Campaigns erupt over greenrooms at third GOP debate  —  <p>DENVER, Colo. — Just hours before GOP candidates take the stage here Wednesday night, tensions over the Republican National Committee's handling of the debates are flaring anew.</p><p>At issue this time: greenrooms.</p><p> During …

Obama Wins on Budget Deal as John Boehner Cleans Out the Barn  —  WASHINGTON — The budget agreement struck late Monday between the White House and Congress hands President Obama a major victory, vindicating his hard line this year against spending limits that he argued were a drag on the economy …

Marco Rubio should resign, not rip us off  —  Sun Sentinel Editorial Board … After five years in the U.S. Senate, Marco Rubio does not like his job.  A long-time friend told The Washington Post “he hates it.”  Rubio says hate might be too strong a word, but he sure acts like he hates his job.

Bernie Sanders Walking the Line Between Personal Attacks and Political Critiques  —  Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont says he will not attack Hillary Rodham Clinton in harshly negative ways.  But pollsters for his campaign are quietly testing pointed critiques of Mrs. Clinton as too close …

Amish man sues to buy firearm without photo ID in gun rights, religious freedom lawsuit  —  Lately, Americans have argued both about their right to bear arms and whether the free exercise of religion allows businesses and state officials to claim exemptions from requirements that conflict with their religious beliefs.

Exclusive: After Gamergate Misstep, SXSW Weighing an All-Day Forum on Online Harassment  —  SXSW festival organizers are considering an all-day event that focuses primarily on combatting online harassment, sources told Re/code.  An announcement could come before the end of the week.

Resolution Introduced to Impeach IRS Commissioner  —  WASHINGTON—Today, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) and 18 members of the Committee introduced a resolution to begin proceedings in the U.S. House of Representatives to impeach Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner John Koskinen.

South China Sea: Beijing ‘not frightened to fight a war’ after US move  —  State-run media in belligerent mood after USS Lassen challenges Beijing's territorial claims in disputed Spratly archipelago  —  China is not afraid of fighting a war against the United States in the South China Sea …

SIOUX CITY, Ia.  — Businessman Donald Trump is a proud man.  But he's not too proud to beg.  —  “Iowa, will you get your numbers up, please?” he pleaded to a crowd in Sioux City, where he made his first stop in Iowa since recent polls showed him falling behind retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson.

Shotguns have ‘virtually sold out’ in Austria as citizens rush to buy arms amid fears of a massive influx of migrants, dealers claim  —  Weapon sales are soaring in Austria as citizens of the small Alpine nation become paranoid over the numbers of refugees crowding into their country.

Whom does The New York Times consider a doctor?  —  According to a national poll released this morning from CBS News and The New York Times, Ben Carson has surged ahead to become the leading contender for the Republican presidential nomination.  Carson now has the support of 26 percent …

A Tale of Two Retirements  —  This report, co-published by the Institute for Policy Studies and the Center for Effective Government, is the first to provide detailed statistics on the staggering gap between the retirement assets of Fortune 500 CEOs and the rest of America.  —  See shareable graphics below.

First on CNN: Trey Gowdy will nominate Paul Ryan for speaker  —  Paul Ryan's conditions for becoming Speaker  — Rep. Trey Gowdy, a favorite of House conservatives, will nominate Paul Ryan to be the next speaker  — Reps. Kristi Noem of South Dakota and Jeb Hensarling of Texas will give speeches seconding Ryan's nomination