House Leaders Float New Plan After Dissent Stalls Progress  —  WASHINGTON — Negotiations to reopen the government and avert a possible default just two days away were temporarily suspended Tuesday, and Senate Republicans emerged from a closed-door lunch saying they had to wait …

Exclusive: Glenn Greenwald Will Leave Guardian To Create New News Organization  —  The reporter who broke the NSA story promises “a momentous new venture.”  A “very substantial new media outlet” with serious backing, he says.  Updated.  —  Greenwald in Rio de Janeiro in July.  —  Sergio Moraes / Reuters

Fitch puts US AAA rating on rating watch negative  —  Fitch puts US credit rating on negative watch  —  Fitch has put the U.S. credit rating on negative watch, reports CNBC's Dominic Chu.  —  Fitch Ratings put the US government's “AAA” credit rating on ‘rating watch negative’ Tuesday …

I, Rielle Hunter, Apologize  —  I behaved badly.  That may seem obvious to you but it's taken me a long time to admit that, even to myself.  For years I was so viciously attacked by the media and the world that I felt like a victim.  I now realize that the attacks are actually beside the point.

13 THINGS THAT DEFINE THE NEW AMERICAN CENTER  —  It is bigger than you think...  An exclusive Esquire-NBC News survey shows us that everything we are told about politics in America today—that there is no middle ground between left and right, blue and red, us and them—is wrong.

Hillary who?  Bloody-minded London traffic warden defies five furious secret service agents to give Hillary Clinton a ticket  —  This is the extraordinary moment that Hillary Clinton's security staff got into an argument with a traffic warden after he issued her car with a parking ticket.

A Bleak First Week: 99.6% of Healthcare.gov Visitors Did NOT Enroll in Obamacare  —  Since October 1st, Americans living in the 50 states and Washington, D.C. can purchase healthcare through exchanges as part of the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare.)

The default has already begun  —  The big question in Washington this week is whether, in the words of the NYT, we're going to see “a legislative failure and an economic catastrophe that could ripple through financial markets, foreign capitals, corporate boardrooms, state budget offices and the bank accounts of everyday investors”.

As Debt Limit Deadline Nears, Concern Ticks Up But Skepticism Persists  —  Despite Image Problems, GOP Holds Ground on Key Issues  —  With just two days to go before an Oct. 17 deadline to raise the nation's debt limit, 51% of the public views a rise in the nation's debt limit as …

Boehner to Tea Party: Shut Yourself Down  —  “Thank you, Mr. President.  Signed, John Boehner.”  —  Deep beneath the year-round tan, the Camel Ultra Lights and the merlot, there beats a grateful heart.  Somebody had to take on the Tea Party that has turned Boehner's tenure as House speaker into a living hell.

What This Cruel War Was Over  —  It is not so much the behavior of the lone idiot that matters, but the tenor of the crowd around him.  —  On Sunday, a group of conservative radicals held a protest in Washington.  Eventually they walked to the White House.

The Top Ten Reasons The Government Shutdown Isn't All Bad  —  10. Approximately 15,000 EPA employees are furloughed, making it less likely fake CIA agents at EPA will be ripping off the taxpayer  —  Last month, John C. Beale, a former EPA senior official in the Office of Air & Radiation …

'The Kelly File's' surge is legit, Nielsen says  —  MSNBC had questioned Fox News show's 100% ratings increase  —  Megyn Kelly hosts the Fox News Channel's new show “The Kelly File.”  —  Nielsen has conducted an investigation into the ratings for Megyn Kelly's new Fox News Channel show …

Filner pleads guilty to 3 charges  —  Former San Diego Mayor Bob Filner pleaded guilty this morning to three criminal counts related to the sexual harassment allegations that drove him from office after a summer of scandal.  —  Specifically, Filner pleaded guilty before Superior Court …

Obama vows veto over Vitter amendment  —  President Barack Obama told House Democratic leaders Tuesday that he would veto debt-ceiling legislation if it includes a provision pushed by Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) and House GOP leaders that would cut health subsidies for congressional …

Dewhurst Calls for Obama's Impeachment … During an appearance at a Tarrant County Tea Party candidate forum, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst called for President Obama to be impeached, a spokesman for his campaign confirmed Monday night.  —  Dewhurst's comments were first reported on Twitter …

‘So much wrong’: Aetna CEO blasts Obamacare tech debacle  —  Aetna CEO: Convinced Obamacare was going to be difficult launch  —  Mark Bertolini explains why he was nervous about the Affordable Care Act rollout and his concerns about whether enough people will sign up to make the program work.

The affirmative-action case liberals deserve to lose.  —  Lucky Elena Kagan.  She gets to sit out this year's affirmative action case at the Supreme Court, probably because she worked on a related matter when she was solicitor general.  Part of me wishes I could skip it, too.