Bachmann involved in unusual campaign moment  —  Des Moines, Iowa (CNN) - Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann was at the center of an unusual campaign moment on Friday that involved reporters trying to ask her questions - and the Republican presidential candidate essentially being cocooned by a ring of protectors.

The Great Deflation  —  Like a leaky balloon, Barack Obama keeps getting smaller.  —  (Best of the tube this weekend: Watch us on a Lou Dobbs special, “Global Market Chaos,” Sunday 8-9 p.m. ET on Fox Business.  We'll be on the political panel toward the end of the program.)

Attack on Althouse at the Wisconsin Capitol singalong.  —  As discussed in an earlier post, a man attacked me today at the Capitol.  We captured the assault on 2 different cameras, and I'm not editing the material together (at least not at this point).  First, here's what Meade got on the Flip camera.

To defuse ‘flash’ protest, BART cuts riders' cell service.  Is that legal?  —  To forestall a planned protest, Bay Area Rapid Transit turned off cellphone service, angering passengers and raising questions about First Amendment rights in an age of social media protests.  —  Atlanta

Faltering Rhode Island City Tests Vows to Pensioners  —  When the small, beleaguered city of Central Falls, R.I., filed for bankruptcy this month, it sought to cut the pension checks it has been sending its retired police officers, firefighters and other workers by as much as half.

What Happened to Obama?  Absolutely Nothing.  —  He is still the same anti-American leftist he was before becoming our president.  —  It's open season on President Obama.  Which is to say that the usual suspects on the right (among whom I include myself) are increasingly being joined …

Shepard Fairey beaten up after spat over controversial Danish mural  —  Artist best known for the posters that helped elect Barack Obama is accused of peddling pro-government propaganda  —  When graffiti artist Shepard Fairey turned his talents to US politics, his reward was international acclaim …

David Axelrod: Rick Perry Has a ‘Record of Decimation’  —  That's what the Obama campaign's top political strategist told me this morning when I asked him about the latest 2012 candidate, Rick Perry.  The Texas Governor made it clear his campaign will focus on his state's record of job growth …

Sarah Palin and The Brody File One-On-One at Iowa State Fair  —  Sarah Palin came over and agreed to do a one-on-one interview with me at the Iowa State Fair Friday afternoon.  Just her and me.  This took place during her private lunch reception.  I asked her to come over and talk with me and she did.

Standard and Poors punctures Michele Bachmann's blissful fantasy  —  Wow, what colossally bad timing.  Here's Michele Bachmann at the debate last night, insisting that the Standard and Poors downgrade proved that she was right to oppose raising the debt ceiling:

Music teacher caught having sex with doll outside school  —  SPRING HILL, Tenn. - Police in Spring Hill arrested a local music teacher Thursday morning after he was caught engaging in a sex act with a doll outside a local elementary school.  —  Officers were called to Allendale Elementary School …

Cokie's Law vs. Social Security  —  Dean Baker at Beat the Press: … This is exactly right.  All this nonsense about S&P's downgrade “causing” movement in the US stock market (which, as far as the MSM is concerned, is entirely comprised of the Dow Jones index) is wrong.  Foolish, even.

Romney wealth valued up to $250 million  —  (CNN) - The turbulent financial climate of recent years has not had a noticeable impact on Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's own wallet, according to personal financial information released Friday by his campaign.

The Case for Calling Them Nitwits  —  They blow each other up by mistake.  They bungle even simple schemes.  They get intimate with cows and donkeys.  Our terrorist enemies trade on the perception that they're well trained and religiously devout, but in fact, many are fools and perverts …