Mitt Romney would honor Obama administration's illegal immigrant work permits  —  Young illegal immigrants who receive temporary work permits to stay in the United States under an executive order issued by President Barack Obama would not be deported under a Mitt Romney administration …

U.S. Consulate in Benghazi Bombed Twice in Run-Up to 9/11 Anniversary  —  Jihadists twice set off explosives at the consulate prior to the incident that killed Ambassador Chris Stevens, and announced threats on Facebook about escalating attacks on Western targets in the run-up to the 9/11 anniversary …

Joe Biden: Sex symbol?  —  He's No. 2 on the ticket, but No. 1 in their hearts.  —  Women born before the Baby Boom generation seem to have a collective crush on a handsome vice presidential candidate with piercing blue eyes and a wide smile who likes to talk about government benefits for seniors.

Because they kinda do. … ABOUT  —  This is the Obama 2012 campaign's official home on Tumblr.  Have a story, photo, or video you'd like to share here?  Go ahead and submit it today.

Pennsylvania Judge Blocks Voter-ID Law  —  A Pennsylvania judge on Tuesday blocked the state's controversial voter-identification law from taking effect in time for the November election.  —  Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson said he wasn't convinced that the measure requiring voters …

The Flaws That Will Bring Down Obama's Health-Care Plan  —  The debate over President Barack Obama's health-care law has taken another twist.  Now conservatives and libertarians are defending it, while the administration tries to toss part of the legislation out.

Democrat Targets West's Military Career In Brutal TV Ad  —  Democratic candidate Patrick Murphy struck back on Tuesday at Rep. Allen West (R-FL), after West ran an ad about Murphy's arrest in 2003 bar-fight.  In response, Murphy went after a key event for West in 2003 — when his military career was ended.

Can Romney turn this contest around?  —  In baseball, a game without a clock, each player on a team that is behind by a bunch of runs is advised to “stay within yourself.”  That baseball lingo means: Do not try to do too much.  Instead, get 'em on, get 'em over, get 'em in.  There are no five-run home runs.

New Polls Raise Chance of Electoral College Tie  —  As of Monday's FiveThirtyEight forecast, there were 21 states that Barack Obama was projected to have at least an 85 percent chance of winning on Nov. 6.  The list includes three important states, Ohio, Wisconsin and New Hampshire …

Leaders at Work on Plan to Avert Mandatory Cuts  —  WASHINGTON — Senate leaders are closing in on a path for dealing with the “fiscal cliff” facing the country in January, opting to try to use a postelection session of Congress to reach agreement on a comprehensive deficit reduction deal rather than a short-term solution.

The Opening Statement  —  Ladies and gentleman, I'd like to use the opening minutes of this debate a little differently.  I'd like to say that I wish everybody could have known my father, George Romney.  He was a great public servant and I've always tried to live up to his example.

The Painful Truth About Affirmative Action  —  Why racial preferences in college admissions hurt minority students — and shroud the education system in dishonesty.  —  michaeljung/Shutterstock  —  Affirmative action in university admissions started in the late 1960s as a noble effort …

Ringside with Romney  —  When Mitt Romney takes the stage on Wednesday at the University of Denver, he will undoubtedly be prepared.  The question is whether he will execute.  Romney advisers expect their candidate to be fluid and precise on the issues.  They don't expect him to make a …

Stop Pagination Now  —  Why websites should not make you click and click and click for the full story.  —  Slate's editorial guidelines call for articles to be split into multiple pages once they hit the 1,000-word mark, so I have to keep this brief: Splitting articles and photo galleries into multiple pages is evil.

Latest poll: Mia Love pulls ahead of Jim Matheson in 4th District race  —  SALT LAKE CITY — Saratoga Springs Mayor Mia Love has overcome a double-digit deficit to overtake Rep. Jim Matheson in Utah's hotly contested 4th Congressional District, the latest Deseret News/KSL poll shows.

Readers Won't Benefit if Times Bans the Term ‘Illegal Immigrant’  —  For two weeks, I've been listening to people and reading about the term “illegal immigrant.”  I have gathered information from readers, advocates, reporters and editors.  I even had a face-to-face meeting with the most visible proponent …

Not From the Onion: Army Says ‘Social Network’ Use Is a Sign of Radicalism  —  Spotting the warning signs of radicalization among U.S. or partnered troops is difficult.  Photo: Flickr/soldiersmediacenter  —  These are some warning signs that that you have turned into a terrorist …

Shhh: Reporters Can't Talk About The Secret, Fun Mitt Romney  —  Off the record, he's loose as a goose and sort of endearing.  “We can't show a side of him that exists,” complains a member of his press corps.  —  Romney laughs as he hands out beef jerky to the press on his campaign plane.

A pollster under oath  —  When a pollster or strategist for a struggling political campaign presents what seems like a sugar-coated view of his candidate's chances, do you ever think: I wish I could give that adviser some truth serum, or maybe put him under oath?

Scott Brown Shot Himself In The Foot During Debate With Elizabeth Warren  —  Massachusetts Democratic Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren covered her face as the crowd booed her challenger, Republican Scott Brown.  Brown had just hailed Justice Antonin Scalia as his “model” Supreme Court justice …