PJ Media

STUART ROTHENBERG: Will Obama Administration Controversies Affect Democratic Recruitment? “There is no doubt that the three major controversies on which President Barack Obama finds his administration on the defensive — Benghazi, the IRS targeting of conservatives and the subpoenaing of AP phone records — have changed the political narrative of the day. Instead of mobilizing all of his resources to promote his agenda, the president and administration officials are having to spend time and energy answering and rebutting Republican charges. . . . So far, Democratic strategists say that they have not heard from potential candidates who are worried about a deteriorating political environment or showing greater hesitancy about taking the electoral plunge this cycle. But at least it is worth watching over the next couple of months to see if often-mentioned potential candidates start jumping into races or removing themselves from consideration. Candidate recruitment, after all, can determine which states and districts are in play in November 2014 and which races have simply vanished from everyone’s scorecard.” ...

THE HILL: Complaints of IRS targeting by religious groups on the rise. ...

NOBEL PEACE PRIZE UPDATE: Pentagion’s Special Operations Chief Sees 10 To 20 More Years Of War Against al-Qaida.