Poll: Bernie Sanders surges ahead of Hillary Clinton in N.H., 44-37  —  N.H. Democrats lukewarm to her tough image  —  Photo by:  —  Boston Herald front page - Aug 12.  2016  —  Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders has rocketed past longtime front-runner Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire …

The Worst Ruth Marcus Column Ever  —  We need to freeze this Ruth Marcus column in amber so that it never perishes.  Future generations will not believe that it actually existed if they can't see it with their own eyes.  It is probably the purest form of wankery that has ever been constructed.

CNN / ORC Poll: Trump tops in Iowa as Scott Walker drops  —  Washington (CNN)Donald Trump has a significant lead in the race to win over likely Iowa caucus-goers, according to the first CNN/ORC poll in the state this cycle.  —  Trump tops the field with 22% and is the candidate seen …

Donald Trump to ‘Meet the Press’ - in person  —  Donald Trump, the Republican presidential front-runner who prefers telephone call-ins to sit-down interviews, has been booked for an in-person appearance on NBC's “Meet the Press” later this month, the On Media blog has learned.

Huckabee: DOJ Should ‘Criminally Prosecute Planned Parenthood’  —  Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) on Wednesday laid out how he would tackle Planned Parenthood without the support of Congress if he were elected president.  —  When asked on about Iowa radio host Simon Conway …

The Five Plausible GOP Candidates  —  From a Democratic standpoint, a moderate-conservative Republican ticket representing the two largest swing states would be cause for concern.  —  After their first presidential debates, it is time for Republicans to get serious.  Donald Trump won't be their nominee.

OFFICIALS: AT LEAST 7 DEAD IN CHINA PORT EXPLOSIONS … BEIJING (AP) — Huge explosions sparked at a warehouse for dangerous material in the northeastern Chinese port of Tianjin have killed at least seven people and injured hundreds, officials and state media outlets said Thursday.

President Obama's Letter to the Editor  —  For the cover story of our Aug. 2 issue, Jim Rutenberg wrote about efforts over the last 50 years to dismantle the protections in the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the landmark piece of legislation that cleared barriers between black voters and the ballot.

State, federal officials clash over health of Animas River  —  EPA asks Hickenlooper to curb remarks about river's health  —  Gov. John Hickenlooper, left, looks at a fish trap being held by Jim White, an aquatic biologist with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, on Tuesday on the banks of the Animas River.

Hillary Clinton agrees to provide private e-mail server to FBI  —  Hillary Rodham Clinton's attorney has agreed to provide the FBI with the private server that housed her e-mail during her four years as secretary of state, Clinton's presidential campaign said Tuesday.

Obama Keystone Decision Caught in Undertow of Canadian Election  —  Canada's election in October has become yet another event shaping the seven-year saga of the Keystone XL pipeline, one that may lead the Obama administration to delay announcing a decision to approve or reject the $8 billion project.

Who Threatens America Most?  —  In what order does the Obama administration rank the biggest external threats to America's national security?  The short answer: It depends on whom and which agency you ask.  —  Official opinion is all over the lot, a sign of a rapidly changing world …

How I helped Todd Akin win — so I could beat him later  —  It was August 7, 2012, and I was standing in my hotel room in Kansas City about to shotgun a beer for the first time in my life.  I had just made the biggest gamble of my political career—a $1.7 million gamble—and it had paid off.

CBO: Full sequester relief could add as many as 1.4M jobs  —  Reversing sequestration spending caps could create as many as 1.4 million jobs over the next two years, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) said Tuesday.  —  At the request of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) …

Dissent in Bernie Sanders' camp  —  The candidacy of Sanders adviser Larry Lessig could complicate matters.  —  Lessig speaks onstage at 'MAYDAY: The Fight To Save American, during the 2015 SXSW Music, Film + Interactive Festival.  Getty  —  An adviser to Bernie Sanders has been quietly urging …