AF to change instructions for oaths  —  WASHINGTON (AFNS) — The Air Force has instructed force support offices across the service to allow both enlisted members and officers to omit the words “So help me God” from enlistment and officer appointment oaths if an Airman chooses.

House Votes to Authorize Aid to Syrian Rebels in ISIS Fight  —  WASHINGTON — A House divided along unusual and unpredictable lines voted Wednesday to authorize the training and arming of Syrian rebels to confront the militant group Islamic State, backing President Obama after he personally pleaded for support.

GOP peaked too soon  —  The danger to a political party when pundits almost unanimously predict a nation-shaking victory for that party is that, quietly and thoughtfully, voters concerned about the future of their families and country ask themselves: Will we be better off if this party wins complete control of Congress?

Wisc.  GOPer Drops Out Of Race Over ‘F*gs’ And ‘N*ggers’ Tweets  —  A Wisconsin Republican dropped out of the race for a seat on the state assembly on Tuesday after he admitted that he made offensive comments about gay and black people on social media, according to The Gazette.

Democrats turn on Debbie Wasserman Schultz  —  Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz is in a behind-the-scenes struggle with the White House, congressional Democrats and Washington insiders who have lost confidence in her as both a unifying leader and reliable party spokesperson …

‘Things have gotten really out of whack,’ Biden tells crowd in Iowa  —  Vice President Biden touched on a number of Democratic campaign themes during a speech in Iowa on Wednesday to help kick off a nationwide tour for a group of Catholic nuns traveling the country to register voters.

IRS commissioner: Our story isn't changing  —  The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) commissioner denied Wednesday that his agency had an ever-shifting story when it came to former official Lois Lerner's missing emails.  —  Republicans weren't buying it.  —  John Koskinen, the IRS chief …

The Making of a Conservative Superstar  —  Tom Cotton is the ultimate product of today's hard-edged, ideologically driven Republican Party.  Is that what Arkansas voters want?  —  Tom Cotton was born in 1977 in Dardanelle, Arkansas, population less than 4,000, where his family had lived …

‘Django Unchained’ Actress — We Got the Pictures ... And It Looks Like Sex  —  The “Django Unchained” actress who cried racism against the LAPD ... claiming they harassed and hurt her because she was just making out with making out with her white boyfriend in a car — has some explaining to do …

Elizabeth Warren: It's “Fair” to Compare Israel to Nazis  —  Elizabeth Warren is a heroine to many liberals, who hope she will challenge Hillary Clinton from the left.  Even apart from the concept of anyone being to Hillary's left, this seems bizarre to me.

The People Who Organized Occupy Wall Street Are Now Suing Each Other  —  The movement descends into litigation.  “We can either go and beat him up or we can go to court.”  —  WASHINGTON — Activists who organized the dormant Occupy Wall Street movement are suing another activist for control …

EXCLUSIVE: Iran's President Blasts U.S.-Led Coalition  —  Asked about the extremists' beheading of American James Foley and Steven Sotloff and Briton David Haines, Rouhani said ISIS' actions are at odds with Islamic tenets.  —  “They want to kill humanity,” he said.

Darren Wilson testifies in front of grand jury  —  • By Robert Patrick rpatrick@post-dispatch.com 314-621-5154  —  ST. LOUIS  • Ferguson police Officer Darren Wilson testified for almost four hours Tuesday in front of a St. Louis County grand jury investigating the Aug. 9 shooting …

Obama administration forcing new gun buyers to declare race, ethnicity  —  ATF policy irks dealers, risks privacy intrusion, racial profiling: critics

Religious right's warped icon: Why Mike Huckabee is wingnuts' best white hope for '16  —  Why it's a mistake to count Huckabee out  —  Anyone starting to pay attention to the wide open Republican 2016 presidential field has to have wondered why in the world the charismatic …

Comment: The huge costs of Scotland getting small  —  AS THE SONG says, “Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone.”  The Scottish push for secession from the United Kingdom takes for granted the benefits of peaceful, deep, economic, social …

Too bad it's almost certainly unconstitutional.  —  You are no doubt as excited as I am about the advent of Constitution Day, which explodes into being again Wednesday, Sept. 17, with its customary flurry of greeting cards, traffic-stopping parades, fraught and complicated holiday dinners with the family …

Oregon Republican Senate Candidate Plagiarized Economic Plan From Several Sources  —  On the subject of eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse...  Monica For Oregon Facebook / Via Facebook: monicafororegon  —  Large portions of an economic plan released by Oregon Republican Senate candidate Monica Wehby appear …

Obama Alum Jay Carney on New CNN Gig: I'm Still “Loyal to the President”  —  The longtime press secretary-turned-commentator opens up about staying partisan while also asserting “I'm also my own person, and I'm going to express my views”  —  A version of this story first appeared …

For immediate release  —  Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in July suggests that economic activity is expanding at a moderate pace.  On balance, labor market conditions improved somewhat further; however, the unemployment rate is little changed and a range …