Politico.com: on Homeland Security

Allen Weh: AdWatch: ISIL terrorist is face of evil that threatens us

Weh's advertisement, unveiled on Monday, includes images of war, Pres. Obama playing golf, and Weh's opponent, Sen. Tom Udall, giving interviews as chaotic images of conflict flash across the screen. Foley is not shown in the ad, but it does briefly show an image of his killer, dressed in black and wielding a knife.

"To change Washington, you must change your Senator," the ad reads.

"Using James Foley's horrific and tragic death for shock value is offensive to Mr. Foley's family, New Mexico voters and the rest of our country," Udall's campaign manager said.

"Out of respect for the Foley family, no picture of James Foley was used," Weh's campaign manager said. "Tom Udall feigns outrage over the inclusion of a now familiar image of this Jihadi terrorist, who is clearly the face of the evil that threatens our nation."

Caitlyn Jenner: Opposed serving in Vietnam: failed physical despite Olympics

"I got out because I had a bad knee. Running didn't bother it at all, and walking was no problem, but marching killed my knee, so I couldn't go in. I could run in the Olympic Games, and high jump and stuff, but God, marching..."

Cathy McMorris-Rodgers: FactCheck: Iran's nuke program is set back, but not "halted"

FactCheck: Obama is right that the international community is getting a level of access to Iran's existing nuclear facilities it has never had before, including daily visits by the IAEA. From there, though, the situation gets more murky.

While Iran is reducing its stockpile of 20%-enriched uranium and won't build more advanced centrifuges while the deal is in place, it's program isn't completely "halted," as Obama suggested.

And although Iran is required to shut down its advanced centrifuges, it doesn't have to get rid of any of them. In addition, Iran can build an unlimited number less sophisticated centrifuges even while the temporary deal is in place.

Hillary Clinton: Dozens of Benghazi attackers had dozens of motives

On the President's actions during the Benghazi attack: Obama "gave the order to do whatever was necessary to support our people in Libya. It was imperative that all possible resources be mobilized immediately. When Americans are under fire, that is not an order the Commander in Chief has to give twice. Our military does everything humanly possible to save American lives--and would do more if they could. That anyone has ever suggested otherwise is something I will never understand."

Hillary Clinton: Benghazi security was simply inadequate in a dangerous city

On the claim that the investigation of the attack was rigged since Clinton appointed some of the Board members and she was not interviewed, she writes that they "had unfettered access to anyone and anything they thought relevant to their investigation, including me if they had chosen to do so."

Hillary Clinton: Benghazi talking points were written by CIA for Congress

The talking points have been a focus of Republican critics, who insist they stemmed from the White House [as spin on] a terrorist attack on the eve of Obama's reelection. "Susan stated what the intelligence community believed, rightly or wrongly, at the time," Clinton writes. "That was the best she or anyone could do. Every step of the way, whenever something new was learned, it was quickly shared with Congress and the American people. There is a difference between getting something wrong, and committing wrong. A big difference that some have blurred to the point of casting those who made a mistake as intentionally deceitful."

Hillary Clinton: Benghazi: focused on rescue & prevention, not retrospection

"In yet another example of the terrible politicization of this tragedy, many have conveniently chosen to interpret" that phrase "to mean that I was somehow minimizing the tragedy of Benghazi. Of course that's not what I said," she writes. "Nothing could be further from the truth. And many of those trying to make hay of it know that, but don't care."

She adds, "My point was simple: If someone breaks into your home and takes your family hostage, how much time are you going to spend focused on how the intruder spent his day as opposed to how best to rescue your loved ones and then prevent it from happening again?"

John Bolton: Punish Russia & China for helping Snowden leak NSA documents

The Russians have "consistently outmaneuvered us over the last 4 years. They've embarrassed the president on his reset button," Bolton said.

Bolton said China should feel some pain too for its part: "I don't think we should forget we should make China feel pain here for giving Snowden asylum for a couple of days and then allowing him to escape to Moscow. I think the lesson Putin learned watching what we did not do to China is Putin could get away with it, too. So far, they are both right," Bolton said.

Larry Pressler: 1980 presidential run:focus on veteran issues & Agent Orange

Marco Rubio: We need NSA intel to fight emerging terrorist threats

A high-stakes vote over the future of the NSA further tested Republicans' relationships in the Valley. Paul and others had supported a major overhaul of the agency's authorities to collect Americans' communications in bulk--but the senator shocked tech giants and civil-liberties groups when he pulled support at the last minute, as the USA Freedom Act reached the Senate floor for a key procedural vote. Rubio long had stated his opposition, citing emerging terrorist threats and the need for more intelligence.

Paul defended his vote on surveillance reform, stressing in an interview he "couldn't vote for it because it reauthorized the PATRIOT Act"--a law he described as "heinous."

Marco Rubio: Haul terrorists to Guantanamo for enhanced interrogation

Last year Congress enshrined a torture ban into federal law: In June, the Senate voted 78-21 to approve an amendment, sponsored by Sens. John McCain and Dianne Feinstein, that became law. Rubio missed the vote but opposed the measure, saying he didn't want to deny future presidents "important tools for protecting the American people." He also complained about "telegraphing to the enemy what interrogation techniques we will or won't use."

The McCain-Feinstein amendment requires that all interrogation comply with the Army Field Manual, a publicly available document that forbids waterboarding as well as the use of electric shocks, dogs, nudity, hypothermia and mock executions. All were elements of the CIA's interrogation program in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

Mead Treadwell: Fight for missile defense, but without earmarking

"I think the idea of earmarks is behind us," said Treadwell, who aligned himself with less spending-intensive parts of the Stevens legacy.

"Ted helped write the Alaska Statehood Act, before he was even in the Senate. The Statehood Act gave us a lot in the way of self-determination. Ted wrote the 200-mile limit bill [governing offshore fishing rights] with Warren Magnuson that gave us a multi-billion-dollar fishing industry in our state," he said. "None of that was earmarking and bringing money home. That was bringing power home." Added Treadwell: "The idea that, you know, you wait your turn to appropriate is not necessary."

Pat Roberts: $200M for new fleet of tankers at McConnell Air Force Base

Gov. Sam Brownback showered Roberts with praise for his work on the project, as well as his support for a $404 million research lab at Kansas State University.

Rand Paul: Need NSA reform, but not the USA Freedom Act

A high-stakes vote over the future of the NSA further tested Republicans' relationships in the Valley. Paul and others had supported a major overhaul of the agency's authorities to collect Americans' communications in bulk--but the senator shocked tech giants and civil-liberties groups when he pulled support at the last minute, as the USA Freedom Act reached the Senate floor for a key procedural vote. Rubio long had stated his opposition, citing emerging terrorist threats and the need for more intelligence.

Paul defended his vote on surveillance reform, stressing in an interview he "couldn't vote for it because it reauthorized the PATRIOT Act"--a law he described as "heinous."

Rand Paul: Conservative realist, matured from isolationism

It's all part of a campaign strategy to eliminate the widespread suspicion that Paul is an isolationist. But to many foreign-policy conservatives, Paul's past expressions of skepticism about US intervention abroad and support for sweeping cuts to the defense and foreign-aid budgets speak more loudly than his words on the campaign trail.

Paul's advisers insist that his views have matured since being elected to the Senate. He has educated himself on international affairs, and he's developed a "conservative realist" vision of America's role in the world that is not isolationist but still judicious about U.S. entanglements overseas.

Rand Paul: Oppose Trump nominees who supported Iraq War or torture

Paul argued, "I'm perplexed by the nomination of people who love the Iraq War so much that they would advocate for a war with Iran next. President Trump campaigned [that] the unintended consequences of regime change in Iraq led to instability in the Middle East."

On Haspel's confirmation, Paul said Haspel's remarks about her time overseeing a CIA "black-ops" site disqualified her from the job of leading the intelligence agency. "My opposition to her is over her direct participation in interrogation and her gleeful enjoyment at the suffering of someone being tortured," Paul said.

Ted Cruz: Torture is wrong, unambiguously; America does not need it

Last year Congress enshrined a torture ban into federal law: In June, the Senate voted 78-21 to approve the McCain-Feinstein amendment. Cruz backed the amendment.

The McCain-Feinstein amendment requires that all interrogation comply with the Army Field Manual, a publicly available document that forbids waterboarding as well as the use of electric shocks, dogs, nudity, hypothermia and mock executions. All were elements of the CIA's interrogation program in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.