EXCLUSIVE: Edward Snowden Tells Brian Williams the U.S. Stranded Him in Russia  —  In the sit-down, Snowden also fought back against critics who dismissed him as a low-level hacker — saying he was “trained as a spy” and offered technical expertise to high levels of government.

Maya Angelou, Lyrical Witness of the Jim Crow South, Dies at 86  —  Maya Angelou, the memoirist and poet whose landmark book of 1969, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” — which describes in lyrical, unsparing prose her childhood in the Jim Crow South — was among the first autobiographies …

Say again, Senator, ACA unkynected?  —  Sen. Mitch McConnell has some explaining to do.  —  What in the world did he mean last week when he told reporters that repeal of the Affordable Care Act — “root and branch,” as he has demanded many times — is “unconnected” to the future of Kynect, Kentucky's health insurance exchange?

Krauthammer Calls Obama's Troop Withdrawal Plan “An Act Of Personal Narcissism”  —  Charles Krauthammer needs some English classes so he can understand that keeping a promise is not an act of narcissism.  —  Predictably, conservatives have their panties in a bunch over President Obama's announcement …

The Real Origins of the Religious Right  —  They'll tell you it was abortion.  Sorry, the historical record's clear: It was segregation.  —  One of the most durable myths in recent history is that the religious right, the coalition of conservative evangelicals and fundamentalists …

Climate Change Doomed the Ancients  —  THIS month, a report issued by a prominent military advisory board concluded that climate change posed a serious threat to America's national security.  —  The authors, 16 retired high-ranking officers, warned that droughts, rising seas and extreme weather events …

Pro-gay marriage professor under fire from gay marriage speech police  —  It's clear by now that if you publicly oppose gay marriage or give money to those who oppose it, the gay speech police will try to ruin you (and may succeed).  But it turns out that even supporting gay marriage …

Obama jabs foreign policy critics  —  The White House is mounting a concerted defense of President Obama's foreign policy against criticism that he has weakened U.S. influence around the globe.  —  The full-court press hinges on a speech Obama will give Wednesday at West Point's commencement …

Conservative Lead on Social and Economic Ideology Shrinking  —  On social issues, 34% identify as conservative and 30% as liberal  —  PRINCETON, NJ — More Americans continue to identify themselves as conservatives than as liberals on economic and social matters.

Americans overwhelmingly side with Hillary Clinton over Karl Rove in brain flap  —  Republican strategist Karl Rove may need a different strategy to slow Hillary Clinton's 2016 candidacy.  —  Two-thirds of Americans in a new Washington Post-ABC News poll disapprove of the Republican strategist …

Ralph Hall loses Texas GOP runoff  —  Seventeen-term Rep. Ralph Hall on Tuesday became the first incumbent to lose renomination this cycle, after the Texas Republican was ousted by former U.S. Attorney John Ratcliffe in a primary runoff.  —  With 98 percent of precincts reporting, Ratcliffe led Hall, 53 percent to 47 percent.

First on CNN: First major TV ad on VA scandal  —  Washington (CNN) — The Veterans Affairs scandal's been a major issue on the campaign trail the past couple of weeks.  Now it's front and center in the campaign ad wars.  —  Crossroads GPS, the non-profit sister organization to American Crossroads …

Bosworth attacks misogyny, media in chaotic news conference  —  Standing in front of a profane backdrop created by her own campaign, an emotional Annette Bosworth condemned criticism of her, blasted the media, addressed her alleged scandals and even issued a book recommendation in a free-wheeling news conference Tuesday.

Beverly Young: I'm running against David Jolly in '16  —  Democrats failed to find a candidate to challenge Republican David Jolly for the congressional seat long held by the late C.W. Bill Young, but they may have one lined up for 2016: Beverly Young, the congressman's widow who campaigned for Jolly earlier this year.

Exclusive: Texas VA Run Like a ‘Crime Syndicate,’ Whistleblower Says  —  For years, employees at a Texas VA complained that their bosses were cooking the books.  For years, the VA insisted there was no widespread wrongdoing.  —  Editor's Note: This story has been updated with new information.