Has the ‘Libertarian Moment’ Finally Arrived?  —  “Let's say Ron Paul is Nirvana,” said Kennedy, the television personality and former MTV host, by way of explaining the sort of politician who excites libertarians like herself.  “Like, the coolest, most amazing thing to come along in years …

Americans' views of Obama, Congress, political parties: Gloomy  —  Shares -  —  Americans' views of both political parties are negative and nearly match historic lows, a new CBS News poll reveals.  —  Just 29 percent of Americans have a favorable view of the Republican Party …

The woman who could beat Scott Walker  —  Part of an occasional series on the hottest races of the 2014 midterm election.  —  VIROQUA, Wis. — Mary Burke might be the last candidate you'd expect to potentially topple one of the Republican Party's leading governors and upend the 2016 presidential field.

Obama Weighs Airstrikes or Aid to Help Trapped Iraqis, Officials Say  —  WASHINGTON — President Obama is considering airstrikes or airdrops of food and medicine to address a humanitarian crisis among as many as 40,000 religious minorities in Iraq who have been dying of heat and thirst …

EBOLA DOC'S CONDITION DOWNGRADED TO ‘IDIOTIC’  —  I wonder how the Ebola doctor feels now that his humanitarian trip has cost a Christian charity much more than any services he rendered.  —  What was the point?  —  Whatever good Dr. Kent Brantly did in Liberia has now been overwhelmed …

The Islamic State's bloody campaign to exterminate minorities: 'Even Genghis Khan didn't do this'  —  In the back of a cavernous hall, standing behind rows of solemn-looking men, an Iraqi politician known for her passion began to shriek.  Her name was Vian Dakhil: the lone representative of the Yazidi people in Iraq's parliament.

Local Kansas GOP official: ‘Offending Muslims is the duty of any civilized person.  Especially with a .45.’  —  Gavin Ellzey, the vice chairman of the Kansas Republican 3rd Congressional District Committee, advised on Twitter in early July that “offending Muslims is the duty of any civilized person.”

Stillwater cafe faces heat for adding ‘minimum wage fee’ to tab  —  Each tab at Stillwater's Oasis Cafe now includes 35 cents to offset minimum wage increase.  —  A small cafe in Stillwater has thrown itself into the big battle over Minnesota's minimum wage increases, inundating the cafe …

Rand Paul = Democrats' Enemy #1  —  The senator's broad appeal threatens to weaken Democrats for 2016, and they are going on offense—sending out no less than 10 press releases on his latest trip to Iowa.  —  Democrats fundraise and campaign by exploiting concerns about right-wing extremism.

John Kerry pedals new Nantucket photo op  —  Photo by:  —  THINK PINK: John Kerry rides a pink girl's bicycle with his dog in tow in the parking lot at Jetties Beach on Nantucket.  Photo courtesy of Nantucket native Lando from his Instagram, Landogramms  —  Has Vladimir Putin seen this photo of John Kerry yet?

Why is Tenn. primary on Thursday?  —  Tennesseans will go to the polls to vote in party primaries on Thursday — including Sen. Lamar Alexander's bid for a third term — but nobody really knows why.  —  All other states — except Hawaii, which votes this Saturday — hold their primaries on a Tuesday.

2 Sides in Gay Marriage Fight Agree: Justices Must Act  —  WASHINGTON — Lawyers for three couples challenging Utah's ban on same-sex marriage said Thursday that they would join with their opponents to urge the Supreme Court to hear their case, even though they recently won an appeals court ruling striking down the law.

In Reprisal, Russia Imposes Trade Sanctions on the West  —  MOSCOW — Russia announced on Thursday that it was banning the import of a wide range of food and agricultural products from Europe and the United States, among others, responding to Western-imposed sanctions and raising the level …

The Callow President  —  “'Stop just hatin' all the time.”  If you haven't been following the news, you might not know whether this bon mot was uttered by a character on the ABC Family show “Pretty Little Liars” or by the president of the United States.  —  Of course, it was the leader …

WV GOP cancels event with felonious filmmaker  —  Author who was set to speak will be sentenced for federal crime soon  —  The West Virginia Republican Party has canceled an event where controversial conservative filmmaker, author and felon Dinesh D'Souza was slated to speak days before his sentencing on a federal crime.

Cop: We don't follow Constitution because Obama doesn't  —  “Obama has decimated the friggin' constitution, so I don't give a damn,” the Helmetta cop says on camera.  “Because if he doesn't follow the Constitution we don't have to.”  —  CONNECT  —  EDITOR'S NOTE: This article contains language that some readers may find offensive.

The irony of Barack Obama's presidency in one sentence  —  TWEET SHARE +1 LINKEDIN EMAIL PRINT  —  Reid Cherlin nails the central irony of Barack Obama's presidency in one sentence: … The 2008 Democratic primary was, as Mark Schmitt wrote, a “theory of change” primary.

Bloomberg to cancel ‘Political Capital with Al Hunt,’ lay off TV and print staff  —  Bloomberg Media has decided to cancel its weekly political talk show, “Political Capital with Al Hunt,” and will lay off 15 television and print employees in its Washington, D.C., bureau, POLITICO has learned.