John Brennan tapped to lead CIA  —  President Barack Obama will announce Monday that he's nominating the White House's point person on counterterrorism, John Brennan, to be the next director of the Central Intelligence Agency, White House officials told POLITICO.

The Education of John Boehner  —  Leverage for the next clash: GOP willingness to let the spending sequester take effect.  —  What stunned House Speaker John Boehner more than anything else during his prolonged closed-door budget negotiations with Barack Obama was this revelation …

Man ID'd as Rand Paul's son arrested at airport  —  A teenager identified in several media outlets as the son of U.S. Sen. Rand Paul and the grandson of former presidential candidate Ron Paul was arrested Saturday morning at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

The Big Fail  —  It's that time again: the annual meeting of the American Economic Association and affiliates, a sort of medieval fair that serves as a marketplace for bodies (newly minted Ph.D.'s in search of jobs), books and ideas.  And this year, as in past meetings …

GOP Rep: 'It's About Time' We Had Another Government Shut Down  —  Appearing on CBS' Face the Nation this morning, Rep. Matt Salmon (R-AZ) enthusiastically called for a government shut down: … Watch it:  —  Salmon's theory, that the government shutdown somehow led to balanced budgets …

The conservative movement is still an elaborate moneymaking venture  —  The story of FreedomWorks' big Glenn Beck payout encapsulates the right-wing media  —  The conservative media movement exists primarily as a moneymaking venture.  As Rick Perlstein explained in the Baffler …

Booker wants to give Lautenberg ‘space’ to decide on reelection bid  —  Newark Mayor Cory Booker (D) on Monday declined to say if he would mount a primary challenge against Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), saying he wanted to give the long-term senator “space” to decide his plans.

Democrat Says Obama's Gun Control Proposals Are Extreme  —  On ABC's This Week yesterday, Democratic Senator Heidi Heitkamp described President Obama's gun control proposals as “extreme.” … Unfortunately your browser does not support IFrames.  —  Heitkamp's comments come …

Drunk man celebrating his birthday busted after fatally shooting 34-year-old man inside Brooklyn diner  —  The inebriated customer grabbed a woman who had been standing next to patron Jason Lewis at the counter of the Country House Diner in Clinton Hill.  —  Police responded to a shooting at the Country House Diner.

Boehner Coup Attempt Larger Than First Thought  —  A concerted effort to unseat Speaker John A. Boehner was under way the day of his re-election to the position, but participants called it off 30 minutes before the House floor vote, CQ Roll Call has learned.

Be Ready To Mint That Coin  —  Should President Obama be willing to print a $1 trillion platinum coin if Republicans try to force America into default?  Yes, absolutely.  He will, after all, be faced with a choice between two alternatives: one that's silly but benign, the other that's equally silly but both vile and disastrous.