Democrats are in denial.  Their party is actually in deep trouble.  —  The Democratic Party is in much greater peril than its leaders or supporters recognize, and it has no plan to save itself.  —  Yes, Barack Obama is taking a victory lap in his seventh year in office.

‘These have been among the worst weeks of my life’  —  <p>House Benghazi Chairman Trey Gowdy, a former federal prosecutor, used to get death threats in his previous line of work.  But watching his Benghazi investigation get slammed by accusations that it's a partisan assault on Hillary Clinton …

Paul Ryan open to running for speaker  —  After weeks of insisting he would not run for Speaker, Wisconsin Republican Rep. Paul Ryan - according to those close to him - is now open to leading the fractured Republican conference, and seriously considering launching a bid for speaker of the House.

Dramatic motorcycle crash caught on video; DPS investigating  —  GRANBURY - The road rash and deep cuts all over Eric Sanders' body only begin to tell the story.  —  “I've got a gouge in my elbow that is bone-deep,” Sanders said.  —  The video tells the rest.

Sources: Biden could announce decision within 48 hours  —  Vice President Joe Biden is nearing a decision on if he will enter the presidential race, which could come within 48 hours, two sources tells NBC News.  —  Biden has been contemplating a presidential run for months and has delayed …

What The New York Times Didn't Tell You  —  “Nearly every person I worked with, I saw cry at their desk.”  —  If you read the recent New York Times article about Amazon's culture, you remember that quote.  Attributed to Bo Olson, the image of countless employees crying at their desks set …

Finally - a change in course on drug policy  —  “Greatness comes in simple trappings,” Richard Nixon once said.  It seems appropriate to quote the man who started the failed war on drugs to applaud good efforts to end it.  —  In an as-yet unreleased statement circulated to the BBC …

The women in the van  —  <p>A few dozen reporters who regularly cover Hillary Clinton gathered last August to watch the first GOP debate at her headquarters in Brooklyn.  MSNBC's Alex Seitz-Wald stopped for a moment and looked around.</p><p> A second later, he realized what seemed strange …

Pastor kills brick-wielding man during church service  —  Violence marred a church service Sunday when a man with a brick attacked the pastor, who whipped out his Glock handgun and fired several shots, killing the man, Detroit police said.  —  The incident allegedly happened about 15 minutes …

Americans' Desire for Stricter Gun Laws Up Sharply  —  STORY HIGHLIGHTS  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. — Fifty-five percent of Americans say they want laws covering the sale of firearms to be stricter than they are now, a distinct rise of eight percentage points from 2014.

Man Busted For Wiping Butt With Summons  —  New Jerseyan, 45, indicted on throwing bodily fluid charge  —  A New Jersey man has been indicted for wiping “between his butt cheeks” with a police summons that he then threw at a cop, according to court records.

Terry Richardson is going to be a father  —  Controversial photographer Terry Richardson is moving into a new chapter at 50 — fatherhood.  —  Multiple sources tell Page Six that Richardson's former assistant-turned-girlfriend Alexandra Bolotow is pregnant and that the couple's been discreetly telling friends.

Something Not Rotten in Denmark  —  No doubt surprising many of the people watching the Democratic presidential debate, Bernie Sanders cited Denmark as a role model for how to help working people.  Hillary Clinton demurred slightly, declaring that “we are not Denmark,” but agreed that Denmark is an inspiring example.

Stoner high school student says he hacked the CIA  —  Hillary Rodham Clinton's e-mail scandal didn't stop the head of the CIA from using his own personal AOL account to stash work-related documents, according to a stoner high-school student who claims to have hacked into them.