Al Gore Insiders “Figuring Out If There's A Path” For Him To Run  —  Supporters of Al Gore have begun a round of conversations among themselves and with the former vice president about his running for president in 2016, the latest sign that top Democrats have serious doubts that Hillary Clinton is a sure thing.

Parsing Clinton: Deflection, Deception, and Untruths  —  Breaking down the campaign's talking points on her email fiasco.  —  Having covered Bill and Hillary Clinton since the mid-1980s in Arkansas, it's not hard for me to imagine this conversation taking place at her campaign headquarters.

An Iowa surprise: Donald Trump is actually trying to win  —  DES MOINES — For five days, the royal-blue bus rumbled through miles of cornfields alongside a popular annual bicycle trek across Iowa.  It showed up at a country music concert in Cherokee and at a bacon festival in Ottumwa.

Jeb Bush: ‘Taking Out Saddam Hussein Turned Out To Be A Pretty Good Deal’  —  Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) said on Thursday during a campaign stop in Iowa that “taking out Saddam Hussein turned out to be a pretty good deal,” according to multiple reports.  —  From the Wall Street Journal's Reid Epstein:

Just 1 in 3 approves of Obama's handling of Iran  —  Just one in three Americans supports President Obama's handling of the situation in Iran, lower approval than several other issues measured in a Gallup poll released Thursday.  —  While 33 percent surveyed in the poll approve Obama's handling …

‘The View’: Nicolle Wallace on Getting Fired and Other Hot Topics (EXCLUSIVE)  —  When Nicolle Wallace was hired as a co-host of “The View” last September, ABC executives told her they wanted an intelligent, measured Republican at the Hot Topics table opposite Whoopi Goldberg, Rosie O'Donnell and Rosie Perez.

Al Franken  —  Many have expressed reservations about the deal, and I share some of those reservations.  It isn't a perfect agreement.  —  But it is a strong one.  This agreement is, in my opinion, the most effective, realistic way to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon anytime in the next 15 years.

In symbol of restored ties, Kerry to raise U.S. flag at Havana embassy  —  U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Cuba on Friday to raise the U.S. flag at the recently restored American Embassy in Havana, another symbolic step in improved relations between the two Cold War-era foes.

Henrico mom goes missing after sending bizarre text to worried husband  —  HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — Henrico mother Connie Ditto is missing.  Her husband Mark said no one has seen or heard from his wife since Tuesday night when she checked into Patient First in Short Pump complaining of head pains.

Islamic State Suspected of Using Chemical Weapon, U.S. Says  —  Militants likely used mustard agent on Kurdish forces in Iraq, officials say  —  WASHINGTON—Islamic State militants likely used mustard agent against Kurdish forces in Iraq this week, senior U.S. officials said Thursday …

Chicago, New Orleans, and rebirth  —  StatehouseChickIf you read the piece, it's about finances and government.  I would never diminish the tragedy of thousands of lives lost.