Ted Cruz confronts President Obama at White House  —  Sen. Ted Cruz confronted President Barack Obama over his health care law during a meeting at the White House Friday attended by dozens of GOP senators.  —  Cruz told Obama that any deal to reopen the government must also provide relief for those negatively affected by Obamacare.

Ted Cruz?  Winnowed, Probably  —  I've been on the side of those who thought that Ted Cruz was a viable candidate for the Republican nomination in 2016.  Not a likely winner, but very plausible.  —  I'm pretty sure that's done now.  —  I was willing to defend Cruz's chances despite …

Analysis: Republicans Are Working Out the Terms of Their Surrender  —  ANALYSIS:  —  Beware of irrational exuberance.  Thursday night's meeting between President Obama and House Republican leaders was clearly a breakthrough, but both sides are cautioning this morning that progress is fragile.

Ben Carson Says Obamacare Is ‘Worst Thing’ To Happen To America Since Slavery  —  Tea Party favorite Dr. Ben Carson said the Obama administration's healthcare reform law is the worst thing to happen to the United States since slavery.  —  “I have to tell you Obamacare is, really I think …

Piers Morgan Expected to Lose 9PM Hour on CNN; Bill Weir to Move In?  —  Earlier this morning, we reported that Nightline anchor Bill Weir was departing ABC News for other pastures.  —  TVNewser beat us to the punch on the news that his new role is with CNN.  But that is only part of the story.

Christie: 'If I was in the Senate right now, I'd kill myself'  —  Gov. Christie today blamed Republicans and Democrats for the government shutdown, saying “it's irresponsible of both sides to have allowed this to get where it's gotten.”  —  Asked during an editorial board meeting …

America Needs a White Republican President  —  Admit it.  You want a white Republican president again.  —  Now before you start feeling like you're a racist, understand you are not.  —  Follow Joe For America on Facebook!  —  Wanting a white Republican president doesn't make you racist, it just makes you American.

The Last Days of the GOP  —  We could be witnessing the death throes of the Republican Party  —  I once wrote about lobbying, and this week I called some Republicans I used to talk to (and some that they recommended I talk to) about the effect the shutdown is having on the Republican Party in Washington.

In U.S., Perceived Need for Third Party Reaches New High  —  Twenty-six percent believe Democratic and Republican parties do adequate job  —  This article is part of an ongoing series analyzing how the government shutdown and the debate over raising the debt ceiling are affecting Americans' views …

C.I.A. Warning on Snowden in '09 Said to Slip Through the Cracks  —  WASHINGTON — Just as Edward J. Snowden was preparing to leave Geneva and a job as a C.I.A. technician in 2009, his supervisor wrote a derogatory report in his personnel file, noting a distinct change in the young man's behavior …

Local group urges House Republicans to stand ground against Affordable Care Act  —  ‘The fight is here and now,’ says local business owner  —  Group urges GOP to stand ground against Affordable Care Act  —  DOYLESTOWN -  —  It's called the Affordable Care Act, but some say the president's …

Budget Battle Ends Soon With Tea Party Loss: King, Corker  —  Congress will open the partially shuttered government and increase its borrowing limit on at least a short-term basis next week before the debt ceiling is reached Oct. 17, Senator Bob Corker said today.

OSHA hands out penalties for Texas fertilizer blast  —  The company at the center of an April fertilizer plant explosion that killed 15 people and damaged hundreds of homes is being charged with violating a number of workplace safety regulations.  —  The Occupational Safety and Health Administration …

First Thoughts: A divided GOP cannot stand  —  Why Republicans are losing the shutdown fight per the NBC/WSJ poll: They're divided — just look at the Tea Party vs. non-Tea Party split... Why Democrats are winning: They're united... There's now a sense of urgency for both the GOP and Obama …

'She's Got Really Hot Breasts, Man!'  Lonegan Aide Bashes Booker With X-Rated Rant  —  A top aide to Republican New Jersey Senate hopeful Steve Lonegan went into decidedly not-safe-for-work territory when TPM asked why he thinks his candidate has been gaining on Democratic opponent Cory Booker in recent polls.

Trucker protest hits Beltway but causes no major delays, authorities say  —  Heavy volumes of traffic were reported on the Beltway during Friday morning's commute because of the rain, police authorities said, but there were no major incidents related to a protest by about 30 tractor-trailers …