First criminal charges filed in Benghazi attack probe  —  Demonstrators set the U.S. Consulate compound in Benghazi, Libya, on fire on September 11, 2012.  The U.S. ambassador and three other U.S. nationals were killed during the attack.  The Obama administration initially blamed a mob inflamed …

Bill Clinton comments on Weiner, NYC mayoral race  —  (CNN) - Former President Bill Clinton said he and his wife, Hillary Clinton, have many “personal friends” in the New York City mayoral race and added that he shouldn't talk about the contest.  —  His comments came in an interview with CNN in Kigali …

Obama tells Leno: 'We don't have a domestic spying program'  —  President Obama on Tuesday defended the National Security Agency's (NSA) surveillance programs in a wide-ranging interview on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” arguing that the agency doesn't target U.S. civilians.

Weiner allegedly hurls ‘grandpa’ remark during AARP forum  —  At an AARP-Univision mayoral forum this morning, mayoral contender Anthony Weiner pulled out the age card to taunt his most vocal challengers, 69-year-old Doe Fund founder George McDonald.  Weiner is 48.

Jeff Bezos Bets $250 Million on Reviving Washington Post  —  Amazon's CEO Jeff Bezos to Buy Washington Post  —  The Washington Post (WPO) will be sold for $250 million to Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos, who is betting he can apply his success in e-commerce to the struggling newspaper industry.

Obama housing plan: Rehab vacant lots; wind down Fannie and Freddie  —  President Obama on Tuesday outlined a series of policies he said would save home ownership for the middle class.  —  In a speech Tuesday in Arizona, one of the states hit hardest by the housing crisis that precipitated …

U.S. Rep. Alexander won't run for re-election  —  Six-term 5th District U.S. Rep. Rodney Alexander won't run for re-election next year, the congressman told The News-Star in an exclusive interview this afternoon.  —  Alexander, R-Ruston, who hadn't yet drawn serious opposition for 2014 …

Anthony Weiner's Sexting Partner Sydney Leathers Reveals Her 10 Secrets For Seducing a Politician  —  Bottom line: Don't ever let the politician know how pathetic you think they really are.  —  I know a lot of people judge me (shout-out to MSNBC's Thomas Roberts who went on air and called me …

America Still Isn't Rid Of The White Economic Supremacy That Drove The March On Washington  —  When Americans talk about Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s historic March on Washington, they often neglect to say the event's title in full: the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

Obamacare months behind in testing IT data security: government  —  (Reuters) - The federal government is months behind in testing data security for the main pillar of Obamacare: allowing Americans to buy health insurance on state exchanges due to open by October 1

Rand Paul And More On Libertarianism  —  With John Harwood in for Tom Ashbrook.  —  Rand Paul and others on Libertarianism and the future of the Republican Party.  —  The Republican Party needs a new formula for winning national elections, and Libertarians like Sen. Rand Paul think they have it …

GOP Rep Grilled By Tea Party At Town Hall Over Obamacare Funding (VIDEO)  —  Rep. Robert Pittenger (R-NC) received an earful Monday at a town hall after he said that he will not be backing efforts to defund Obamacare and risk a government shutdown.  —  The exchange was captured and posted …

Donald Trump, John Boehner hit the links  —  Speaker John Boehner played golf with businessman and failed presidential candidate Donald Trump Tuesday in New Jersey.  —  The Ohio Republican is in the midst of his annual August fundraising swing — he raised money for Rep. Scott Perry in Harrisburg …

Gov. Christie's shameless $2M self-promotion: Editorial  —  Gov. Chris Christie appears with his family in a TV commercial, “Stronger Than the Storm, ” promoting tourism to the Jersey Shore.  The ad is part of this season's $25 million state tourism campaign funded by the federal disaster aid package approved …

First on CNN: Iowa's Steve King heading to South Carolina  —  Washington (CNN) - Iowa Rep. Steve King, whose hard line immigration rhetoric has angered some of his fellow Republicans and delighted Democrats eager to keep Hispanic voters in their fold, is quietly planning meetings …

GOP Expected To Thwart Obamacare Fix For Churches  —  An effort by Democrats to fix a glitch under Obamacare that harms small churches is widely expected to be blocked by Republicans, in what would be the latest example of GOP efforts to undermine President Obama's signature legislative achievement …

Republicans, White Voters and Racial Polarization  —  This National Journal piece, the latest to misread Sean Trende's columns on the “missing white voters” of 2012 as an argument that the G.O.P. should try to build a “whites-only” majority, reminds that I've been meaning to write …

Vital Signs: Obesity Among Low-Income, Preschool-Aged Children — United States, 2008-2011  —  Abstract  —  Background: The prevalence of obesity among U.S. preschoolers has doubled in recent decades.  Childhood obesity increases the risk for adult obesity and is associated with negative health consequences.

PolitiFact finds its pants on fire  —  House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) appeared on Fox News on Sunday, and when the discussion turned to a possible self-imposed budget crisis, the Virginia Republican said lawmakers should be “focused on trying to deal with the ultimate problem, which is this growing deficit.”

Terrorist Designation of Bahawal Khan  —  Media Note  —  Washington, DC  —  The Department of State has designated the Commander Nazir Group leader, Bahawal Khan as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support …