Poll: Bush, Trump rising nationally for GOP, but both trail Clinton  —  Story highlights  —  Washington (CNN)With nearly all of the expected 2016 presidential candidates formally in the race, a new CNN/ORC national poll finds two recent entrants to the GOP field on the rise …

The Note: What's Coming Up For Cuba … NOTABLES  —U.S., CUBA TO ANNOUNCE EMBASSY OPENINGS IN WASHINGTON AND HAVANA: President Obama is expected to announce today that the two countries have reached an agreement to re-establish formal diplomatic relations and open embassies in Washington and Havana …

New Hillary Clinton emails show expansive role of Sidney Blumenthal  —  The liberal writer and family confidant peppered the secretary of state with advice on everything from internal turf battles to climate change.  —  Getty  —  In her early months in office, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton …

Budowsky: Obama could sink 2016 Dems  —  Nothing better dramatizes the damage that President Obama has done to Democrats than the fact that Republicans now control the House of Representatives, the Senate and a majority of governorships across America.  —  Nothing better illustrates the reason …

Fire crews responding to blaze at African American church in Greeleyville  —  A prominent African-American church that was burned to the ground by the KKK in 1995 is currently on fire, according to the State Law Enforcement Division.  —  Fire crews are still battling an active blaze …

America is not racist  —  In wake of the Charleston massacre in South Carolina, many on the left want us to believe America is a racist nation dominated by white supremacy and hatred for blacks.  —  They're wrong.  —  “Racism, we are not cured of it.  And it's not just a matter of it not being polite to say n—

Alexis Tsipras backs down on many Greece bailout demands  —  Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will accept most of the bailout creditors' conditions offered last weekend but is still insisting on a handful of changes that could thwart a deal, according to a letter he sent late on Tuesday night.

The Sunny Side of Greed  —  In the dire prophecies of science-fiction writers and the fevered warnings of left-wing activists, big corporations will soon rule the earth — or already do.  —  Fine with me.  —  They've been great on the issue of the Confederate flag.

A Momentous Week, and a GOP That Needs to Change  —  The fight over the Confederate flag and the Supreme Court decisions on Obamacare and same-sex marriage all send the signal that Republicans need to adapt to keep pace with younger voters.  —  The momentous events of the last week can be interpreted in numerous ways.

Richard NIxon Was Not Misunderstood  —  Every once in a while someone writes a book arguing that Richard Nixon has been misunderstood.  These authors tend to focus on some particular aspect of his presidency that, the argument goes, is more important than that Watergate business.

No, Polygamy Isn't the Next Gay Marriage  —  Group marriage is the past—not the future—of matrimony.  —  AP Photo.  —  I am a gay marriage advocate.  So why do I spend so much of my time arguing about polygamy?  Opposing the legalization of plural marriage should not be my burden …

Why I'm Filing a Civil-Rights Lawsuit  —  Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm and his agents ransacked my house and ruined my career.  —  By  —  After much soul-searching, I am filing a civil-rights lawsuit on Wednesday against Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm.

Rand Paul overlooks Cliven Bundy's racism to pander to the far right  —  DON'T MISS STORIES.  FOLLOW RAW STORY!  —  Rand Paul is openly courting Cliven Bundy's militia supporters by appealing to the scofflaw rancher at a campaign event Monday.  —  Paul spoke at a campaign stop in Mesquite …

We Got Presidential Hopeful Ted Cruz To Do An Audition For “The Simpsons”  —  These impressions are “Excellent...”  —  GOP presidential hopeful Ted Cruz isn't just a conservative firebrand.  He's also a huge fan of The Simpsons.  —  Cruz does a confident Mr. Burns.  —  And he absolutely nails Ned Flanders.

Barack Obama basks in public approval after ‘best week of his presidency’  —  Barack Obama pledged on Tuesday to “squeeze every last ounce of progress” out of his remaining time in the White House, as his poll ratings reached a two-year high following what political commentators said was the best week of his presidency.