Jeb Bush's Camp Sees an Upside to Donald Trump's Surge in the G.O.P.  —  WASHINGTON — It may be the Summer of Trump, but the publicity-hungry real estate magnate is not the only Republican presidential candidate relishing all his attention.  —  Donald J. Trump's surge in the polls has been met …

Authentic Biden vs. Hillary's Mystery  —  Who Hillary Clinton really is remains a mystery.  With Joe Biden, what you see is what you get.  —  He was a wonderfully gifted young man, only 25 years old, a lieutenant in the Marine Corps headed to Afghanistan in the summer of 2012 when he died suddenly …

Now 60% Chance Of A Government Shutdown  —  The chance of a federal government shutdown increased dramatically and precipitously last week from 40 percent to 60 percent.  It's now more likely than not that a shutdown will result from the craziness going on in Washington.

Everson to file complaint over first GOP debate  —  The Republican presidential race kicks off in earnest this week with the first GOP debate in Cleveland Thursday.  Meanwhile all 17 candidates are jockeying to get a spot on the stage and a place in the hearts and minds of voters.  (Aug. 2) AP

Growing signs Schumer will oppose Iran deal  —  'He's got the toughest vote of his career coming,' a colleague says of the New York Democrat, who insists he's undecided.  —  Chuck Schumer is getting an earful from opponents of the Iran nuclear deal.  —  More than 10,000 phone calls …

Las Cruces police investigate explosions near Calvary Baptist, Holy Cross  —  No injuries: Devices placed just outside churches in trash can, mail box  —  wrubel@lcsun-news.com @WaltRubel on Twitter  —  LAS CRUCES >> Explosions about a half hour apart shattered the serenity …

Scott Walker Still Unsure If Obama Is A Christian: 'I Don't Know'  —  Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) said he still doesn't know whether Barack Obama is Christian, months after a spokesperson had to clarify that the governor wasn't casting doubt on the President's faith.

Wing-nut conspiracy theorists have done it again: The truth about the Planned Parenthood hoax revealed  —  Probes into alleged for-profit organ harvesting have turned up exactly nothing.  So why won't the right take a hint?  —  A still from the video “Planned Parenthood Uses Partial-Birth Abortions …

Trump: GOP challengers ‘viciously’ attacked me  —  GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump said on Sunday that Republicans have not given him a warm welcome since he entered their 2016 nominating process.  —  Trump argued he is on the defensive against over GOP White House hopefuls during an interview that morning.

The Cop  —  Darren Wilson was not indicted for shooting Michael Brown.  Many people in Ferguson question whether justice was done. … “I know it's late, but you wanna come up for a coconut or something?”  —  BUY THE PRINT » … BUY THE PRINT » … “Once you learn, though, you'll never forget.”

Ted Cruz Says Climate-Change Fears Falsified by Scientists and Politicians  —  Sen. Ted Cruz on Sunday said facts don't support climate change, in a speech that described the notion as a front for power-hungry politicians who want to control Americans' lives.

An Updated Racial Hustle  —  Thoughts on Ta-Nehisi Coates's new book  —  Between the World and Me, by Ta-Nehesi Coates (Spiegel & Grau, 176 pp., $24)  —  Designation as the liberals' official angry black man is a lucrative job.  The market is upscale, but the job is only temporary.

Christie booed mercilessly — twice — at the Haskell  —  OCEANPORT — It was one long happy celebration at Monmouth Park for the great American Pharoah's latest victory.  At least, that is, until Gov. Chris Christie stepped into the Winner's Circle to present the trophy.  —  And then, the record crowd of 60,983 booed.

Meet The Press Transcript - August 2, 2015  —  CHUCK TODD:  —  This Sunday, a potential political bombshell.  Word that Joe Biden is now seriously considering taking on Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination.  We'll have the latest on what we really know.  Also, game on.