Clinton surges to big lead in McClatchy-Marist poll  —  WASHINGTON  —  Hillary Clinton has surged to a 15-point lead over reeling, gaffe-plagued Donald Trump, according to a new McClatchy-Marist poll.  —  Clinton made strong gains with two constituencies crucial to a Republican victory …

Officials: George Zimmerman punched in face for allegedly bragging about killing Trayvon Martin  —  SANFORD, Fla. —  The man who said he shot unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin in self-defense said he was punched in the face while he was talking to people at a restaurant in Sanford over the weekend.

Trump repeats claim about nonexistent Iran footage  —  Despite Donald Trump's claim of having seen video footage of the $400 million cash delivery to Iran having been acknowledge as false by his own campaign, the Manhattan billionaire kicked off a rally Thursday afternoon by repeating the tall tale.

Mike Pence Endorses John McCain and Kelly Ayotte  —  After beginning the day by siding with his running mate and declining to explicitly endorse Sens. John McCain and Kelly Ayotte, Republican vice presidential candidate Mike Pence subsequently reversed course, with an aide confirming he would in fact offer his support for them.

Clinton pauses ads in Virginia in sign of confidence  —  Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign has left Virginia off its upcoming battleground-state television ad buy beginning next week — the second state to be dropped in recent weeks as Clinton holds a significant lead over Donald Trump nationally and in key states.

President Barack Obama on Feminism, Michelle, and His Daughters  —  There are a lot of tough aspects to being President.  But there are some perks too.  Meeting extraordinary people across the country.  Holding an office where you get to make a difference in the life of our nation.  Air Force One.

Media trumpeting Trump implosion, but is it real?  —  This is what a full-fledged feeding frenzy looks like.  —  With Donald Trump facing the roughest stretch of his candidacy, the media have moved from questioning his sanity to depicting a campaign in disarray and top Republicans still wondering whether they can dump the nominee.

Gaps in Melania Trump's immigration story raise questions  —  Nude photographs published this week are raising fresh questions about the accuracy of a key aspect of Melania Trump's biography: her immigration status when she first came to the United States to work as a model.

A blind eye to sex abuse: How USA Gymnastics failed to report cases  —  THE PROMINENT OLYMPIC ORGANIZATION FAILED TO ALERT AUTHORITIES TO MANY ALLEGATIONS OF SEXUAL ABUSE BY COACHES.  —  Top executives at one of America's most prominent Olympic organizations failed to alert authorities …

Harvard Republican Club Will Not Support Party Nominee Donald Trump  —  The Harvard Republican Club announced it would not support Republican presidential nominee Donald J. Trump, and called for Republican leaders to withdraw their support of the candidate they called a “threat to the survival …

Trump Declines To Name Women He'd Put In His Cabinet Besides Daughter Ivanka  —  Donald Trump declined to name any possible women he would name to his cabinet as president on Wednesday, instead naming his daughter Ivanka and the woman interviewing him as possible cabinet members.

How the Trump Presidential Campaign is Affecting Trump Businesses  —  At Foursquare, our data scientists are often called upon to analyze real world trends; we use Big Data to determine how commercial fortunes are rising or falling.  This year, politics and business are intersecting …

Trump Proves Republican Obama Hate Was Never About Obama's Ideas  —  This week, largely drowned out on the stump by his succession of own goals, Donald Trump returned to a theme he has mentioned before in the campaign — his infrastructure plan, which would amount to either half a trillion dollars …

Wearing 'Don't Tread on Me' insignia could be punishable racial harassment  —  The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, among its other functions, decides “hostile work environment” harassment claims brought against federal agencies.  In doing so, it applies the same legal rules …

Sasha Obama lands summer job at Vineyard seafood joint  —  Sasha Obama, who has lived eight of her 15 years in the luxurious confines of the White House, is learning how the other half lives this summer.  The First Daughter is working the takeout window at Nancy's, a seafood restaurant on Martha's Vineyard.

CNN LIVE EVENT/SPECIAL  —  THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT.  THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.  —  ABDERSON COOPER, CNN: Good evening and welcome to the second CNN Libertarian Town hall, I'm Anderson Cooper.  Tonight, your chance to meet the candidates behind …

LISTEN: Sean Explains Why Republican Insiders Will Be To Blame If Trump Is Defeated In November  —  GOP insiders are in full-on panic mode over Donald Trump after a rough week led to a dip in the polls for the Republican nominee.  While we're still several months from the November election …

The Political Process Isn't Rigged — It Has Much Bigger Problems  —  All right, I need to vent.  For months, I've watched Donald Trump decry as “rigged” everything from the Democratic primaries, the Republican primary rules (that's right, the same rules that helped him win the nomination) and the fall debate schedule.