Release the Returns  —  Mitt Romney is steadfastly resisting calls to release additional years of his personal tax returns, arguing — not without good reason — that this demand is part of a fishing expedition by the Obama campaign, which hopes to exploit Romney's personal wealth …

Top Romney surrogate John Sununu, the fomer N.H. Gov., apologizes after charging that Obama needs ‘to learn how to be an American’  —  Sununu also said the President doesn't understand the economy because he spent his youth ‘smoking something’  —  Former New Hampshire Gov. John H. Sununu …

Schumer calls for “limits on First Amendment rights” during Senate debate  —  The Senate has gone 1,175 days without passing a budget.  Taxmageddon and sequestration are threatening the economic livelihood of millions of Americans.  And yet the top order of business for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid …

Laid Off Steelworker in Anti-Romney Ad Says He Is Not Voting for Obama  —  “We didn't know who the hell Mitt Romney was when all that stuff started,” says former GS Technologies steelworker Donnie Box of Kansas City, Missouri.  “It wasn't until later we found out who Romney was.

Obama jobs panel lays low  —  President Barack Obama's Jobs Council hasn't met publicly for six months, even as the issue of job creation dominates the 2012 election.  —  At this point, the hiatus — which reached the half-year mark Tuesday — might be less awkward than an official meeting …

Wasserman Schultz Has Unreported Second Home in NH, Lives Large on the High Seas  —  DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz and President Barack Obama's re-election campaign team have been waging a coordinated effort against Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney by repeatedly casting aspersion …

Adelson to DCCC: Retract your “Chinese prostitution money” comments or I'll sue  —  In a scathing letter to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Sheldon Adelson's lawyer accused the organization of “maliciously branding Mr. Adelson as a pimp” and demanded the DCCC either retract and apologize or be sued.

Israel Says Syria Pulls Troops from Golan to Suppress Revolt Elsewhere  —  JERUSALEM — Israel's military intelligence chief said on Tuesday that President Bashar al-Assad of Syria had moved forces to Damascus from along the Golan Heights region, bordering on Israeli-controlled territory …

The Batman Campaign?  —  RUSH: Have you heard this new movie, the Batman movie, what is it, The Dark Knight Lights Up or whatever the name is.  That's right, Dark Knight Rises.  Lights Up, same thing.  Do you know the name of the villain in this movie?  Bane.  The villain in The Dark Knight Rises is named Bane, B-a-n-e.

Christie keynote tip  —  The word is going out quietly to Republican activists across New Jersey: If you're going to the GOP convention in Tampa next month, be sure to be there by Tuesday night, Aug. 28, because Gov. Chris Christie is going to be giving the keynote speech that night.

Romney Knocks It Out of the Park  —  By all accounts, Mitt Romney was sensational today in Pennsylvania.  His theme was Barack Obama's revelatory “you didn't build that” speech.  Over the lunch hour (here in the Midwest), Twitter was burning up with commentary from those who were watching Romney's speech live.

Ethics Committee launches probe of Dem Rep. Robert Andrews  —  The House Ethics Committee announced on Tuesday it was probing allegations that Rep. Robert Andrews (D-N.J.) violated House ethics rules.  —  The Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) referred the case to the secretive ethics panel …

Poll shows race tightening for president  —  Presidential approval rating slips in NH  —  Despite more Granite Staters disapproving of the job he has done, President Barack Obama still holds a slim lead over Republican Mitt Romney in a new poll.  —  The WMUR Granite State Poll shows …

Bernanke offers few hints on further Fed easing  —  (Reuters) - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Tuesday offered few new clues on whether the U.S. central bank was moving closer to a fresh round of monetary stimulus, repeating the Fed's pledge to act if needed.