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.

VP Joe Biden to enter presidential race, reports FOX News  —  NEW YORK (FOX 5 NY) - Sources tell FOX News Senior White House Correspondent Ed Henry that Vice President Joe Biden will enter the presidential race. … There has been heavy speculation that Biden would run for the Democratic nomination.

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 …

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.

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.

Poll: Obama's approval rating hits an 18-month high, is back over 50 percent  —  A bare 51 percent majority of the public approves of President Obama's job performance in a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, while 45 percent disapproves.  Although tepidly positive, those are Obama's best numbers since May 2013 in Post-ABC surveys.

Anthony Mackie Endorses Donald Trump: He Worked His Way Up From Nothing  —  The Our Brand Is Crisis actor said he is “drinking the Kool-Aid.” … Looks like we might see Anthony Mackie on the campaign trail with Donald Trump.  During a sit-down chat with BET.com during the promotional trail …

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 …

Canceled Sacramento wedding leads to meal for homeless  —  Bride-to-be's parents host banquet at Citizen Hotel  —  After a groom-to-be called off a Sacramento wedding, the bride-to-be's family decided to turn the extravagant event into a feast for those less fortunate.

'Yo dog, that's me' Man sees picture on WTVR app, surrenders to police  —  RICHMOND, Va. — A man walked into a Richmond Police precinct Monday, held up the WTVR news app and said “Yo dog, that's me” to the officers in the room.  Soon after he made that statement, Edward Faggins, 28, of West Clay Street, was charged with grand larceny.

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.

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.