Second Republican Congressman Admits Benghazi Committee Was ‘Designed To Go After’ Clinton  —  A second House Republican has now conceded that the overarching purpose of the House Select Committee on Benghazi has been to attack former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Ben Carson Puts Public Campaign Events on Hold for 2 Weeks  —  Republican presidential contender Dr. Ben Carson has put his public campaign events on hold for two more weeks to go on book tour for his new tome “A More Perfect Union” and catch up on fundraising events.

Rand Paul, It Is Time to Take Your Campaign Out Back and Shoot It  —  “Go home to Kentucky, Senator, and save your Senate seat before Kentucky's voters take the incompetence of your Presidential campaign as a reflection on you and your Senate campaign.”  —  What is the most endearing moment …

Obama Announces Halt of U.S. Troop Withdrawal in Afghanistan  —  WASHINGTON — The United States will halt its military withdrawal from Afghanistan and instead keep thousands of troops in the country through the end of President Obama's term in 2017, Mr. Obama announced on Thursday …

The Grown-Ups Take the Stage at the Democratic Debate  —  It was impossible not to feel a sense of relief watching the Democratic debate after months dominated by the Republican circus of haters, ranters and that very special group of king killers in Congress.

FBI, Justice Department Investigating Daily Fantasy Sports Business Model  —  FBI agents have been contacting customers of DraftKings to ask them about their experiences  —  The U.S. Justice Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are probing whether the business model …

“Arabian Street Artists” Bomb Homeland: Why We Hacked an Award-Winning Series  —  What's wrong with Homeland's political message?  The very first season of “Homeland” explained to the American public that Al Qaida is actually an Iranian venture.  According to the storyline …

Lawyers for Dennis Hastert could reveal Thursday if plea deal reached … Lawyers for former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert could tell a federal judge Thursday if they have reached a plea deal with prosecutors that would keep bombshell allegations of hush-money payments from ever being aired in a public trial.

Jeb cuts back  —  Eager to show cost consciousness, the Bush campaign's “high life has ended.” … On the first day of a two-day Iowa swing back in August, Jeb Bush flew from Davenport to Ankeny in a private plane.  The next day, after he spent more than four hours bounding around …

Obama's effort to ‘nudge’ America  —  The government tried using behavioral science to shape people's behavior.  Here's what happened.

Jeb Bush has added the Redskins to his stump speech  —  Forty-plus years of debates over the Redskins name have finally taken us to October 2015, when a major presidential candidate began using the team name as part of his stump speech.  —  During a town hall meeting in New Hampshire on Wednesday …

America's Child-Marriage Problem  —  IN the United States today, thousands of children under 18 have recently taken marital vows — mostly girls married to adult men, often with approval from local judges.  In at least one case, a 10-year-old boy was legally married.  —  How is this possible?

THE DRONE PAPERS … DRONES ARE A TOOL, not a policy.  The policy is assassination.  While every president since Gerald Ford has upheld an executive order banning assassinations by U.S. personnel, Congress has avoided legislating the issue or even defining the word “assassination.”

It's time to retire the filibuster  —  In an episode of “The West Wing,” fictitious Senator Howard Stackhouse filibusters President Bartlet's signature health care legislation, in order to increase funding for autism research.  Realizing his intentions are worthy, the White House sends support …

People are getting shot by toddlers on a weekly basis this year  —  This week a 2-year-old in South Carolina found a gun in the back seat of the car he was riding in and accidentally shot his grandmother, who was sitting in the passenger seat.  This type of thing happens from time to time …

The Quiet Power Behind the Trump Throne  —  Ivanka Trump is her father's most influential adviser, his most powerful surrogate—and his total opposite.  —  Getty  —  You will not find a wall adorned with framed magazine covers in Ivanka Trump's office.  For that sort of thing you'll …

‘She loves us’: Nephew speaks out on aunt's lawsuit brought against him … BRIDGEPORT -The aunt and the nephew she who sued for damages said they loved each other and the firestorm around the case was very upsetting during an appearance on the Today Show Thursday morning.

Hillary Clinton's Take on Banks Won't Hold Up  —  The Democratic frontrunner seems to be counting on America's ignorance about the 2008 crash  —  The inaugural Democratic debate Tuesday night was a strange show.  It felt like two different programs.  —  One was a screwball comedy starring …

Russian Military Uses Syria as Proving Ground, and West Takes Notice  —  WASHINGTON — Two weeks of air and missile strikes in Syria have given Western intelligence and military officials a deeper appreciation of the transformation that Russia's military has undergone under President Vladimir V. Putin …

Inadvisable  —  What is the point of making strategic recommendations to someone who has not the slightest interest in hearing them?  —  Criticize the Administration's Syria policy without providing alternative recommendations, and the President will dismiss you for mere carping.

Woman believed to be on spice disrobes, trashes East Anchorage Subway  —  The woman accused of trashing an East Anchorage Subway Tuesday night has been identified as 35-year-old Nikki Abrell, authorities say.  —  She is charged with third-degree criminal mischief, harassment and resisting arrest …