Ted Cruz blasted by angry GOP colleagues  —  Ted Cruz faced a barrage of hostile questions Wednesday from angry GOP senators, who lashed the Texas tea party freshman for helping prompt a government shutdown crisis without a strategy to end it.  —  At a closed-door lunch meeting …

Out of ideas, House GOP considers Hail Mary  —  BELTWAY CONFIDENTIAL CONGRESS BARACK OBAMA OBAMACARE PAUL RYAN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES REPUBLICAN PARTY HARRY REID JOHN BOEHNER DAVE CAMP GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN  —  As the partial government shutdown enters its third day, many House Republicans …

Poll: Americans not happy about shutdown; more blame GOP  —  PLAY CBS NEWS VIDEO  —  On day three of the partial government shutdown, a new CBS News poll reveals that a large majority of Americans disapprove of the shutdown and more are blaming Republicans than President Obama and the Democrats for it.

Live mic catches Senators McConnell and Paul talking strategy  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. - WPSD Local 6 got an inside glimpse Wednesday night to how much the government shutdown is about the messaging for congressional lawmakers.  —  After finishing an interview with CNN, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul ran …

Millions of Poor Are Left Uncovered by Health Law  —  A sweeping national effort to extend health coverage to millions of Americans will leave out two-thirds of the poor blacks and single mothers and more than half of the low-wage workers who do not have insurance, the very kinds of people …

George Will: For GOP in 2016, some medicine  —  “If Reince Priebus from Kenosha, Wisconsin, is the Republican ‘establishment,’ God help us,” says the chairman of the Republican National Committee, Reince Priebus.  His physical presence is almost as unprepossessing as James Madison's was, and his demeanor is self-deprecating.

Treasury Dept. warns: Default has potential to be ‘catastrophic’  —  A default on the nation's debt could thrust the nation into the worst recession since the Great Depression, and even a prolonged standoff could do significant economic harm, according to a new study released Thursday by the Treasury Department.

The right's new lie about its shutdown intentions  —  If Ted Cruz is making John Boehner dance like a marionette, then Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., is the guy helping Cruz keep the strings untangled.  —  He's the author of the House's version of the famous letter insisting that Republicans …

The White House says people have bought Obamacare.  We haven't met them quite yet.  —  If you have purchased health coverage on the federal government's new Obamacare marketplace, about a dozen or so reporters would like to speak with you.  We promise we won't take up too much of your time!

California exchange overstated its Web traffic for Obamacare launch  —  Peter Lee, executive director of Covered California, discusses the launch of the state's insurance exchange Tuesday in Los Angeles.  (Reed Saxon/AP / October 2, 2013)  —  California's health insurance exchange vastly overstated …

'You're exposed': Scantily-clad models prowl the streets of Denver selling Obamacare [pics]  —  Nothing like nearly-naked people to remind you that pretty soon the government will force you to have health insurance — whether you like it or not.  —  From the Denver Post: … Move over, SlutWalk.