What's at Stake in the Second Republican Debate: Full Panic in the GOP  —  If you imagine a scenario in which Donald Trump vanishes from the Republican presidential race, and isn't replaced by an equally brash panderer—that is, where his supporters scatter to a variety of other second-choice candidates …

‘Look in the Mirror, Fat Boy’  —  Ronald Reagan's sons discuss Donald Trump and 2016.  —  Ronald Reagan's sons have one thing to say to Donald Trump: We knew Ronald Reagan.  Ronald Reagan was our father.  And you're no Ronald Reagan.  —  The conservative 40th president has been a touchstone …

Republican presidential debate: Live updates  —  Welcome to the CNN live blog, where we'll be bringing you all the best moments from the debate — on the stage, on social media and behind the scenes.  —  Your host for the evening is CNN political reporter Tal Kopan, who will also be bringing …

10 questions for Carly Fiorina  —  Carly Fiorina brings two distinctions to the 2016 Republican presidential field.  She's the only woman and, as former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, the only Fortune 500 chieftain in the race.  —  Both have brought her into conflict with current front-runner Donald Trump, the bombastic real-estate mogul.

White House Invites Several Opponents of Catholic Teaching to Greet Pope Francis  —  President Obama will apparently test just how far Pope Francis' notorious tolerance will go by inviting a rogue's gallery of people opposed to Catholic teaching to greet the pontiff at the White House during his visit next week.

You've probably seen the story about Ahmed, the 14 year old student in Texas who built a clock and was arrested when he took it to school.  —  Having the skill and ambition to build something cool should lead to applause, not arrest.  The future belongs to people like Ahmed.

Ben Carson gets hit in the head with a camera  —  <p>A photographer <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= nOe0MTnWums">smacked Ben Carson in the head</a> with the lens of his camera as reporters scrambled to get near the surging Republican contender.  Carson winced in pain and clutched his head …

Boehner Confronts Choices, None Easy, to Avoid Shutdown  —  Here we go again: House Speaker John Boehner is maneuvering to avoid another U.S. government shutdown amid conservative demands that could stymie any solution and undermine his grip on the gavel.  —  Boehner must decide …

Steve Rannazzisi, Comedian Who Told of 9/11 Escape, Admits He Lied  —  When the comedian Steve Rannazzisi has explained his success, which includes seven seasons starring on a popular TV show, “The League,” and a one-hour special this Saturday on Comedy Central, he has frequently attributed …

Texas Burger Joint Under Fire For Refusing to Serve Police Officers  —  A Whataburger location in Lewisville, Texas is under fire after a cashier allegedly told two police officers that the restaurant had a policy of not serving cops.  —  According to a local Fox affiliate …

Jim Gilmore plans to live-tweet the debate  —  Jim Gilmore's steamed that CNN has excluded him, and only him, from Wednesday's Republican debates, but he's going to jump into the fray anyway—on Twitter.  —  The former Virginia governor, who was a late addition to the first GOP debate …

“Email” Defines Clinton; “Immigration” Defines Trump  —  Story Highlights  —  PRINCETON, N.J. — Hillary Clinton, the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, has offered specific positions on a variety of issues while campaigning.  But when Gallup recently asked Americans …

How the Tea Party Got Hijacked by Trump's Troll Party  —  As the candidates gather at the Reagan Library for the second 2016 presidential debate, a longtime conservative consultant says the Tea Party has morphed into the Troll Party—and it's a fight for the soul of the GOP.