Romney spokesperson cites Massachusetts health law  —  A Mitt Romney spokesperson offered an unusual counterattack Tuesday to an ad in which a laid-off steelworker blames the presumptive GOP nominee for his family losing health care: If that family had lived in Massachusetts …

Exclusive: Justice Ginsburg shrugs off rib injury  —  (Reuters) - Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 79, the eldest member of the bench and leader of its liberal wing, said she cracked two ribs in June but met all her work obligations and remains committed to staying on the court at least three more years.

TRENDING: Portman: 'I think I'll end up being' in the Senate  —  Denver (CNN) - Ohio Sen. Rob Portman threw cold water on the idea of becoming Mitt Romney's running mate on Wednesday, saying he thinks he'll “end up staying” in the Senate.  —  “I just got elected two years ago.

Romney Campaign Carefully Chooses Speakers for Convention  —  TAMPA, Fla. — Newt Gingrich hoped to get a coveted speaking slot at the Republican National Convention.  Instead the Romney campaign will have him teach a series of workshops they have nicknamed Newt University.

Economists to Romney campaign: That's not what our research says  —  On Tuesday, the Romney campaign responded to the fire it's taking from economic analysts by unleashing some artillery of their own.  They released a paper by four decorated economists associated with the campaign …

Despite GOP protests, 9th Circuit to go through with costly Hawaii conference  —  Sens. Sessions, Grassley had complained that the conference could cost $1 million or more at a time of fiscal crisis.  —  The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals told Senate Republicans late last week …

Jon Stewart Rips ‘Conservatives And Their Media Division’ (Fox News) For Exaggerating Voter Fraud  —  Jon Stewart took on the issue of voter fraud tonight, an epidemic he deemed to be “bigger than ringworm and less than Bieber fever.”  He noticed how many conservatives have been warning …

Breast-Cancer Group Shakes Up Ranks  —  Susan G. Komen for the Cure shook up its top ranks Wednesday, announcing the resignation of its president and creating a new figurehead role for its founder, even as it looked to fill other senior positions in the wake of a controversial decision involving Planned Parenthood.

Report: Rep. Steve King mulling bill to repeal everything Obama has signed  —  Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), an outspoken critic of just about everything President Obama supports, is considering introducing a bill that would repeal everything Obama has signed into law.

Chilling Effect: Incentive to Slow Climate Change Drives Output of Harmful Gases  —  A view of a coolant-producing factory in Jiangsu Province, China.  Some manufacturers of gases used in air-conditioning and refrigeration have earned millions by accumulating emissions credits from the destruction …

Why Not Paul Ryan?  —  Romney can win a big election over big issues.  He'll lose a small one.  —  The whispering over Mitt Romney's choice of a running mate is getting louder, and along with it we are being treated to the sotto voce angst of the GOP establishment: Whatever else Mitt does …

Elizabeth Warren daughter secretly behind effort by Mass to register 500k welfare recipients (Update - Court docs added)  —  The news broke today that Massachusetts has taken extraordinary efforts in response to a lawsuit by a former ACORN affiliated, Soros-funded group to register 500,000 welfare recipients …

GAME OVER: WIKIPEDIA LOCKS DOWN POTENTIAL VP PAGES IN RESPONSE TO COLBERT MISCHIEF-MAKING  —  The act of observing something can sometimes change the thing being observed.  Case in point: my observation on Monday that we might be able to get useful clues as to the identity …

Egypt mounts airstrikes against Sinai sites where it believes militants are active  —  Stringer/AFP/Getty Images - Egyptian security forces stand by their personnel carriers ahead of a military operation in the northern Sinai peninsula on Aug. 8, 2012.  Egypt, which launched air raids …