Reporter Accosted After Bachmann Comments on Migraines  —  It's not easy to get to Michele Bachmann.  Her appearance at a rally on Tuesday in Aiken, South Carolina, attended by perhaps 150 people, featured three uniformed police officers and two body guards in plain clothes.

Allen West tirade: Wasserman Schultz ‘vile...despicable...not a Lady’  —  Florida GOP Congressman Allen West this afternoon dispatched a scathing personal email to Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, calling her “vile, unprofessional ,and despicable,” “a coward …

Coburn rejoins Gang of Six, backs $3.7T deficit-reduction plan  —  Democratic and Republican senators are rallying behind a $3.7 trillion deficit-reduction plan announced Tuesday morning by the five remaining members of the Gang of Six.  —  Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), who pulled out of the Gang …

Two House lawmakers call for vote on Gang of Six plan  —  A House Republican and a member of the New Democrat coalition are jointly calling on Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) to bring the Senate's “Gang of Six” deficit-reduction proposal to a House vote alongside an increase in the debt ceiling.

Obama Endorses Feinstein's Bill To Repeal The Defense Of Marriage Act  —  A day before the Senate Judiciary Committee prepares to hold hearing on the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, the Obama administration has endorsed Sen. Dianne Feinstein's (D-CA) legislation to repeal it.

Jay Carney: ‘Leadership Is Not Proposing a Plan.’  —  White House Press Secretary Jay Carney argues, with a straight face, that leadership means waiting for House and Senate negotiators to come up with a plan:

Ninth Circuit Panel Reverses Conviction for Allegedly Threatening to Kill Then-Candidate Obama  —  The case is this morning's United States v. Bagdasarian (decided by a 2-to-1 vote). … Bagdasarian was convicted, but the panel majority reversed the conviction.  —  To understand the legal question, we need a bit of background.

Software Designer Reports Error in Anthony Trial  —  MIAMI — Assertions by the prosecution that Casey Anthony conducted extensive computer searches on the word “chloroform” were based on inaccurate data, a software designer who testified at the trial said Monday.

Is Obama Against Romney a Toss-Up?  —  Looking at head-to-head polls can be treacherous so far in advance of a presidential election.  Instead, I'd suggest that you devote most of your attention to President Obama's approval ratings and perhaps the favorability ratings of the Republican candidates …

Only 19 Percent of Republicans Think Obama Would Be Raptured  —  Behold: The best poll questions of the day, from PPP's survey of 574 GOP primary voters nationwide.  —  They've either found a new way of asking whether people think Obama is a Christian, or they've discovered that some number …

ABC News/Washington Post Poll: Dissatisfaction With Washington Hits 19-Year High  —  Analysis by ABC News' Pollster Gary Langer (@LangerResearch):  —  Discontent with Washington's budget battles has spurred public dissatisfaction with the federal government to its highest level in nearly 20 years …

Internet Activist Charged in M.I.T. Data Theft  —  Updated Added links to documents and comment from United States Attorney's office in Boston.  —  Updated Changed headline and post to remove reference to Mr. Swartz being a co-founder of Reddit, as this is disputed.  Added comment from Demand Progress.

GOP Balancing Act  —  A balanced budget amendment is the wrong debt solution.  —  Republicans this week plan to force votes in the House and Senate on a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution.  The last time Congress voted on a BBA was in 1997.  It failed.  The first unsuccessful BBA was proposed in 1936.