Jesse Benton on Mitch McConnell: “I'm sorta holding my nose for 2 years”  —  What does Mitch McConnell campaign manager Jesse Benton really think about working for the Mitch McConnell re-election campaign?  —  EconomicPolicyJournal.com has obtained a recording of a phone conversation between Dennis Fusaro …

Dear Lawrence O'Donnell, Don't Mansplain to Me About Russia  —  Tonight, I went on Lawrence O'Donnell's show, and Lawrence O'Donnell yelled at me.  Or, rather, he O'Reilly'd at me.  That O'Donnell interrupted and harangued and mansplained and was generally an angry grandpa at me is not what I take issue with, however.

Roger Ailes on Megyn Kelly Report: ‘All of Our Stars Will be Back’  —  Fox News chairman and CEO Roger Ailes is being interviewed by Neil Cavuto at this hour in California at a 21st Century Fox investors conference.  —  The first question Cavuto asked was about the rumor …

Why Seniors Are Turning Against The GOP  —  There's something going on with seniors: It is now strikingly clear that they have turned sharply against the GOP.  This is apparent in seniors' party affiliation and vote intention, in their views on the Republican Party and its leaders …

Winfrey, Bradlee, Clinton to Receive Medal of Freedom  —  WASHINGTON—The White House announced that President Barack Obama will award the Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award, to 16 recipients including television star and businesswoman Oprah Winfrey, legendary Washington …

Why Slate will no longer refer to Washington's NFL team as the Redskins. … - - Tweet - - … Click here to load comments.  — Flight Delays Don't Have to Ruin Your Trip.  Here's How to Game the System.  - Why Do People Love Correcting Other People's Grammar?

Sydney Leathers: The Best, Only, and Last Interview With Her You Should Ever Read  —  Long story short: Sydney Leathers is a 23-year-old who happened to exchange some texts with a guy, except those texts were sexts, and the guy is now running for the mayor of New York City, one Anthony Weiner.

Why I changed my mind on weed  —  (CNN) — Over the last year, I have been working on a new documentary called “Weed.”  The title “Weed” may sound cavalier, but the content is not.  —  I traveled around the world to interview medical leaders, experts, growers and patients.

N.S.A. Said to Search Content of Messages to and From U.S.  —  WASHINGTON — The National Security Agency is searching the contents of vast amounts of Americans' e-mail and text communications into and out of the country, hunting for people who mention information about foreigners under surveillance, according to intelligence officials.

Many Americans have no friends of another race: poll  —  (Reuters) - About 40 percent of white Americans and about 25 percent of non-white Americans are surrounded exclusively by friends of their own race, according to an ongoing Reuters/Ipsos poll.  —  The figures highlight how segregated …

Friends who witnessed Tasering of Beach teen offer disturbing details  —  At just 17, Israel Hernández-Llach was already an award-winning artist, on the threshold of acclaim in Miami Beach art circles.  He was a sculptor, painter, writer and photographer whose craft was inspired …

One In 25 Americans Was Arrested In 2011  —  We've heard a lot of talk lately about mass incarceration, the stop-and-frisk policies in New York, reforming the drug laws, and mandatory minimum sentencing.  There's also been discussion about over-criminalization — that we have too many laws …

Terrorist blames murderous NY plot at Federal Reserve Building on childhood stammer and unfaithful girlfriend  —  A Bangladeshi man who schemed to detonate a 9,000-pound bomb at the Federal Reserve Building in lower Manhattan last year blamed his murderous plot on a childhood stammer and an unfaithful girlfriend, court documents state.

U.S. reports a breakthrough in malaria vaccine  —  (CNN) — U.S. researchers reported a breakthrough Thursday in the search for a vaccine for malaria, the mosquito-borne disease that sickens millions worldwide.  —  More than three dozen volunteers received multiple, intravenous doses …

ObamaCare ‘death panel’ faces growing opposition from Dems  —  ObamaCare's cost-cutting board — memorably called a “death panel” by Sarah Palin — is facing growing opposition from Democrats who say it will harm people on Medicare.  —  Former Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean drew attention …

Quinn Leads Democratic Candidates for Mayor, Poll Finds  —  Christine C. Quinn is leading the crowded field in the Democratic primary race for New York City mayor, lifted by support among Manhattanites and higher-income voters, the latest New York Times/Siena College poll finds.

Exclusive: Gen. Wesley Clark, 68, dating 30-year-old fashion entrepreneur Shauna Mei  —  Retired 68-year-old US Army general and former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Wesley K. Clark has won yet another esteemed decoration — he is dating 30-year-old Shauna Mei, the founder of online retailer AHAlife.com.

THE SNOWDEN EFFECT, CONT'D  —  OK, so last night, I was sitting down with a cool one, and watching the NBC Nightly News, and Lester Holt was chatting over the events of the day, specifically the president's decision not to meet with Vladimir Putin.  And, when the name of Edward Snowden came up, this is how Holt described him:

Caustic Light on White House's Reaction to a Terrorist Threat  —  WASHINGTON — The gloating among jihadists and their sympathizers began last week, right after the United States shut down almost two dozen diplomatic posts across the Middle East in response to a terrorist threat.  —  “God is great!

Republicans May Be Changing Minds on Immigration Reform  —  Immigration reform supporters protest in front of the Cannon House Office Building, August 1, 2013, in Washington.  Photo Credit: Bill Clark/Roll Call/Getty Images  —  Members of Congress have been on recess for only a few days …