NATIONAL

“President Barack Obama heads into the 2016 campaign season in a position few in the White House or anywhere else expected a year ago: in demand.” – Politico

“On the eve of the first Democratic presidential debate, President Obama is downplaying Hillary Rodham Clinton’s use of a private email server to conduct government business, saying she made a “mistake” but didn’t endanger national security.” – The Washington Times

“An off-duty Memphis police officer was shot multiple times and killed outside his home Sunday afternoon, becoming the second city officer to be fatally shot in just over two months.” – Fox News

“Yesterday Ben Bernanke, former chairman of the Federal Reserve, published an asinine editorial in the Wall Street Journal describing how the central bank- and the central bank only- saved the economy through artificially suppressing interest rates. As if this blatantly irrational line of reasoning wasn’t comical enough, Bernanke further went on to browbeat Fed critics as not doing ‘their bit’ for the cause.” – Conservative Daily News

“CBS News released a poll over the weekend on the Presidential primaries. Some of the top lines of this poll look a little off as compared to the other recent polls (the sample size is hideously small), but the favorability ratings tell a very ominous story for Hillary Clinton, and the Democratic Party. While Clinton leads the Democratic field relatively comfortably, she has favorability ratings that will likely doom her in the general – unless she has the good fortune to draw Donald Trump as a general election opponent.” – Red State

“Over the weekend President Obama sat down for an interview with 60 Minutes, where he addressed a variety of issues about his foreign and domestic policies. When asked about the increasing chaos in the Middle East, with Russian President Vladimer Putin invading Syria and bombing rebel forces the U.S. has been supporting, Obama downplayed the need for leadership in the region and instead pivoted to his ‘leadership’ on climate change. Obama also argued Putin’s decision to send troops into Syria wasn’t based on strength or a power grab, but instead is a result of a broader failed strategy.” – Town Hall

“President Obama insisted that he could run and win a third term as president if he wanted to, but assured Americans that he would follow the lead of previous presidents before him.” – Breitbart

“Iraq said an air raid hit a convoy transporting Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi near the Syrian border Sunday, Agence France-Presse reported, but what happened to him is unclear.” – The Blaze

“Well done Mr. President! (He’s in a neck brace from a fall he took earlier this year in Maine):” – Twitchy

LOUISIANA

“The top four candidates for Louisiana Governor will take part in a televised debate on Thursday.” – KNOE.com

“On Sunday, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, who had already slammed Ian Mercer, the father of Umpqua Community College shooter Christopher Harper-Mercer, as a ‘complete failure as a father,’ doubled down on ABC’s This Week.” – Breitbart

“A 26-year-old man was robbed at gunpoint last night after asking for directions in the French Quarter, according to New Orleans Police Department.” – Fox 8 Live

“ Average retail gasoline prices in Louisiana have risen 0.8 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.01/g yesterday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 2,436 gas outlets in Louisiana.” – KNOE.com

“A 38-year-old man accused of beating his estranged wife to death with a baseball bat has been indicted on first-degree murder.” – WWL.com

“U.S. Sen. David Vitter seemed like a shoo-in to be the next governor during the legislative session six months ago. Political insiders at the State Capitol talked about what he would do when he was elected governor, not if.” – The Baton Rouge Advocate

“A female student sitting at a table in a Tulane center was forced to remove money from an ATM by an armed man Saturday afternoon, according to a report in the Tulane Hullabaloo newspaper.” – WWLTV.com

“The Southeastern Conference, the league that draws the ire of college football for supposed favoritism it receives from media and pollsters alike, is a community at heart.” – LSU Reveille

“The Leonard Fournette Effect: On first-and-goal from the SC 4-yard line, Darrel Williams scores a first-quarter touchdown on a run up the middle.” – The Baton Rouge Advocate Blogs