Martin O'Malley Gets Aggressive  —  The odds aren't great against Hillary Clinton, but the Democratic governor from Maryland is doing the actual things people do before running for president: donors, new policies, campaign travel, distance from Obama.  “I think people are going to be surprised at the amount of time he does this.”

Witness to a shelling: first-hand account of deadly strike on Gaza port  —  There is a deafening explosion, then a second.  Four children are dead.  Four survivors reach the safety of our hotel  —  The retaining wall of Gaza's harbour sticks out into the Mediterranean about 100 metres …

Arizona politician mistakes ‘Y’ campers for migrant children  —  Republican congressional candidate and state legislator Adam Kwasman had just raced up to Phoenix Tuesday morning from the protest in Oracle over the expected arrival of dozens of migrant children at a shelter.

Is a fear of 'getting Koch'ed' hurting Republican super PACs?  —  CONGRESS BARACK OBAMA HARRY REID CAMPAIGN FINANCE 2014 ELECTIONS CAMPAIGNS PENNAVE KOCH BROTHERS  —  Democratic super PACs have outraised their Republican counterparts by millions, a factor attributed in part to GOP donors' fear …

Elizabeth Warren: The government shutdown was over birth control  —  BELTWAY CONFIDENTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN ELIZABETH WARREN WAR ON WOMEN CONTRACEPTION  —  Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., on Tuesday blamed last October's government shutdown on Republicans wanting to deny women access to birth control.

$80 Billion Offer From Rupert Murdoch Is Rejected, but Time Warner May Be in Play  —  The media giant 21st Century Fox, the empire run by Rupert Murdoch, made an $80 billion takeover bid in recent weeks for Time Warner Inc. but was rebuffed.  —  The bold approach could put Time Warner in play …

Poll: Dead Heat in Hotly-Contested Iowa Senate Race  —  The Senate race in New Hampshire isn't as fluid, with only 6 percent of registered voters saying that they're undecided between incumbent Shaheen and Brown.  It also isn't as close: Shaheen is beating her GOP rival 50 percent to 42 percent.

Iggy Azalea's post-racial mess: America's oldest race tale, remixed  —  As a white female rapper mistakes appropriation for artistry, here's how black women remain pushed to the sidelines  —  Recently, my nine year-old nephew came running into the room, eager to find a seat to watch a performance by Iggy Azalea on an awards show.

How Americans Feel About Religious Groups  —  Jews, Catholics & Evangelicals Rated Warmly, Atheists and Muslims More Coldly  —  Jews, Catholics and evangelical Christians are viewed warmly by the American public.  When asked to rate each group on a “feeling thermometer” ranging from 0 to 100 …

Family That Owns Hobby Lobby Plans Bible Museum in Washington  —  WASHINGTON — The evangelical Christian family that owns Hobby Lobby, the chain of craft stores, made history two weeks ago when the Supreme Court overturned the Obama administration's mandate that family-owned companies must …

One in Six Say Immigration Most Important U.S. Problem  —  Immigration concerns surged in July, while economic mentions ebbed  —  PRINCETON, NJ — With thousands of undocumented immigrant minors crossing the nation's southern border in recent months, the percentage of Americans citing immigration …

Nancy Pelosi's goal is to win 25 seats.  Here's how she thinks it can happen.  —  House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told The Washington Post Tuesday that her goal is to win 25 seats this November — a bold statement given that historical trends suggest that the party …

Lerner Associate: “I Don't Understand How Anyone But Straight White Men Can Vote Republican”  —  SHARES  —  Federal employees, like all Americans, are entitled to hold passionate political beliefs.  Most executive branch federal employees, however, may not engage in certain political activities …

Why Poor Schools Can't Win at Standardized Testing  —  The companies that create the most important state and national exams also publish textbooks that contain many of the answers.  Unfortunately, low-income school districts can't afford to buy them.  —  Photos by Matt Stanley

Report: Hamas proposes 10-year cease-fire in return for conditions being met  —  Channel 2 reports Hamas seeks long-term truce; Its terms are the release of Schalit deal prisoners who were re-arrested, the opening of Gaza border crossings, and an end to Israeli naval blockade of Gaza.

The Coming Democratic Schism  —  There is a striking generational split in the Democratic electorate.  —  This deepening division is apparent in a June Pew Research Center survey of more than 10,000 people, “Beyond Red vs. Blue.”  The Pew survey points up the emergence of a cohort …