King's crisis  —  About 2,000 people gathered on Sept. 28 at First Baptist North in Spartanburg, S.C., to hear high-profile Christians speak on defending the faith and applying a Christian worldview to their lives.  Among the speakers: Eric Metaxas, Josh McDowell, and—keynote speaker for the evening …

Daily Kos/SEIU State of the Nation poll: Romney's best numbers of the week  —  Public Policy Polling for Daily Kos & SEIU.  10/12-14.  Likely voters.  MoE ±2.5% (10/4-7 results) … Obama 46 (47)  —  Romney 50 (49)  —  At a time when other polls are moving back in the president's direction …

After joking with reporters, Obama silent on Benghazi question  —  After joking with reporters, President Barack Obama ignored Tuesday a shouted question about whether Sec. Hillary Clinton is to blame for security failures surrounding the terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya.

Former aide sorry for dissing Obama … Former Obama aide Neera Tanden took to Twitter on Tuesday to apologize for some choice words she uttered about her former boss.  —  In an interview with New York magazine published on Sunday, Tanden had been trying to explain why Obama …

High court allows early voting in Ohio  —  (CNN) - The United States Supreme Court has given the green light to early voting in Ohio in the three days prior to November's election.  —  The brief, one sentence order from the court Tuesday is a setback for Republican leaders in the state …

Mitt Romney's ‘new math’ for jobs plan doesn't add up  —  “Let me tell you how I will create 12 million jobs when President Obama couldn't.  First, my energy independence policy means more than 3 million new jobs, many of them in manufacturing.  My tax reform plan to lower rates …

French president pushing homework ban as part of ed reforms  —  How do you think this would go over in the United States?  French President François Hollande has said he will end homework as part of a series of reforms to overhaul the country's education system.  —  And the reason he wants to ban homework?

No Guarantee of Obama Rebound in Second Debate  —  President Obama was soundly defeated in the first presidential debate in Denver, contributing toward about a four-point swing toward Mitt Romney in head-to-head polls — enough to turn the race from one in which Mr. Obama had a clear lead into a very close contest.

Romney Holds Advantage Tonight, Regardless of Format  —  The first thing to know about a “town-hall-style” presidential debate is that it bears as much resemblance to an actual campaign town-hall event as a marble statue does to its animated subject.  —  Real town halls are usually unscripted …

CNN Anchor Battles Anti-Gay Activist, Kicks Him Off After He Trashes ‘Toxic’ Homosexuality  —  CNN host Carol Costello could only stand so much anti-gay rhetoric this morning.  After allowing American Family Association spokesman Bryan Fischer to claim that Adolf Hitler's Nazi Stormtroopers …

Green Party protesters led away by police at Hofstra Debate [VIDEO]  —  Civic debate isn't the only democratic process on display in Hempstead today.  Several hours before the start of the debate, various activist groups gathered across from the main entrance of Hofstra University to exercise their First Amendment rights.

Candy Crowley to defy debate contract  —  In an interview with CNN this afternoon, Candy Crowley reiterated that, like past town-hall debate moderators, she intends to do more than just hold the microphone at tonight's debate in Hempstead, N.Y. — an intention that has caused concern for both campaigns.

Mitt Romney's Bain Helped Philip Morris Get U.S. High Schoolers Hooked On Cigarettes … REACT:  —  FOLLOW:  —  Elections 2012, Barack Obama , Mitt Romney, Smoking, Economy, Elections 2012, Health Care, Careers, Barack Obama , Politics, Smoking, Video, Bain & Co., Big Tobacco, Marlboro Man …

Romney 50%, Obama 46% Among Likely Voters  —  Obama down sharply among men, college grads, and Southern voters vs. 2008  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Half of likely voters now prefer Mitt Romney for president and 46% back President Barack Obama in Gallup interviewing through Monday.

Ryan did wash dirty dishes during soup kitchen visit  —  LYNCHBURG, VA — Amid questions and criticisms related to Paul Ryan's visit this weekend to an Ohio soup kitchen, the charity's president said the Republican vice presidential candidate did, in fact, scrub dirty dishes though his visit wasn't officially sanctioned.

Electric Car Battery Maker A123 Systems Files Bankruptcy  —  A123 Systems Inc. (AONE), a maker of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries for electric cars, filed for bankruptcy after failing to make a debt payment that was due yesterday.  —  The company listed assets of $459.8 million and debt …

It may seem like President Obama has a big ego, but the first lady says that isn't the case.  —  “You know, Barack doesn't have a big ego,” Michelle Obama said in an excerpt from an interview with CNN that aired Tuesday.  —  “You see this in, you know, how he leads the country,” …

The Amazing Story of What Happened in Libya  —  Before you watch the foreign-policy portion of the presidential debate Tuesday, you must read the State Department's riveting tale of heroism in Benghazi.  —  The Benghazi consulate after being set on fire in a photo dated September 12.  (Reuters)

WaPo Dept. of Burying the Lede: Jesse Jackson Jr. thought he was reincarnated chariot driver  —  In a story on the front page of the Washington Post about the controversies surrounding reclusive Illinois Democratic congressman Jesse Jackson Jr., readers have to wade through 23 paragraphs …

Democrats Aren't Real Catholics, Says Kansas Senate Candidate  —  A candidate for State Senate in Kansas believes that Catholics, and Christians more broadly, who support Democrats cannot be true believers in Christ.  Republican Steve Fitzgerald, challenging incumbent Catholic Democrat Kelly Kultala …

In VP Debate, Biden Seemed to Overstate His Role in Social Security Reform  —  During the vice presidential debate last week, Vice President Joe Biden seemed to significantly overstate his role in the 1983 negotiations over Social Security.  —  Asked about Medicare reform, the vice president said …