Jay Carney joins CNN  —  Former White House Press Secretary Jay Carney will join CNN as a political commentator, the network announced Wednesday.  —  He will start Wednesday night as President Barack Obama makes a primetime statement about the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant , Sam Feist …

People hate the Republican Party.  But they really don't.  —  The reclamation project that is the Republican Party has long been stunted by one pesky fact: People freaking hate the Republican Party.  —  Well, kind of.  —  Poll after poll shows President Obama is unpopular …

Ted Cruz: Amendment threatens SNL  —  Sen. Ted Cruz says the comedy of NBC's “Saturday Night Live” is at risk and creator Lorne Michaels could be thrown in jail if a proposed Constitutional amendment on campaign finance is passed.  —  “Congress would have the power to make it a criminal offense …

LETTER: HOLDER AIDE ACCIDENTALLY CALLS ISSA STAFF FOR HELP SPINNING IRS SCANDAL  —  A senior communications aide to Attorney General Eric Holder seemingly called House oversight committee chairman Darrell Issa's staff by accident and asked for their help spinning new revelations about the IRS scandal …

'Real Time"s Maher ‘could’ vote for Paul  —  Longtime viewers of Bill Maher on HBO's “Real Time” may be surprised to learn the liberal-leaning host, who makes a habit of skewering Republicans on a weekly basis, is “considering” casting a vote for one come 2016.  —  “Rand Paul is an interesting candidate to me.

US Rep. Tierney Concedes Defeat in Dem Primary  —  In a stunning defeat, nine-term incumbent U.S. Rep. John Tierney on Tuesday lost a bitter Democratic primary contest to political newcomer Seth Moulton in the state's 6th Congressional District.  —  Tierney is the first sitting Massachusetts congressman …

GOP's Benghazi meter does not read victory  —  Just a tiny bit over a year ago I wrote a column for this publication indicating that the Republicans had not been right about a single thing so far this century.  Sports gamblers have a name for when you don't win a single bet over a weekend …

The teacher (and English graduate) who admits: I'm illiterate - SARAH SMITH blames liberal education dogmas for creating a generation of hopelessly ill-equipped teachers  —  My hands were feeling clammy and beads of sweat broke out under my collar as I shifted nervously in my seat.  It was parents' evening.

How Stephen King Teaches Writing  —  Stephen King's On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft has been a fixture in my English classroom for years, but it wasn't until this summer, when I began teaching in a residential drug and alcohol rehab, that I discovered the full measure of its worth.

Obama's Most Important Achievement in the Middle East  —  The president is a superior terrorist hunter.  He has also neutralized a profound existential threat to U.S. allies in the Middle East, and denied ISIS access to vast storehouses of deadly chemical weapons.  So why does he get no credit?

State launches fraud investigation into voter registration group  —  ATLANTA —  Channel 2 Action News has learned Georgia's secretary of state is investigating allegations of forged voter registration applications and demanding records from a voter registration group with ties to one of the state's highest ranking Democrats.

Federal judges question why John Doe issue is before them  —  By Patrick Marley of the Journal Sentinel  —  Chicago — A panel of three federal appeals judges on Tuesday questioned why they had been brought into a stalled criminal investigation into campaign activity by Gov. Scott Walker …

8 a.m. Is the Most Anxious Hour  —  Crisis Text Line's data troves reveal the times of day and days of the week when we feel bullied, depressed, or alone.  —  Select a condition from the menu box above to see the hourly breakdown of texts to Crisis Text Line for that issue.

Karl Rove, the Koch Brothers and the End of Political Transparency  —  Tax-exempt “social welfare” organizations, the new political weapons of choice, are widening the gap between the rich people who control campaign financing and the economically anxious voters targeted by their ads.

Trust in Federal Gov't on International Issues at New Low  —  Americans' trust in government handling of domestic problems also at record low  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Americans' trust in the federal government to handle international problems has fallen to a record-low 43% as President Barack Obama prepares …