Battleground Poll: Race still tight  —  The presidential race is tight enough nationally that a strong performance in Wednesday's debate by Mitt Romney could put him in the lead.  —  A new POLITICO/George Washington University Battleground Poll of likely voters shows President Barack Obama ahead 49 percent …

GOP's October surprise?  —  Source reveals “Jimmy Carter Strategy” to make Obama seem weak on defense in campaign's final month  —  According to a highly reliable source, as Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama prepare for the first presidential debate Wednesday night …

Brittany: “A face of one of the 47%”  —  Hello!  My name is Brittany and I live in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.  I am 25 years old (but I will be 26 on October 3rd!).  I am a registered Democrat and I have been voting since I was 18.  I am one of the 47% of Americans who fall under Mitt Romney's definition …

The Paul Ryan Legend Dissipates  —  Before we discuss our tax plan, I would like to point out that my eyes are extremely blue.  —  Paul Ryan's selection as Mitt Romney's vice-presidential candidate is subjecting him to all manner of strange new indignities, such as questions about public policy …

A New Course for the Middle East  —  Restore the three sinews of American influence: our economic strength, our military strength and the strength of our values.  —  Disturbing developments are sweeping across the greater Middle East.  In Syria, tens of thousands of innocent people have been slaughtered.

Victimized billionaires  —  Why do billionaires feel victimized by Obama?  Chrystia Freeland asks that question in the New Yorker this week, and comes back with answers we've all heard before: in short, it's not the policies, it's the rhetoric.  —  Of course, this doesn't stand up to scrutiny; it never did.

Five Questions about the Federal Reserve and Monetary Policy  —  Good afternoon.  I am pleased to be able to join the Economic Club of Indiana for lunch today.  I note that the mission of the club is “to promote an interest in, and enlighten its membership on, important governmental, economic and social issues.”

The Real Referendum  —  Republicans came into this campaign believing that it would be a referendum on President Obama, and that still-high unemployment would hand them victory on a silver platter.  But given the usual caveats — a month can be a long time in politics, it's not over until …

Obama vs. Obama at debates  —  LAS VEGAS — President Barack Obama's most dangerous opponent in the trio of upcoming presidential debates isn't Mitt Romney.  —  It's himself.  —  The president has been working on blunting his barbs nearly as much as he's been trying to sharpen …

After Obama guidance, Lockheed won't issue layoff notices this year  —  Lockheed Martin said Monday it will not issue employee layoff notices this year, ending an election-year showdown with the Obama administration.  —  The company said it based its decision on new guidance issued Friday …

THE EXPLOSION IN MOBILE AUDIENCES AND A CLOSE LOOK AT WHAT IT MEANS FOR NEWS  —  By Amy Mitchell, Tom Rosenstiel and Laura Houston Santhanam of PEJ and Leah Christian of the Pew Research Center  —  SEE THE INFOGRAPHIC OF FINDINGS  —  TAKE THE FUTURE OF MOBILE NEWS INFOGRAPHIC CHALLENGE

For 2012 Presidential Debates, Campaigns Speed Up The Spin … REACT:  —  FOLLOW:  —  Barack Obama , Mitt Romney, Barack Obama 2012 , Video, 2012 Debates, 2012 Presidential Debates, Associated Press, Ed Rollins, Steve Schmidt, Campaign Spin, Debate Spin Room, Mitt Romney 2012 …

As college student, Eric Holder participated in ‘armed’ takeover of former Columbia University ROTC office  —  As a freshman at Columbia University in 1970, future Attorney General Eric Holder participated in a five-day occupation of an abandoned Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) …

Women erased from Saudi IKEA catalog  —  Ikea's catalog is printed in 198 million copies and looks almost the same in 27 languages and in 38 countries.  With one big exception.  In the Saudi Arabian version of the catalog almost all women have been erased, Swedish newspaper Metro said.

Poll: Obama Tops 70 Percent Support Among Latinos  —  President Barack Obama's already-lofty level of support among Latino voters has reached a new high, according to the latest weekly tracking poll from Latino Decisions released Monday.  —  The poll shows Obama earning the support of 73 percent …

Warren Maintains Narrow Lead In Latest WBUR Senate Poll  —  Sen. Scott Brown and his Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren prepare for their first debate with moderator Jon Keller on Sept. 20 in Boston.  (AP)  —  BOSTON — The latest WBUR poll of 504 likely voters (PDFs - topline …

Supreme Court Denies Appeal From Anti-Gay Marriage Group  —  National Organization for Marriage may be forced to disclose funders in Maine fight.  No action yet on Proposition 8, Defense of Marriage Act cases.  —  Image by Gary Cameron / Reuters  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. …

EXCLUSIVE: New information casts doubt on Romney's account of his 1981 arrest  —  A police log report, published in the Natick Sun newspaper in 1981 and obtained by Blue Mass Group, calls into question a portion of Mitt Romney's account of his arrest in 1981.

Fast and Furious Scandal: New Details Emerge on How the U.S. Government Armed Mexican Drug Cartels  —  Pools Of Blood On The Streets Of Villas De Salvarcar After A Massacre In Which Operation Fast And Furious Guns Were Allegedly Used (Univision)  —  On January 30, 2010 …

The ‘Live TV’ Suicide: Forgive Shep Smith, But Boycott Buzzfeed … Fox News , General Electric , Shep Smith , Buzzfeed , Car Chase , Journalism Ethics , Live Tv , Media Ethics , Shep Smith Car Chase , Tv Suicide , Media News  —  In my 23 years in journalism, I've never seen a self-proclaimed …

Donald Trump's Libyan Hindsight  —  He made the case for Libya intervention, now he says he knew all along.  Prediction: He will not acknowledge the contradiction.  —  Andrew Kaczynski  —  a half hour ago  —  respond

Another domino falls as Hollande pushes France into depression  —  If French President François Hollande thinks he can assuage the bond markets by dishing out tax-heavy austerity instead of genuine reform, he has been given very bad advice.  —  'Francois Hollande proposes nothing credible …

Allen Discusses Insider Attacks in ‘60 Minutes’ Interview  —  By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.  —  In an interview on the CBS program “60 Minutes” last night, the commander of U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan said he takes his mission personally and is angered …

Payroll Tax Cut Unlikely to Survive Into Next Year  —  WASHINGTON — Regardless of who wins the presidential election in November or what compromises Congress strikes in the lame-duck session to keep the economy from automatic tax increases and spending cuts, 160 million American wage earners …

U.S. Gov't Employees Among Top Campaign Contributors to Obama; Bankers Among Top Contributors to Romney  —  (CNSNews.com) - U.S. government employees and their families have thus far contributed $396,550 to President Barack Obama's reelection campaign, making them one of the top five sources …

Canvassers always knock twice  —  MENTOR, Ohio — On opposite sides of Mentor Avenue, volunteers assembled in their windbreakers and walking shoes: Another day in the grueling, months-long effort to register, organize, motivate and otherwise cajole the voters who will decide the 2012 election was underway.