Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), a veteran and a first-term member of the House, bailed on a hearing about the veterans health care crisis to hang on the beach with Yahoo! News and finish a photo-intensive puff piece that focused on her surfing prowess.

President Obama will address the nation in prime time Wednesday evening to lay out his strategy to fight the Islamic State. Combating the group has become a high priority since its brutal staged executions of two Americans. Coincidentally, Missouri and Texas have prisoner executions scheduled for Wednesday night.