Romney may name running mate early in election race  —  (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney acknowledged on Tuesday he is considering naming his choice to serve as vice presidential running mate earlier than usual to better compete with President Barack Obama.

The Dark Side of Anti-"Swiss Bank Account" Politics  —  Democratic Swissophobia is hurting patriotic, middle-class Americans.  —  Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) may be too busy to pass a budget more than every 1,168 days or so, but he can always spare time for passing judgments …

Americans' Confidence in Television News Drops to New Low  —  Liberals' and moderates' views are now similar to conservatives'  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. — Americans' confidence in television news is at a new low by one percentage point, with 21% of adults expressing a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in it.

Lindsey Graham: 'It's Really American' To Avoid Taxes Like Mitt Romney Does … REACT:  —  FOLLOW:  —  Lindsey Graham, Mitt Romney, Elections 2012, Video, Lindsey Graham Mitt Romney, Mitt Romney Taxes, Sen. Lindsey Graham, It's Really American, Lindsey Graham Taxes, Mitt Romney 2012, Mitt Romney Tax Havens, Politics News

TPMMuckraker  —  Holder Calls Voter ID Laws ‘Poll Taxes’  —  Attorney General Eric Holder deviated from his prepared remarks during a speech before the NAACP on Tuesday and called voter ID laws “poll taxes.”  —  “Under the proposed law, concealed handgun licenses would be acceptable forms of photo ID …

Romney Courts Black Vote, an Obama Strength in '08  —  Four years ago, Barack Obama captured 96 percent of the black vote.  But this year, in an election in which every vote may matter, Mitt Romney is not giving up on that front.  —  On Wednesday, Mr. Romney will make a pitch …

Calls to Destroy Egypt's Great Pyramids Begin  —  According to several reports in the Arabic media, prominent Muslim clerics have begun to call for the demolition of Egypt's Great Pyramids—or, in the words of Saudi Sheikh Ali bin Said al-Rabi'i, those “symbols of paganism,” which Egypt's Salafi party has long planned to cover with wax.

James Earl Jones: Tea Party Is ‘Racist’  —  From Sunday's edition of the syndicated Smiley & West show:  —  JAMES EARL JONES: I think I have figured out the Tea Party I think I I do understand racism because I was taught to be one by my grandmother.  My grandmother was part [tribal affiliation] …

Obama directs that wildland firefighters be offered health insurance  —  WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has directed federal officials to offer seasonal firefighters the option of purchasing federal health insurance coverage, White House officials told The Denver Post Tuesday.

Cheh Shelves Uber Amendment After Backlash from CEO and Customers  —  Uber CEO Travis Kalanick introducing the company's D.C. service last December.  (Via Facebook)  —  At a breakfast meeting with her colleagues today, Councilmember Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3) reversed her plans to introduce …

Political Spending by Unions Far Exceeds Direct Donations  —  Organized labor spends about four times as much on politics and lobbying as generally thought, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis, a finding that shines a light on an aspect of labor's political activity that has often been overlooked.

Eva Rausing found dead in Belgravia home  —  Mr and Mrs Rausing were arrested over drugs in 2008  —  One of the UK's richest women has been found dead in west London, Scotland Yard has confirmed.  —  The body of US national Eva Rausing, 48, a member of the family behind the Tetra-Pak cartons empire …

San Francisco Officials Plan to Block Apple Procurement  —  San Francisco city officials say they are moving to block purchases of Apple desktops and laptops, by all municipal agencies, after the company removed a green electronics certification from its products.

Brett Kimberlin versus right-wing bloggers  —  Why are right-wing blogs obsessed with a convicted felon famous for once claiming he sold Dan Quayle drugs?  —  So there is this guy named Brett Kimberlin.  He is a true American weirdo from way back, and he's fairly brilliant at self-promotion and is involved in various liberal causes.

The strategy behind the Dem attacks on Bain  —  Many commentators view the attacks on Mitt Romney's Bain years as little more than an effort to paint him as a heartless plutocrat.  But the strategy is a good deal more complex than that.  The goal is twofold: First, to undermine Romney's principle case …

Republican Rep: I Don't Think Someone Who Is Diagnosed With A Brain Tumor Should Have Health Care Provided  —  On Monday evening, Rep. David Dreier (R-CA) said that insurance companies should be allowed to discriminate against people with brain tumors during a House Rules Committee debate …

Twilight fan hit by car and killed at Comic-Con  —  A 53-year-old Comic-Con visitor was struck by a car and killed in front of the convention center on Harbor Drive at 5th Ave. on Tuesday, July 10, 2012.  According to police, the woman was in crosswalk, but went against the light when she was struck.

Mayor Bloomberg launches contest to stir development of tiny 300-square-foot apartments for singles  —  Larger than a jail cell, but smaller than mobile home, ministudios will reflect city's changing demographics.  They'll be big enough for bathroom, kitchen, sleeping and dining areas