Rick Perry campaign plays blame game  —  DES MOINES - With a revamped message and a significant TV presence here, Rick Perry is hoping to revive his disappointing presidential campaign with a surprise finish Tuesday.  —  But even as they hold out hope that Perry can find a way back into contention …

Virginia Attorney General Intervenes in GOP Primary Ballot Dispute  —  Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli is intervening in the Virginia presidential primary dispute and plans to file emergency legislation to address the inability of most Republican presidential candidates to get their name on the ballot, Fox News has learned.

BREAKING: Obama Signs Defense Authorization Bill  —  This afternoon, Obama signed the controversial Defense authorization bill, despite his reservations about provisions related to the treatment of terrorism suspects.  The National Journal reports: … The AP has more from the signing statement …

KEYNES WAS RIGHT-ABOUT THE JEWS?  —  So Paul Krugman phoned in his periodic “Keynes Was Right” column today, arguing that the Obama Porkulus failed only because, like “true” Communism, it wasn't tried vigorously or faithfully enough.  —  I wonder if Krugman also credits Keynes's views on Jews …

Romney gets emotional talking about parents, tells audience 'I won't cry'  —  Mitt Romney stopped short of his GOP rival Newt Gingrich on Friday evening when he spoke emotionally about his parents but did not tear up.  —  Romney described the patriotism of his parents, both deceased, at a campaign stop in New Hampshire on Friday.

Obama to Target Congress in 2012 Re-election Campaign  —  HONOLULU — President Obama is heading into his re-election campaign with plans to step up his offensive against an unpopular Congress, concluding that he cannot pass any major legislation in 2012 because of Republican hostility toward his agenda …

If I were campaigning for president...  They're not running, but if they were, what would these leading Republicans be talking about on the trail?  Here are responses from Haley Barbour, Sarah Palin, Mitch Daniels and Herman Cain.  —  Governor of Mississippi

Ann Selzer, queen of the Iowa caucuses: For a day, the most powerful woman in American politics  —  Every presidential candidate, campaign operative and political journalist in Iowa will spend most of Saturday in suspended animation, waiting for the results of the final Des Moines Register poll before the caucuses.

No one hurt after camera falls at Insight Bowl … TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Flying cameras have been providing unique perspectives on everything from golf to college and professional football for more than a decade, becoming so commonplace that fans rarely notice the whizzing remote-controlled devices.

Outside groups overwhelm Gingrich  —  When Newt Gingrich opened up a sizable lead in Iowa last month, he was promptly broadsided by a torrent of negative Super PAC advertisements that now threaten to sink his once-promising campaign.  —  The amount of campaign advertising will likely set …

New state bill could make it illegal to sing national anthem ‘inappropriately’  —  INDIANAPOLIS — Oh, say can you . . . sing?  —  And, more importantly, can you sing it the “right” way — the way one Indiana lawmaker thinks the national anthem should be sung?

Enjoy the payroll tax break while it lasts  —  Last week, after a needlessly-contentious process, Congress approved a two-month extension of the payroll tax break.  As part of the agreement, a conference committee will try to come up with an agreement to extend the cut through the end of 2012.

Gingrich: Politics Is a ‘Nasty, Vicious, Negative’ and Disgusting Business  —  In an interview with ABC News, Newt Gingrich accused his Republican opponents of lying in their negative ads and offering “no hope they will be any good as president.”  —  “Politics has become a really nasty …