Cruz Warns Senate GOP: ‘Consequences’ for Supporting ‘Lousy Deal’  —  According to Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, it's his colleagues, more than anyone, who should be blamed for the failure of the defund-Obamacare campaign — and he expects conservatives to remember come primary season.

Tyrone on why the government shutdown and the debt ceiling crisis were brilliant Republican strategy  —  Tyrone, my evil twin brother, was in town visiting the other day, after a long absence.  He was upset that I gave so little space to the recent machinations in Washington …

Hillary Clinton hits campaign trail to endorse McAuliffe  —  Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton decried the “scorched earth politics” that led to the government shutdown at a campaign event for Virginia gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe on Saturday.

Armed gun rights activists rally at the Alamo  —  SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Several hundred gun rights activists armed with rifles and shotguns rallied outside of the Alamo on Saturday in a demonstration that broke a longstanding tradition of not staging such events at the enduring symbol of Texas independence.

The HHS Secretary refuses to testify about ObamaCare's rollout.  —  The Affordable Care Act's botched rollout has stunned its media cheering section, and it even seems to have surprised the law's architects.  The problems run much deeper than even critics expected, and whatever federal officials …

After Bill de Blasio, Joe Lhota vow to add Muslim holidays to school calendar, other groups seek recognition  —  The leading mayoral candidates vowed to close school for the Muslim holidays Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.  Now advocates for other religious and ethnic groups would like their days to be recognized as well.

Pot Legalization Effort Moves Eastward To Maine  —  PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Advocates of recreational marijuana use are looking to an upcoming vote in Maine as an indicator of whether the East Coast is ready to follow in the footsteps of Colorado and Washington by legalizing cannabis.

J.P. Morgan Reaches $13 Billion Tentative Deal with Justice Department  —  WASHINGTON—J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. has reached a tentative deal to pay a record $13 billion to the Justice Department to settle a number of outstanding probes of its residential mortgage-backed securities business …

McConnell Totally Said No Before Saying No Was Cool  —  A number of journalists have been casting about desperately for sources of hope, and some of them have settled on moderate Republicans, especially Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.  Paul Kane calls him “perhaps the most accomplished congressional dealmaker of his time.”