We're Spent  —  THERE is no shortage of explanations for the economy's maddening inability to leave behind the Great Recession and start adding large numbers of jobs: The deficit is too big.  The stimulus was flawed.  China is overtaking us.  Businesses are overregulated.  Wall Street is underregulated.

Congressional GOP Leaders Slowly Convincing Newer Members of Importance of Raising Debt Ceiling  —  Boehner: He would have to bring newer members of his caucus along for a deal to be struck.  —  Sometimes your closest allies can become your biggest headaches.

Rebekah Brooks arrested over phone-hacking allegations  —  Met police say 43-year-old woman, believed to be Rebekah Brooks, was arrested by appointment at a London police station  —  Rebekah Brooks has been arrested by police investigating allegations of phone hacking by the News of the World …

S&P Raises State of Ohio's Credit Rating; Cites GOP Governor Kasich's Whining About His Predecessor and His Budget, But Mostly His Budget  —  By electing a fiscal conservative, Ohio is moving in the right direction when it comes to economic vibrancy. … Unlike President Obama …

Woman Gropes TSA Agent's Breast at Security Checkpoint  —  PHOENIX - We hear a lot of complaints about security screeners groping airline passengers.  —  But now, a Colorado woman is accused of putting her hands on a TSA agent at Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix.

New Stable of Wealthy Donors Fueled Obama Campaign's Record Fund-Raising Quarter  —  President Obama recruited roughly 150 new elite donors, raising as much as a half a million dollars each, to help propel him to a large and early lead over his Republican opponents in the race for campaign cash …

No bargaining with Barack Obluffer  —  There is something surreal and unnerving about the so-called “debt ceiling” negotiations staggering on in Washington.  In the real world, negotiations on an increase in one's debt limit are conducted between the borrower and the lender.

Panic at the White House?  Gloomy Goldman Sachs sees high unemployment, possible recession  —  Last night in a new report, Democrat-friendly Goldman Sachs dropped an economic bomb on President Obama's chances for reelection (bold is mine): … Alarms bells must be ringing all over Obamaland today.

Obama's communications gap  —  A prominent Bush administration official was talking privately about Barack Obama last week: He's probably going to win in 2012, this Republican said.  He deserves credit for “going big” in the budget talks and capturing the center of the debate.

Was John F. Kennedy the flat-out absolute worst U.S. president of the 20th century?  —  As I studied the Vietnam war over the last 14 months, I began to think that John F. Kennedy probably was the worst American president of the previous century.  —  In retrospect, he spent his 35 months …

Palestinians may give up on bid for full UN membership to avoid U.S. veto, sources say  —  Palestinian sources and European diplomats say Palestinians will seek recognition by the General Assembly instead of Security Council.  —  Wishing to avoid an American veto at the Security Council …