Matt Lauer Fields Storm of Criticism Over Clinton-Trump Forum  —  It was a high-stakes political moment, far from the chummier confines of the “Today” show and, for Matt Lauer, NBC's stalwart of the morning, a chance to prove his broadcasting mettle on the presidential stage.  —  The consensus afterward was not kind.

Conservative media jumps on Hillary's ‘earpiece’  —  Conservative media was dominated on Thursday by claims Hillary Clinton  —  was wearing an earpiece during a nationally televised presidential forum on veterans affairs the previous evening.  —  The story originally took off via a tweet …

‘What Is Aleppo?’  Gary Johnson Asks, in an Interview Stumble  —  Gary Johnson, the former New Mexico governor and Libertarian Party presidential nominee, revealed a surprising lack of foreign policy knowledge on Thursday that could rock his insurgent candidacy when he could not answer …

What Really Happened at Donald Trump's Intelligence Briefing  —  What ‘body language’ is Trump talking about?  —  As U.S. officials cast doubt on Donald Trump's claim he read the “body language” of intelligence officials at a recent briefing, NBC News has learned exclusive details …

Inside the collapse of Trump's D.C. policy shop  —  The Trump campaign built a large policy shop in Washington that has now largely melted away because of neglect, mismanagement and promises of pay that were never honored.  Many of the team's former members say the campaign leadership never took …

Donald Trump: How I'd Run the Country (Better)  —  This is what it felt like to be Donald J. Trump in 2004, when The Apprentice was on the air, and he was bros with Regis, and the Iraq War was still at the top of America's collective consciousness.  Funnily enough, what he said 12 years ago helps us understand his (il)logic today.

Suffolk University Poll of North Carolina Shows Trump at 44 Percent to Clinton's 41 Percent  —  With two months to go before the November general election, Republican Donald Trump (44 percent) leads Democrat Hillary Clinton (41 percent), by 3 points in North Carolina, according …

Are Clinton's memory lapses a health issue, or just dishonest dodging?  —  THE STORIES ABOUT Hillary Clinton's failing health at first glance seemed like more vapors from the gaseous swamp of this year's toxic presidential race.  The coughing fits, a photo showing her being assisted in walking …

Voter Suppression in North Carolina  —  North Carolina Republicans are at it again.  Barely one month after a federal appeals court struck down the state's anti-voter law for suppressing African-American voter turnout “with almost surgical precision,” election officials in dozens of counties …

Summer haze!  Malia Obama is pictured ‘near a large bong at UPenn frat house’ wearing her ‘Smoking Kills’ T-shirt... weeks after she puffed on a suspicious cigarette at Lollapalooza  —  A picture circulating on social media appears to show Malia Obama near an item that resembles a large bong.

Fear of a Female President  —  Except for her gender, Hillary Clinton is a highly conventional presidential candidate.  She's been in public life for decades.  Her rhetoric is carefully calibrated.  She tailors her views to reflect the mainstream within her party.

Trump's shrinking swing state map  —  Two months from Election Day, Donald Trump's swing state map is shrinking.  —  Interviews with more than two dozen Republican operatives, state party officials and elected leaders suggest three of the 11 battleground states identified by POLITICO …

Hawaiian seafood caught by foreign crews confined on boats  —  HONOLULU (AP) — Pier 17 doesn't even show up on most Honolulu maps.  Cars whiz past it on their way to Waikiki's famous white sand beaches.  Yet few locals, let alone passing tourists, are aware that just behind a guarded gate …