(CNN) – Three days before the State of the Union address, President Barack Obama and Texas Rep. Jeb Hensarling on Saturday offered what could be previews of their parties’ messages next week.

In the GOP weekly address, Hensarling bashed the record of Obama’s three-year administration, criticizing the state of unemployment, gas prices, and national debt under his watch.

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“Regardless of the president’s good intentions, his policies have failed the American people,” he said. “His policies haven’t just failed to make the economy better – they have actually made it worse.”

Charleston, South Carolina (CNN) — The four remaining GOP candidates played to their individual strengths on Thursday and tried to leave a lasting impression in a final, boisterous debate two days before South Carolina’s pivotal primary.

In a campaign cycle where debates have had direct consequences on the ebb and flow of the race, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich turned his contempt for the media into one of his strongest performances yet. When CNN Chief National Correspondent John King opened the debate with a question about open marriage, following an interview by Gingrich’s ex-wife that he had sought one, the Republican chastised him.

The White House was locked down Tuesday night because of “smoking objects” found near the North Portico as hundreds of protesters rallied outside the executive mansion, Secret Service officials said.

“We had approximately 1,000 to 1,500 protesters from Occupy D.C. on the fence line. There were no arrests but what we believe … was a smoke bomb was thrown over the fence,” said Secret Service spokesman George Ogilvie.

Heated discussions are commonplace on Capitol Hill, but it’s rare form for a witness and a legislator to have at it.

But it happened on Friday when Alaska Republican Rep. Don Young sparred (intensely) with historian Douglas Brinkley at a hearing of the House Natural Resources Committee.

Brinkley recently authored “The Quiet World: Saving Alaska’s Wilderness Kingdom,” and was offering his opinions on the effects of drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

But Young called the hearing an “an exercise in futility,” and likened the testimony to “garbage.” Then, he called Brinkley “Dr. Rice,” confusing him with the university where he teaches.

And that’s when the fireworks began (note the expression on the face of the aide sitting behind Young).

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — To those still trying to salvage homes wrecked by natural disasters this summer, don’t worry. Congress has your back.

There is just no way lawmakers would let funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency run out.

Well, they probably won’t. They don’t want to anyway. But they’ve now left open the possibility that they might.

Once again, Congress is manufacturing a crisis — the third this year. Lawmakers are putting the country at risk of a government shutdown, creating pointless uncertainty over what used to be ordinary legislative business.

Why? House Republicans and Senate Democrats can’t agree on the terms of a bill that would continue to fund the government temporarily beyond Sept. 30, when the fiscal year ends.

WASHINGTON — House GOP leaders are regrouping after a surprise loss on a measure to provide $3.7 billion for disaster relief and prevent a government shutdown at the end of next week.

Speaker John Boehner of Ohio said Thursday that he would meet with Republican lawmakers this afternoon on Capitol Hill to discuss how to move forward after a surprise Wednesday vote in the House against legislation extending government funding and disaster relief monies.

“There’s no threat of government shutdown. Let’s just get this out there,” Boehner said at his weekly press conference.

Wednesday’s 230-195 defeat came at the hands of Democrats and tea party Republicans.

Washington (CNN) — Hundreds of mail-handling facilities have been named in a shutdown list released Thursday by the U.S. Postal Service as the agency tries to cut massive red ink.

The potential closings are the latest chapter in a fundamental overhaul of the agency that may also mean closing thousands of smaller post offices across the country, and cuts in tens of thousands of Postal Service jobs in years to come.

Another “dog days” of August for Obama… The good news: He has time to heal his wounds; the bad news: he has yet another hole to climb out of… Obama again talks about the economy and political brinksmanship… S&P is back in the spotlight (and not in a favorable way)… Vacation politics… Perry off to a “serious start”… Paul digs Perry… And Perry and Paul are both in New Hampshire, while Bachmann and Cain are in South Carolina.
By NBC’s Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Brooke Brower

*** Dog days: As we’ve written before, President Obama has always had difficult summers, especially Augusts. And with the debt-ceiling fight, the White House knew this summer would be more challenging than the others.

Washington (CNN) — Former Presidential candidate John Edwards will have to pay back over 2 million dollars in federal matching funds given to his 2008 campaign for president, the Federal Election Commission ruled on Thursday.

The commission voted 6 – 0 against Edwards and contends his campaign was in “excess of the Candidate’s entitlement.”

“At the end of the day if there were more matching funds received than campaign obligations at the point when the campaign ended you have to make a repayment, ” Ellen Weintraub, FEC Commissioner said during the hearing.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — Amid fears the United States risks default if lawmakers don’t raise the debt ceiling on time, some are suggesting President Obama could save the day by big-footing Congress.

How? By invoking the Constitution and directing Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner to keep borrowing even if it means going past the statutory borrowing limit.

Really? They say default — and by extension, the debt limit — violates the 14th Amendment.

The amendment states: “The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned.”