Palin leaves her options open, jabs her employer, at the fair  —  Sarah Palin arrived at the Iowa State Fair today to assure a swarm of reporters that she's still considering running for president, even as the space for her in the Republican field seemed to narrow.

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.

11th Circuit strikes down Obamacare mandate  —  This is the big case involving 26 states.  In January, Judge Roger Vinson struck the entire law finding that the mandate could not be severed from the rest of the law.  —  The 11th Circuit ruled that the mandate was unconstitutional …

The Latest Health Care Court Case  —  There has been no shortage of court cases regarding the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act.  Before today, four courts, including the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, examined the health reform law and found it constitutional.

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 …

Matt Bai's Mystical Powers  —  Average political reporters observe what politicians say and write it down.  Better ones ask discerning questions and write the answer down.  But Matt Bai has political super-powers and just knows the answers to questions that he hasn't even asked: … Could you have?

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 …

G.O.P. on Defensive as Analysts Question Party's Fiscal Policy  —  WASHINGTON — The boasts of Congressional Republicans about their cost-cutting victories are ringing hollow to some well-known economists, financial analysts and corporate leaders, including some Republicans …

Michelle Obama Spent 42 Days on Vacation this Past Year  —  First Lady Michelle Obama over the last year has spent a total of 42 days on vacation, or a little more than one out of every nine days, according to a White House Dossier analysis of her travel.  —  Her vacations, the cost …

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

The Morning After: Fox Shows Teeth in Debate  —  Eight Republican presidential candidates debated on Fox News from Ames, Iowa, in advance of its straw poll this weekend.  My colleague Michael Scherer liveblogged it at Swampland, and I'll let you pick the winner: was it Mitt Romney …

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 …