TRENDING: First on CNN: DNC secretly scheduled guests: Actresses Johansson, Portman, Washington  —  Charlotte (CNN) - Clint Eastwood meet Scarlett Johansson, Natalie Portman and Kerry Washington.  —  The three actresses, firmly anchored in Hollywood's royalty, have been secretly scheduled …

FACT CHECK: FIRST LADY'S FALSE FAIRY TALE OF STRUGGLE  —  First Lady Michelle Obama's pitch to voters last night relied on the premise that she and her husband understand what it is to struggle to make ends meet.  She spoke movingly about their early years—about how a young Barack Obama drove a car that was …

CNN Fact Check: About those 4.5 million jobs ...  San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro touted 4.5 million new jobs created during the Obama administration.  Was he right?  —  (CNN) — Anyone watching the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday night heard the number 4.5 million several times.

Sept. 4: The Simple Case for Why Obama Is the Favorite  —  I've been tiptoeing around this point, because I don't think that our forecast model ought to represent the totality of our analysis about the election.  —  But if you look at the right-hand column of this page …

Monica Lewinsky's Former Rabbi To Deliver Benediction After Bill Clinton Speaks At DNC  —  ABC News' Michael Falcone reports:  —  CHARLOTTE, N.C. — This could get awkward.  —  Rabbi David Wolpe of Los Angeles' Sinai Temple, where Monica Lewinsky and her family were congregation members …

DWS attacks Examiner for ‘deliberately’ misquoting her, but here's the audio … CHARLOTTE - Earlier this evening, in an appearance on Fox News, Democratic National Committee chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz accused the Washington Examiner of “deliberately” misquoting her comments claiming …

RNC Highlights: Romney Shares Top Billing With Eastwood  —  Fewer Watch Convention Coverage than in 2008  —  OVERVIEW  —  The public paid far less attention to this year's Republican convention than it did to the GOP convention four years ago.  Just 37% say they watched …

Exclusive: Paul Ryan Quietly Requested Obamacare Cash  —  Republican vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan is barnstorming the country, promising to repeal every provision of the Affordable Care Act if the Romney-Ryan ticket is elected.  But a letter he wrote to the Obama administration may undermine this message.

Barack Obama to Michael Lewis on a Presidential Loss of Freedom: “You Don't Get Used to It—At Least, I Don't” … “Don't be looking to the sidelines all sheepish,” Barack Obama yells at Vanity Fair contributing editor Michael Lewis in “Obama's Way,” in October's V.F. “You got to get back and play D!”

A media lovefest in Charlotte  —  The Democratic National Convention is just getting underway, but already I've been given the treatment.  Lots of treatments, actually.  —  I've had my deltoids massaged in candlelight by a licensed therapist; had a foaming pore cleanser and mask applied …

Alec Baldwin: If Obama were white ...  Actor Alec Baldwin thinks that race is one reason why President Obama isn't crushing Mitt Romney in the polls.  —  “If Obama was white, he'd be up by 17 points,” the actor tweeted on Tuesday.  —  “Certainly things could [be] better w this economy,” Baldwin added.

S.C. Dem.  Chair Compares GOP Gov. to Hitler's Mistress  —  South Carolina Democratic chairman Dick Harpootlian compared his state's Republican female governor, Nikki Haley, to Hitler's mistress, Eva Braun this morning at a breakfast in Charlotte, North Carolina.  —  South Carolina's the State reports:

Exclusive: Gabby Douglas to lead DNC Pledge of Allegiance  —  CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Two-time Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas will be back under the bright lights at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday.  —  The 16-year-old gymnast, known as the “flying squirrel,” …