BostonGlobe.com Political Headlines - October 3, 2012

Here are the top POLITICAL headlines from BostonGlobe.com today:

• Tasks, terrain clear for first presidential debate: President Obama and Mitt Romney's first debate is centered on domestic policy, which could allow Romney to hammer away at Obama's handling of the economy. Globe politics reporter Matt Viser explains.

• A fact check on Scott Brown, Elizabeth Warren: The Globe takes a look at the veracity of four of the competing claims the Senate candidates made in their second debate. Globe politics reporter Michael Levenson outlines.

• Armed with a pre-debate fact check: The candidates may repeat charges at the presidential debate that may not be completely true. Globe columnist Scot Lehigh writes.

• Mitt Romney hasn't changed a bit: The ultimate shame of the former governor's presidential campaign is that he looks and sounds like the same man at the end as when he began. Globe columnist Brian McGrory reports.

• Neither Brown nor Warren has disclosed legal work: Senator Brown and Elizabeth Warren have dribbled out the information in recent days in ways that make it difficult for the media and the public to vet. Globe politics reporter Noah Bierman covers.

• Romney campaign pounces on Biden remark: Mitt Romney's campaign said Vice President Joe Biden's remark about "the middle class that's been buried the last four years," were an acknowledgment that President Obama's policies have failed. Globe correspondent Callum Borchers details.

• Memorable moments, turning points in past debates: Memorable moments have occurred in presidential debates, from the first such televised event in 1960 to the most recent in 2008. Globe reporter Michael Bailey recaps. 
  

BostonGlobe.com Political Headlines - October 2, 2012

Here are the top POLITICAL headlines from BostonGlobe.com today:

• Brown, Warren fire away over voting, work records: In their second debate, Senator Brown vigorously attacked Elizabeth Warren's legal work on behalf of corporations, while she blasted votes he took in lockstep with GOP leadership. Globe politics reporter Michael Levenson covers.

• In '02, Mitt Romney capitalized on debates: Romney used debates against Democratic challenger Shannon O'Brien to adopt a more criticizing tone and was able to turn the tide in the 2002 race for governor. Globe politics reporter Matt Viser details.

• In second debate, Brown was too focused on ancestry issue: Scott Brown's obsession with painting Elizabeth Warren as a dishonest fraud is not just tiresome but off-putting. Globe columnist Scot Lehigh elaborates.

• More refinement from Brown, Warren: Both US Senate candidates sounded better when they talked about the issues than when they tried to parrot their opposition research. Globe columnist Joanna Weiss reports.

• A firm grasp of the trivial in Senate race: After watching the second debate between Scott Brown and Elizabeth Warren, you probably can't get that old Peggy Lee song out of your head. "Is That All There Is?" Globe columnist Kevin Cullen writes.

• Mitt Romney's home advantage now eclipsed in N.H.: The GOP nominee finds himself trailing President Obama in recent New Hampshire polls as precious days vanish from the campaign calendar. Globe reporter Brian MacQuarrie outlines.

• Charges and countercharges in the Senate debate: Senator Scott Brown and his Democratic challenger, Elizabeth Warren, sparred over issues during Monday night's debate, from bipartisanship and immigration to foreign policy. Globe Metro reporter Stephanie Ebbert details.

BostonGlobe.com Political Headlines - October 1, 2012

Here are the top POLITICAL headlines from BostonGlobe.com today: 

• Scott Brown paints win as key for GOP: Senator Brown's pitch to non-Massachusetts Republicans is stressing control of the Senate, not bipartisanship. Globe politics reporter Noah Bierman writes.   

• Richard Tisei leads Rep. John Tierney in poll: The former GOP state senator from Wakefield is pulling six percentage points ahead of Rep. Tierney in a new Boston Globe poll. Globe politics reporter Michael Levenson covers.

• Election's winner may shape Supreme Court: The high court's makeup and ideological balance could change, perhaps significantly, depending on who is elected president in November. Globe reporter Alan Wirzbicki details.

• Christie predicts Romney will surge after first debate:

  Governor Chris Christie predicted that this week's presidential debate will mark a turning point for GOP nominee Mitt Romney. Globe correspondent Callum Borchers reports.

• Energy policy shows fallacy of a 'domestic' debate: The reason why presidential debates can be so phony is because we've bought into the false notion that certain issues turn on and others turn off at our borders. Globe columnist Juliette Kayyem reports.

• Obama using Mass. politicians to cast doubt on Romney: Eleven state Democrats who overlapped with Mitt Romney's term as governor will visit nine swing states this week in a foray timed to Wednesday's presidential debate. Globe correspondent Callum Borchers writes.

• Romney must change dynamics of race drastically to win: With President Obama's standing among swing state voters growing, Mitt Romney's campaign is in desperate need of a change - and fast. Globe politics reporter Matt Viser details. 
  

BostonGlobe.com Political Headlines - September 28, 2012

Here are the top POLITICAL headlines from BostonGlobe.com today: 

• In swing state Virginia, both sides court military vote: President Obama and Mitt Romney appealed for support Thursday from a large voting bloc that could prove crucial: military members, veterans, and their families. Globe Washington bureau reporter Bryan Bender details.

• Iowa is 1st swing state to begin early voting: Analysts said the early voting could give an advantage to President Obama. Globe Washington bureau reporter Bryan Bender writes.

• A better way to elect a president: It's time to revisit an idea that could transform our swing-state-to-swing-state campaign into a real national election: The National Popular Vote plan. Globe columnist Scot Lehigh reports.

• Rove group begins robocall blast against Warren:

  Karl Rove's political group, Crossroads GPS, has begun blasting voters with "robocalls" targeting Elizabeth Warren. Globe politics reporter Noah Bierman details.

• Tierney, Tisei keep it civil in first debate: Richard R. Tisei never mentioned the illegal gambling ring run by US Representative John F. Tierney's brothers- in-lawas the two candidates debated. Globe reporters Michael Levenson and David Filipov cover. 

• Bielat, Kennedy tussle on policy, qualifications: In a television debate, Sean Bielat declared rival Joseph P. Kennedy III unfit to run, while Kennedy shrugged off the notion that he's taking advantage of his family name. Globe reporter Mark Arsenault recaps.

• Scott Brown hits Elizabeth Warren's Native American claim in new ad: Senator Brown uses controversy to question Warren's honesty. Globe politics editor Glen Johnson elaborates. 
  

BostonGlobe.com Political Headlines - September 27, 2012

Here are the top POLITICAL headlines from BostonGlobe.com today:

• Obama's stance on natural gas carries risks: President Obama's pursuit of natural gas production risks alienating a component of his base and may oversell the potential for new jobs. Washington bureau chief Chris Rowland reports.

• Brown, Warren share centrist view on many foreign policy matters: On flashpoints such as Syria, Russia, Iran, and Israel, Scott Brown often rejected Mitt Romney's views and joined Elizabeth Warren in embracing the policies of Barack Obama. Globe State House reporter Michael Levenson outlines.

• Why is Joe Kennedy III limiting debates?: Kennedy has agreed to three debates with Sean Bielat in their race to replace Barney Frank in the US House, despite Frank's participation with Bielat in nine debates two years ago. Globe columnist Joan Vennochi explains.

• Group seeks US inquiry of Romney's filing on Bain: A group of Democrats has asked the Department of Justice to investigate whether Mitt Romney violated federal law by stating that he was not involved with Bain Capital "in any way'' after 1999. Washington bureau chief Chris Rowland covers.

• On eve of debate, Rep. John Tierney releases tax returns: Tierney released six years of tax returns showing that he and his wife, Patrice, reported annual income averaging $180,957 and paid federal income taxes averaging $26,561. Globe reporters Brian C. Mooney and Michael Rezendes detail.

• Barney Frank says Mitt Romney's election would be 'serious setback' for LGBT community: Rep. Frank makes comments on a video as part of the "Mitt Gets Worse" project. Globe correspondent Callum Borchers elaborates.