from the Fed which finds that since 1947, when two-quarter …

Romney's Supporters Reject His Soft Line On Obama  —  A failed golfer-president, not Che Guevera Lite?  Shouts of “No!” in Toledo.  —  Image by Brian Snyder / Reuters  —  TOLEDO, Ohio — Mitt Romney covered a lot of territory Wednesday — rhetorically and geographically …