CBS ANNOUNCES STEPHEN COLBERT AS THE NEXT HOST OF “THE LATE SHOW”  —  The CBS Television Network today announced that Stephen Colbert, the host, writer and executive producer of the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning “The Colbert Report,” will succeed David Letterman as the host of THE LATE SHOW …

King may switch sides and join the Republicans after midterms  —  Sen. Angus King (I-Maine), who caucuses with the Democrats, will decide after the midterm elections whether to switch sides and join the Republicans.  —  He is leaving open the possibility of aligning himself with the GOP if control of the upper chamber changes hands.

More Republicans See Health Care Stance as ‘Very Important’ to Midterm Vote  —  Views of ACA Little Changed Following Enrollment Surge  —  In looking ahead to this fall's elections, Republicans are more likely than Democrats to view a candidate's position on the Affordable Care Act as very important to their vote.

House Conservatives Plot to Oust Boehner, Put Scare Into Cantor  —  One plan: Force the speaker to step aside before the new year.  —  Several dozen frustrated House conservatives are scheming to infiltrate the GOP leadership next year—possibly by forcing Speaker John Boehner …

The Fortune interview: Rupert Murdoch  —  Defending a newspaper empire amid scandal, splitting a global media conglomerate into two public companies, enduring a high-profile divorce, and struggling to repair frayed relationships with grown children — it's been a trying few years for Rupert Murdoch.

Eric Holder strays from planned remarks  —  Attorney General Eric Holder strayed from prepared remarks to slam the way he was “treated” by a House committee the day before, calling it evidence of “ugly and divisive” civil rights challenges facing him and President Barack Obama

Glenn Greenwald Is Coming To America  —  For the first time since his reporting on the National Security Agency's global surveillance programs made Edward Snowden a household name, Glenn Greenwald plans to return to the United States.  —  Greenwald, who lives in Rio de Janeiro …

DNC blames MSNBC for ‘double standard’ over Scarborough keynote  —  The Democratic National Committee's top spokesperson has sent a letter to MSNBC President Phil Griffin accusing the network of a “double standard” after its decision to allow host Joe Scarborough, a Republican …

Could America Become Mississippi?  —  The country's demographic trends could lead to racially polarized electorates akin to the Deep South.  —  Does a dramatic change in your social environment make you more conservative, and if so, what kind of change would it take?  —  JAMELLE BOUIE

Contemptible John Kerry blames Israel for his own mess  —  John Kerry, our secretary of state, is very angry with Israel.  “Poof,” he said on Tuesday — describing how Israel destroyed his “peace process” the other week.  Just like that.  —  The first thing to say is that if a peace process can go …

House panel holds ex-IRS official Lerner in contempt  —  A House panel voted along party lines to hold ex-IRS official Lois Lerner in contempt of Congress on Thursday, paving the way for a full House vote as Republicans turn up the heat on the woman at the center of the controversy over tax-exempt tea party groups.

When the French clock off at 6pm, they really mean it  —  A new labour agreement in France means that employees must ignore their bosses' work emails once they are out of the office and relaxing at home - even on their smartphones  —  Just in case you weren't jealous enough of the French already …

New Rule Prohibits Voters In Miami-Dade County From Using The Restroom, No Matter How Long The Line  —  South Floridians stand in line during the last day of early voting in Miami, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012.  —  CREDIT: AP Photo/Alan Diaz  —  During the 2012 presidential election …

Kerry ‘betrayed and surprised’ by McCain onslaught  —  Secretary of State John Kerry felt “betrayed and surprised” by Republican Sen. John McCain's withering and highly personal criticisms at a congressional hearing, a senior administration official told Yahoo News on Wednesday.

Eleven Democrats Push Obama to Approve Keystone  —  Nearly a dozen Senate Democrats, including five up for re-election this year, are pressing President Barack Obama to approve the Keystone XL pipeline, and they say they want a decision by the end of next month.

Science teacher's suspension spurs petition drive  —  Cortines School's Greg Schiller was removed by L.A. Unified after two students' projects were deemed to resemble weapons.  —  Rogan and Susan Ferguson say district officials confiscated their son Asa's science fair project, “Evolution of a Coil Gun.”

Dem senator defends the Koch brothers  —  Sen. Joe Manchin on Thursday strongly defended the Koch brothers from attacks by fellow Democrats, saying the wealthy and politically active businessmen are taxpaying Americans who are creating jobs.  —  “People want jobs.  You don't beat up people.