Americans' views of Obama, Congress, political parties: Gloomy  —  Shares -  —  Americans' views of both political parties are negative and nearly match historic lows, a new CBS News poll reveals.  —  Just 29 percent of Americans have a favorable view of the Republican Party …

The woman who could beat Scott Walker  —  Part of an occasional series on the hottest races of the 2014 midterm election.  —  VIROQUA, Wis. — Mary Burke might be the last candidate you'd expect to potentially topple one of the Republican Party's leading governors and upend the 2016 presidential field.

Has the ‘Libertarian Moment’ Finally Arrived?  —  “Let's say Ron Paul is Nirvana,” said Kennedy, the television personality and former MTV host, by way of explaining the sort of politician who excites libertarians like herself.  “Like, the coolest, most amazing thing to come along in years …

EBOLA DOC'S CONDITION DOWNGRADED TO ‘IDIOTIC’  —  I wonder how the Ebola doctor feels now that his humanitarian trip has cost a Christian charity much more than any services he rendered.  —  What was the point?  —  Whatever good Dr. Kent Brantly did in Liberia has now been overwhelmed …

The Callow President  —  “'Stop just hatin' all the time.”  If you haven't been following the news, you might not know whether this bon mot was uttered by a character on the ABC Family show “Pretty Little Liars” or by the president of the United States.  —  Of course, it was the leader …

Local Kansas GOP official: ‘Offending Muslims is the duty of any civilized person.  Especially with a .45.’  —  Gavin Ellzey, the vice chairman of the Kansas Republican 3rd Congressional District Committee, advised on Twitter in early July that “offending Muslims is the duty of any civilized person.”

Another Anti-Zionist Professor Punished for His Views (Updated)  —  Until two weeks ago, Steven Salaita was heading to a job at the University of Illinois as a professor of American Indian Studies.  He had already resigned from his position at Virginia Tech; everything seemed sewn up.

Global Alert and Response (GAR)  —  Ebola virus disease update - West Africa  —  Epidemiology and surveillance  —  Between 2 and 4 August 2014, a total of 108 new cases of Ebola virus disease (laboratory-confirmed, probable, and suspect cases) as well as 45 deaths were reported from Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone.

In Reprisal, Russia Imposes Trade Sanctions on the West  —  MOSCOW — Russia announced on Thursday that it was banning the import of a wide range of food and agricultural products from Europe and the United States, among others, responding to Western-imposed sanctions and raising the level …

GOP Senate candidates mostly bash Begich, Obama and EPA in Fairbanks forum  —  FAIRBANKS — The top three impediments to development in Alaska, according to the three GOP Senate candidates who answered questions at a Chamber of Commerce forum here Wednesday, are as follows:

Obama defends executive action  —  President Obama defended his use of executive action on Wednesday, signaling he's willing to take steps on immigration and tax policy if Congress fails to act.  —  Obama vowed to “scour our authorities” seeking opportunities to act “wherever I have the legal authorities to make progress.”

Rand Paul = Democrats' Enemy #1  —  The senator's broad appeal threatens to weaken Democrats for 2016, and they are going on offense—sending out no less than 10 press releases on his latest trip to Iowa.  —  Democrats fundraise and campaign by exploiting concerns about right-wing extremism.

Snowden granted 3-yr residence permit - lawyer  —  Edward Snowden has received a residence permit in Russia, which is valid for three years, starting on August 1, the former NSA contractor's lawyer announced.  —  “On the first of August he received a three-year residence permit,” lawyer Anatoly Kucherena told reporters.

Primaries show Republican voters wary of Tea Party candidates, skeptical of party establishment  —  KANSAS 2014 ELECTIONS RAND PAUL CAMPAIGNS MICHIGAN JUSTIN AMASH PAT ROBERTS FRED UPTON SAM BROWNBACK  —  The standard thing to say about the various Republican primaries this year …

Miss. Republican Party will not hear McDaniel challenge  —  Interview from Nosef.  —  GOP committee member John Parker comments.  —  Cochran campaign comment.  —  The Mississippi Republican Party has said they will not hear the challenge from Chris McDaniel because state law would not allow …

Meet the New Rick Perry—Is He the Same as the Old Rick Perry?  —  Many pundits give the Texas governor slim odds in 2016 after his disastrous presidential run in 2012.  Maybe they're missing something.  —  Let's start with the glasses.  You know what I'm talking about: the dark-rimmed …

MICHELLE OBAMA: ‘WOMEN ARE SMARTER THAN MEN’  —  First Lady Michelle Obama shared some thoughts about women versus men during a conversation with former First Lady Laura Bush at the U.S Africa Leaders Summit in Washington D.C.  —  Obama explained that as First Lady it was important to remember …

Rep. Justin Amash defeats Brian Ellis: ‘I ran for office to stop people like you’  —  U.S. Rep. Justin Amash said Brian Ellis ran a “disgusting despicable smear campaign” during Amash's victory speech in downtown Grand Rapids Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2014.  (Cory Morse |  MLive.com)