Swing States poll: Women push Romney into lead  —  IN THE SWING STATES, THE POWER OF WOMEN  —  A new USA TODAY/Gallup Poll of the Swing States shows Mitt Romney with a lead among likely voters as he strengthens his standing with women in the nation's top battlegrounds.

Moderator Role Under Scrutiny — Before the Debate  —  In a rare example of political unity, both the Romney and Obama campaigns have expressed concern to the Commission on Presidential Debates about how the moderator of the Tuesday town hall has publicly described her role, TIME has learned.

Charity president unhappy about Paul Ryan soup kitchen ‘photo op’  —  Paul Ryan and his wife Janna wash pots at St. Vincent De Paul dining hall.  (Associated Press)  —  The head of a northeast Ohio charity says that the Romney campaign last week “ramrodded their way” into the group's Youngstown soup kitchen …

Michelle Obama: ‘We Are in the Midst of a Huge Recovery’  —  (CNSNews.com) - First Lady Michelle Obama said in a radio interview on Friday that the United States is in the “midst of a huge recovery” because of what “this president has done.”  —  Pablo Sato, co-host of Pablo & Free on WPGC 95.5 …

Romney Is Attacked by His Father's Longtime Aide  —  A longtime aide to George W. Romney issued a harshly worded critique of Mitt Romney, accusing him of shifting political positions in “erratic and startling ways” and failing to live up to the distinguished record of his father, the former governor of Michigan.

The Tea Party Will Win in the End  —  This is a nation that loathes government and always has.  Liberals should not be deluded: The Goldwater revolution will ultimately triumph, regardless of what happens in November.  —  Were the 2012 campaign a Hitchcock movie, Mitt Romney would be the MacGuffin …

Our Awful Economy, In One Chart  —  Michelle Obama says we are “in the midst of a huge recovery.”  That claim is laughable to anyone who has lived through the last four years; this simple chart from the Senate Budget Committee highlights one of the central failings of Obamanomics …

Oct. 14: Breaking the State-National Poll Stalemate  —  For the last week or so, we have been hoping to decode a confusing polling landscape.  President Obama still appeared to hold a narrow Electoral College lead on the basis of state-by-state surveys, while national polls were suggestive …

Mitt Romney: The Great Deformer  —  Is Romney really a job creator?  Ronald Reagan's budget director, David Stockman, takes a scalpel to the claims.  —  Bain Capital is a product of the Great Deformation.  It has garnered fabulous winnings through leveraged speculation in financial markets …

Why the early vote looks good for Democrats  —  It's still very early in the early voting process, but at least for now, Democrats can be optimistic that they are building a lead in the 2012 presidential race.  —  Absentee and early voting data from nine states that are generally viewed …

Romney not taking in ‘The View’  —  (CNN) - After criticizing chat program “The View” on a secretly recorded video, and subsequently agreeing to come on the show, Mitt Romney has cancelled his upcoming appearance citing scheduling conflicts.  —  Barbara Walters, the show's creator and co-host, announced the news Monday.

November 7th  —  Though their agendas are hidden, both Romney and Obama have plans to dramatically remake the size and character of American government.  Very, very quickly.  —  If you ask Barack Obama or Mitt Romney, or merely wander in front of a television when they are speaking …

Bush in the Wilderness  —  And should that happen, the answer in be 2016 may be a GOP nominee with the courage of his more centrist positions.  In other words: Jeb.  Even his own son, George P., acknowledges that his father's declaration that 2012 was “probably my time” contains a significant caveat.

How Romney can win — and how Obama can avoid it  —  One thing Obama urgently needs to prevent during tomorrow's debate is this: He can't allow Mitt Romney to become the candidate of change in this race.  And that may be in the process of happening.  —  In an interview this morning …

Tommy Thompson's Son Apologizes For Birther Joke  —  Jason Thompson, son of former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson, publicly apologized for a remark he made at an event Sunday while speaking on behalf of his father's Senate campaign — in which he made a joke alluding to the conspiracy theories about President Obama's place of birth.

2 Motorcyclists Involved In Michelle Obama's Motorcade Escort Injured In Crash Along U.S. 36  —  Two law enforcement officials were injured in a crash while part of a motorcade escort for First Lady Michelle Obama on Monday.  —  According to the Delaware County Sheriff's Office …

Disappearing story lines: An extra boost for Obama  —  Around the time of the Republican National Convention, the single word on the lips of most of the press corps was “likability.”  Mitt Romney did not have it.  We have never elected someone with such a negative image.  He was a stiff.

Gary Johnson Libertarian Candidate Worries Republicans  —  When he was running for the Republican presidential nomination last year, Gary Johnson, the former two-term Republican governor of New Mexico, drew ridicule from mainstream party members as he advocated legalized marijuana and a 43 percent cut in military spending.

Romney Camp: Obama Not Macho Enough For Latinos  —  Romney gains in Florida.  Democrats say the polls are skewed.  —  President Obama at a Univision Forum last month.  —  Mitt Romney aides say he has made crucial gains among Florida's Hispanic voters by portraying Obama as fatally weak …

NEWS FLASH  —  PENNSYLVANIA GOP CANDIDATE: ‘WE HAVE TO BE A CHRISTIAN ARMY’ |  GOP candidate Diana Irey Vaughan spoke to ACTION, a conservative Christian activist group, in Lancaster County this weekend, to explain why she is running for state treasurer of Pennsylvania.

Video: Police Brutalize Defenseless Man at Aliya  —  CROWN HEIGHTS [CHI] — On Monday evening, October 8, 2012, police were called about a man who was sleeping in the lounge of the Aliya Institute on East New York Ave.  The caller may have mistakenly believed that the homeless man …

Biden To Appear On Network Morning Shows After Obama-Romney Debate  —  Sign of confidence from the Obama campaign.  And a correction from the first debate.  —  U.S. Vice President Joe Biden speaks during the vice presidential debate last week.  —  Image by Pool / Reuters