Condi Rice: The one person who could save the NFL  —  Condoleezza Rice made a startling admission to the New York Times in 2002.  The then-national security adviser to President George W. Bush said it was “absolutely right” that she wanted to be commissioner of the National Football League.

Obama Hits a New Low for Leadership, With Criticism on ISIS & Immigration Alike  —  Barack Obama's rating for strong leadership has dropped to a new low in the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll, hammered by criticism of his work on international crises and a stalled domestic agenda alike.

In first speech back, Reid blasts Koch brothers  —  It took Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) less than 10 minutes on Monday to mention conservative billionaires David and Charles Koch in his first floor speech after Congress's five-week August recess.

Watergate's most lasting sin: Gerald Ford, Richard Nixon, and the pardon that made us all cynics  —  Ford let Nixon off 40 years ago today.  That launched Iran-Contra, “too big to fail” — and proved power trumps law  —  When you've published a book about Watergate, your phone rings off …

Rothenberg: Senate GOP Gains At Least 7 Seats  —  While the current Rothenberg Political Report ratings don't show it, I am now expecting a substantial Republican Senate wave in November, with a net gain of at least seven seats.  —  But I wouldn't be shocked by a larger gain.

Udall: Beheaded American Journalists Would Have Wanted Cautious Approach to ISIS  —  The president has in recent days taken fire from members of his own party for taking a low-key approach to tackling the problem presented by the Islamic State, particularly as the images of two American journalists kidnapped …

The Twenty-Eight Pages  —  On the bottom floor of the United States Capitol's new underground visitors' center, there is a secure room where the House Intelligence Committee maintains highly classified files.  One of those files is titled “Finding, Discussion and Narrative Regarding Certain Sensitive National Security Matters.”

The Perils of Standing While Hispanic in the Bronx  —  Meet Santiago Hernandez, 23.  He lives in the Bronx.  On a Monday evening last month, he was standing in front of an apartment building at around 6 p.m. when two NYPD police officers appeared and demanded permission to frisk him.  He complied.

Nutter Agrees To Sign Bill Softening Marijuana Laws in Philadelphia  —  PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Mayor Nutter today agreed to sign into law a bill that essentially decriminalizes possession of small amounts of marijuana.  But he says he'll sign it only after City Council tweaks certain details of the measure.

2014 Is Not 1931  —  Robert Kagan accuses Obama of appeasement.  Where's his evidence?  —  Everyone has—or should have—a list of the commentators they disagree with fundamentally but nonetheless admire.  When it comes to foreign policy, Robert Kagan tops mine.

New KSN poll shows Roberts and Orman tied for U.S. Senate  —  WICHITA, Kansas — The Democratic candidate in the race for U.S. Senate, Chad Taylor, withdrawing last week from the race has created an interesting dynamic going forward, in the race to represent the state of Kansas on the Senate floor on Capitol Hill.

All Criminal Charges Dropped!  —  Contact: Emily Kirkland, Communications Coordinator for Better Future Project, 646 623 5271, emily@betterfutureproject.org  —  FALL RIVER, MA — In a major — and unexpected — victory for the climate movement, the criminal charges against two men who used …

Police identify students involved in attack on teen with autism  —  BAY VILLAGE, Ohio - Bay Village police say they have identified the people involved after disturbing video of an attack on a teen with autism surfaced.  —  The 15-year-old, who attends Bay High School …

North Carolina's GOP Senate Candidate Won't Commit To Supporting McConnell  —  Thom Tillis says he wants to be an “independent” senator and won't commit to supporting Mitch McConnell for Republican leader.  —  AP Photo/Gerry Broome, Pool  —  WILSON, N.C. — Thom Tillis …

Scalia's utter moral failure: How he destroys any claim to a superior system of justice  —  He doesn't think executing an innocent man matters.  How on earth can such a depraved human be on our Supreme Court? … One might wonder how he can stay on the court after the revelation last week …