Perry on Bernanke: 'I dunno what y'all would do to him in Iowa but we would treat him pretty ugly down in Texas'  —  Texas Governor Rick Perry, who entered the presidential campaign on Saturday, appeared to suggest a violent response would be warranted should Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke …

Bachmann skipped family reunion she cited  —  On her victory lap of Iowa yesterday, Straw Poll winner Rep. Michele Bachmann paid repeated tribute to her local roots, and repeatedly mentioned her family reunion that day, citing it as an excuse for her late arrival at a local party event in Waterloo.

Congressional Job Approval Ties Historic Low of 13%  —  Disapproval rating of 84% highest in Gallup annals  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Americans' evaluation of the job Congress is doing is the worst Gallup has ever measured, with 13% approving, tying the all-time low measured in December 2010.

Obama: I reversed recession until ‘bad luck’ hit  —  At a town hall meeting on his campaign-style tour of the Midwest, President Obama claimed that his economic program “reversed the recession” until recovery was frustrated by events overseas.  And then, Obama said, with the economy …

Allen West's Response to Request That He Cut Ties With Anti-Islamic Extremists: “NUTS!”  —  The Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations sent a letter to Rep. Allen West at the beginning of the month with a request — quit palling around with Islamophobes.

Karl Rove thinks Chris Christie and Paul Ryan are wavering on 2012  —  In an interview on Fox News last night with Sean Hannity, GOP maestro Karl Rove keeps hope alive, saying that he senses Chris Christie and Paul Ryan are starting to waver in their determination not to run for president:

On mortgage rates, Obama wants proposal for how government can keep big role  —  PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/GETTY IMAGES - The Freddie Mac office in McLean, Va.  —  President Obama has directed a small team of advisers to develop a proposal that would keep the government playing a major role …

Paul Krugman Is Still Wrong about Texas  —  Paul Krugman continues his campaign to discredit the economic success of Texas, and, as usual, he is none too particular about the facts.  Let's allow Professor K. to lay out his case: … What, indeed, does population growth have to do with job growth?

NoW reporter's letter reveals phone-hacking cover-up  —  Disgraced royal correspondent Clive Goodman's letter says phone hacking was ‘widely discussed’ at NoW meetings  —  • Read Clive Goodman's letter to News International  —  Rupert Murdoch, James Murdoch and their former editor Andy Coulson …

Obama: I'm Just Like Lincoln!  —  Byron York is chronicling the outrages committed by President Obama on his taxpayer-funded campaign swing through Iowa and the Midwest.  I was in the midst of a post on Obama's whine that he is the victim of “bad luck,” as reported by Byron …

The Fall of the Midwest Economic Model  —  In 1970, the future seemed to belong to Michigan's example of big companies and big unions.  Not anymore.  —  President Obama has kicked off a three-day bus tour of Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois, where the corn is high and at least some factories are spewing smoke.

Rep. Wilson Claims He Was Right on Illegal Immigrant Coverage When He Shouted ‘You Lie’  —  Nearly two years after he infamously accused President Obama of lying about his health care overhaul, Republican Rep. Joe Wilson claims he was right all along.  —  The South Carolina congressman …

Talk to Ryan?  It'll cost you  —  It will cost $15 to ask Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) a question in person during the August congressional recess.  —  The House Budget Committee chairman isn't holding any face-to-face open-to-the-public town hall meetings during the recess …

ROUBINI: Is Capitalism Doomed?  Karl Marx was right, it seems, in arguing that globalization, financial intermediation run amok, and redistribution of income and wealth from labor to capital could lead capitalism to self-destruct.  So what can be done to prevent that outcome?