Clinton: ‘I take responsibility’ for security ahead of Benghazi attack  —  Lima, Peru (CNN) — Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the buck stops with her when it comes to who is to blame for security ahead of a deadly assault on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya.

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 …

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.

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 …

Obama: ‘We Got Back Every Dime’ of Bailout; CBO: Bailout Will Lose $24 Billion  —  (CNSNews.com) - President Barack Obama said on Thursday that “we got back every dime we used to rescue the financial system.”  —  According to the Congressional Budget Office, however, the government will lose about $24 billion on the bailout.

Ex-Sen. George McGovern, who lost presidency to Nixon in historic landslide, in hospice care  —  PIERRE, S.D. — Longtime former U.S. Sen. George McGovern, the Democratic presidential candidate who lost to President Richard Nixon in a historic landslide, has moved into hospice care near his home in South Dakota, his family said Monday.

5 Things to Watch for in Presidential Debate  —  Five things to watch for when President Barack Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney meet in their second debate:  —  1. A REBOUND?  After taking a drubbing in the first debate, Obama's under big pressure to step up his game Tuesday night.

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.

Release Detail  —  October 16, 2012 - Romney Closing In On Obama In Pennsylvania, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Casey-Smith Senate Race Too Close To Call  —  Watch Video: Assistant Director Tim Malloy discusses poll results  —  Clip Information and Download:  —  FLV File - For Website (1920x1080 / 50.8MB)

Paul Ryan Can't Lose  —  On a Monday night in late September, Paul Ryan sat on the edge of a couch in his suite at the Cincinnatian Hotel, his left fist clenched so tightly around the neck of his bottle of Miller Lite that I could see the veins bulging in his hands.

Report: Bush takes up painting  —  Former President George W. Bush's low profile since leaving office has left the Texan with a lot of time on his hands — and he's using those hands to keep himself busy.  —  Bush has started painting, mostly portraits of dogs and arid Texas landscapes, according to New York Magazine.

Tea Party Group Launches Racist ‘Obama Phone’ Ad  —  Late last month, conservative media lit up with a video of an African-American woman excitedly praising President Barack Obama because he supposedly gave racial minorities in Cleveland free telephones.  The video received prominent placement …

Professors donate to Obama, opine about election in the news  —  At least a half-dozen professors who gave political donations to President Obama have been quoted in news articles opining about his administration and the 2012 race for the White House.  —  The findings of The Hill's months …

Over the Decades, How States Have Shifted  —  Recent elections have placed a heavy emphasis on “swing states” — Ohio, Florida, and a handful of other states most-easily swayed from one party to the other.  Yet in the past, many more states shifted between the Democratic and Republican parties.

Romney campaign files federal suit to ensure all military ballots count in Wisconsin  —  Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney's campaign has filed a federal lawsuit in Wisconsin to extend the amount of time military and overseas absentee ballots can be returned.

FLOTUS: Reach out to ‘knuckleheads,’ tell them to vote  —  First lady Michelle Obama is encouraging supporters to reach out to the “knuckleheads” in their life to ask them to vote for President Obama.  —  Speaking in Delaware, Ohio, the first lady encouraged people to cast their net wide …

Justice Seeks Dismissal of Fast & Furious Suit  —  The Justice Department on Monday night sought dismissal of a lawsuit by a Republican-led House committee demanding that Attorney General Eric Holder produce records about the botched law enforcement probe of gun-trafficking called Operation Fast and Furious.