Suspected killer in Ottawa shootings had a disturbing side  —  Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, the slain 32-year-old suspected killer of a Canadian Forces soldier near Parliament Hill, was a labourer and small-time criminal - a man who had had a religious awakening and seemed to have become mentally unstable.

GOPer Ernst Promises To Use Her Gun If Gov't Decides Rights Aren't ‘Important’  —  During an National Rifle Association event in Iowa in 2012, state Sen. Joni Ernst, now the Republican nominee for Senate in the state, said she carries a 9-millimeter gun around everywhere and believes in the right …

Justice Department condemns Ferguson leaks as effort to influence opinion  —  With a grand jury decision looming on whether a white police officer should face charges in the killing of an unarmed black 18-year-old in Ferguson, Mo., the investigation has sprung a few leaks.

Mormon Underwear, Revealed  —  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released an informational guide to “temple garments” on their website.  Why have these clothes been such a source of fascination in American culture?  —  Mormonism has long been a source of cultural fascination—and sometimes suspicion—in America.

Behind the numbers: ‘Kills’ against ISIS  —  Is the United States killing enough Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants?  —  It may be a macabre question but it is also a necessary one, according to some defense experts.  They wonder whether the military efforts by the U.S.-led coalition …

Baby girl killed in Jerusalem is an American, US official says  —  Terrorist kills infant, wounds several, after ramming...  Watch: Car drives into crowd at light rail station in...  Netanyahu blames Abbas incitement for Jerusalem terro...  Shimshon Halperin, mourns the loss of his granddaughter Chaya Zissel Braun.

9 percent of likely 2014 voters are ‘enthusiastic’ about President Obama  —  We've written plenty on this blog about Democrats' enthusiasm deficit in the 2014 election.  This gap was, is and will almost definitely continue to be real through Nov. 4.  —  But while it's well understood …

Key Barack Obama aides eye White House exits  —  White House chief of staff Denis McDonough has asked senior aides to tell him if they're going to stick around for President Barack Obama's final two years in office, with a West Wing restructuring after the midterms possible.

Canada's Coverage of the Ottawa Shootings Put American Cable News to Shame  —  The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation today gave a master class in calm, credible breaking news reporting.  —  Anchored by the unflappable Peter Mansbridge, news of the shootings in Ottawa unfolded live on the CBC …

Tribune poll: Rauner, Quinn in dead heat  —  With less than two weeks until Election Day, the race for Illinois governor is a dead heat as Republican challenger Bruce Rauner has made significant inroads among suburban voters, especially women, a new Chicago Tribune poll shows.

Richardson Reacts to New Poll Indicating Swing in His Favor  —  PORTLAND, Ore.- A dramatic shift in poll numbers has taken place since Governor John Kitzhaber's campaign became riddled with scandal.  A poll commissioned by KATU has Dennis Richardson with a surprising double-digit lead.

FEC votes suggest gridlock is easing  —  Ravel also is launching a tour Thursday to solicit public opinion on the state of campaign finance in the era of super PACs.  The outreach is a rare attempt by an FEC leader to engage ordinary Americans on a subject that's typically the province of political insiders, consultants and lawyers.

Young stands behind Wasilla High School comments, adds government to suicide blame list  —  WASILLA — An unapologetic U.S. Rep. Don Young on Wednesday wasn't backing down from statements he made Tuesday at Wasilla High School that suicide shows a lack of support from friends and family.

How We Got Rolled by the Dishonest Fascists of Gamergate  —  On October 1, the computing giant Intel pulled its ads from Gamasutra, a trade website for game developers, over an essay called “'Gamers' don't have to be your audience.  ‘Gamers’ are over” by a journalist named Leigh Alexander.

The Truth about the “Palin Brawl” - The Media Reveals Its Bias Against Conservative Women Once Again  —  First, the media said Trig was not really my mom's kid.  —  Then, they claimed my mom said “I can see Russia from my house.”  —  Recently, they said my parents are giving a divorce.

‘Calibration error’ changes GOP votes to Dem in Illinois county  —  CHICAGO — Early voting in Illinois got off to a rocky start Monday, as votes being cast for Republican candidates were transformed into votes for Democrats.  —  Republican state representative candidate Jim Moynihan went …