2012 debate escalation!  —  Mitt Romney went on the attack against Rick Perry at the first possible opportunity Monday night, challenging the Texas governor on whether he “continues to believe that Social Security should not be a federal program ... or does he retreat from that view.”

Obama Seeks to End Tax Breaks to Pay for Jobs Plan  —  WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama would pay for his $447 billion jobs plan by ending a series of tax breaks for oil and gas companies, hedge-fund managers and people making more than $200,000, the White House said Monday.

Kabul US embassy attack: live  —  Live coverage of the Taliban's coordinated attack across the Afghanistan capital Kabul, in which Nato's headquarters and the US embassy are among those targeted.  —  Afghan policemen arrive at the scene of the rocket-propelled attack in Kabul

Iran's president says he intends to release, ‘pardon’ U.S. hikers  —  View Photo Gallery — Laura Fattal kisses son Josh after a news conference in Tehran in May, 2010.  Josh Fattal and fellow hiker Shane Bauer will be released this week after more than two years in detention, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday.

More About the 9/11 Anniversary  —  It looks as if I should say a bit more about yesterday's anniversary.  So:  —  The fact is that the two years or so after 9/11 were a terrible time in America - a time of political exploitation and intimidation, culminating in the deliberate misleading of the nation into the invasion of Iraq.

Plot against Biden alleged … No comments yet.  Be the first!

Rep. Issa hit with ethics allegations  —  A liberal advocacy group is filing an ethics complaint against Rep. Darrell Issa, alleging that the California Republican has repeatedly used his public office for personal gain.  —  The group, American Family Voices, is planning to file the complaint …

Feinstein: ‘Wiped out’ by scandal  —  Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said she was “wiped out” by Kinde Durkee, a well-connected California Democratic political operative who served as treasurer for hundreds of state, local and federal campaign committees.  —  Durkee was arrested by the FBI …

TPM2012  —  Tea Party Debate Audience Cheers Idea Of Letting Sick Man Without Insurance Die (VIDEO)  —  The last two Republican presidential debates have been some of the most macabre on record.  Last time around, at the Reagan Library, the crowd gave the biggest applause of the night …

Palin takes aim at GOP presidential candidates  —  In the immediate aftermath of Monday's GOP presidential debate, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) launched jabs at the entire Republican field, a move sure to ramp up speculation that the 2008 vice presidential candidate will make her own bid for the nomination.

Fifty New Exoplanets Discovered by HARPS  —  Richest haul of planets so far includes 16 new super-Earths  —  Astronomers using ESO's world-leading exoplanet hunter HARPS have today announced a rich haul of more than 50 new exoplanets, including 16 super-Earths, one of which orbits at the edge of the habitable zone of its star.

Revolving door of employment between Congress, lobbying firms, study shows  —  Nearly 5,400 former congressional staffers have left Capitol Hill to become federal lobbyists in the past 10 years, according to a new study that documents the extent of the revolving door between Congress and K Street.