Two standout athletes are dominating this year's NFL MVP chatter: Denver Bronco's quarterback Peyton Manning and Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson. SB Nation editor Samuel Chamberlain and Takeaway Sports contributor Ibrahim Abdul-Matin weigh in.

The votes are in, and two political strategists join us to discuss the election's outcome, and the long campaign season at last drawing to a close. David Frum is a Republican strategist and the author of a Newsweek/Daily Beast book coming out this Friday called "Why Romney Lost and What the GOP Should Do Next."

In a recent poll in three battleground states, foreign policy was only the fourth most important factor for voters, ranked below the economy, the deficit, and health care. So did last night's debate change the minds of any independent voters?

Two weeks ago, conservatives and liberals alike declared Governor Romney the undisputed winner of the last presidential debate, as pundits claimed he portrayed strength and confidence in the face of a timid and unfocused President Obama. But did he fare as well this time around? Or did President Obama bounce back? Josh Treviño, conservative pundit and former speechwriter for President George W. Bush, weighs in.

After the first presidential debate, we spoke to several independent voters throughout the country who have not yet decided who they will be voting for come November. Now, after the second presidential debate, we check back in with these voters to see what they thought and where they are leaning.

A planet made out of diamonds? Sounds like the plot of a weird science fiction film that would star some of the “real housewives,” or the Kardashians. But this is no fantasy.

After Romney's winning debate performance last week, last night's vice presidential debate was highly anticipated. Our Washington correspondent, Todd Zwillich, reviews the event. 

David Coleman’s recent book, "The Fourteenth Day: JFK and the Aftermath of the Cuban Missile Crisis" uses secretly recorded White House tapes to show that the threat of war loomed for far longer than the public may have known.

Of this election’s swing states, Ohio might not be the biggest, like Florida, or have high election turnout rates, like Wisconsin, but it still might be the most important. Ohio has been on the winning side of every presidential election since 1964, and with its geographic and religious diversity, is increasingly seen as a microcosm for American voting preference at large.

Now that some of the smoke has cleared around last night's presidential debate, it is time to ask the questions that really matter, like what will this debate mean come November? It's a Free Country reporter Anna Sale was in Denver last night during the debates. Political reporter Jason Smith joins The Takeaway from Romney's home state of Michigan to give us a full recap of the debate.

How much of an impact do the debates really have when it comes to the ever-important swing vote? Six independent voters join The Takeaway to discuss the highs and lows of the first televised debate.

As protests in the Muslim world continue, many Americans are becoming disillusioned with our involvement in the region. But what does that mean for Muslim Americans, here at home? Answering that question is Hussein Rashid, professor of religion at Hofstra University. 

A recent Reuters article has found that some white voters in Virginia — who generally vote Republican — have concerns about Mitt Romney's wealth and religion. These concerns may prove especially important as the typically red state has emerged as one of the election's most important swing states.

Between the slight damper of Hurricane Isaac and Clint Eastwood's chair performance, it is not terribly surprising that polls show President Obama benefiting from more of a post-convention bounce than Mitt Romney. Daniel Hopkins, a political science professor at Georgetown University, explains. 

Friday's growth report was disappointing, and the economy is growing at a snail's pace. Is this growth slow enough to justify another round of 'quantitative easing'?

Mosquitoes, generally a minor irritation, have become much more than that. Last week, infections and deaths attributable to the West Nile virus reached record levels at 1,993.

Throughout this election, both parties are preaching the necessity of one thing: jobs, jobs, and more jobs. But how someone feels about the economy is often much more important than jobs reports and other hard economic indicators. Two small business owners in key battleground states explain how the economy is influencing their businesses and employment. 

Over the course of the past few years, Ohio has gone from being an economic disaster zone to one of the most employed states in the union. The current state of the Ohio economy is a far cry from 2009 when the state was shedding tens of thousands of jobs a month. But who should be credited with this sudden turnaround?

There have already been dozens of references to a Republican 'ware on women' at the Democratic National Convention this week. Conservatives have denied that such a war exists. If it does, then there is already one clear victim: Sandra Fluke.

Like many other speakers at the Democratic National Convention, Deval Patrick was very critical of Mitt Romney. But unlike other Democrats, he stands in a unique position to assess Romney and his political skills. Romney was Patrick's direct predecessor as Governor of Massachusetts.