Asking the U.S. government to allow Google to publish more national security request data  —  This morning we sent the following letter to the offices of the Attorney General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Read the full text below.  -Ed.  —  Dear Attorney General Holder and Director Mueller

FBI sharply increases use of Patriot Act provision to collect US citizens' records  —  The FBI has dramatically increased its use of a controversial provision of the Patriot Act to secretly obtain a vast store of business records of U.S. citizens under President Barack Obama, according to recent Justice Department reports to Congress.

Former President George W. Bush's Image Ratings Improve  —  Views of Bush more positive than negative for first time since 2005  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Americans' views of former president George W. Bush have improved, with 49% now viewing him favorably and 46% unfavorably.

A Little Birdie Told Me  —  WASHINGTON — In her first two days on Twitter, Hillary Clinton did not bother to follow the man she wants to follow.  —  No @BarackObama for @HillaryClinton as of Tuesday night.  —  Hillary debuted firmly entrenched in Clintonworld, following Bill, Chelsea …

Republican Nominee For Virginia Lieutenant Governor Misspells Own Book Title...On The Cover  —  E.W. Jackson's self-published book Ten Commandments to an Extraordinary Life has a big error on the cover.  Commandments — not “comandments.”

GOP lawmaker: US Muslim leaders ‘complicit’ in terrorist attacks  —  Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.) on Tuesday said the failure of Muslim leaders to repudiate acts of terrorism done in the name of Islam makes them “potentially complicit” in these attacks.  —  “When the most devastating terrorist attacks …

Kristi Noem Not Running for Senate #SDSEN  —  Noem announced Tuesday that she won't run for Senate.  (Chris Maddaloni/CQ Roll Call File Photo)  —  Republicans are now on track to avoid a costly, high-profile primary in the South Dakota Senate race next year.

Obama Offers Endorsement of Immigration as Debate Is Set  —  WASHINGTON — As the Senate voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to begin debating a new immigration measure, President Obama offered a wholehearted endorsement of the bipartisan proposal, which presents him with a chance to reach the kind …

Darrell Issa On IRS Investigation: Releasing Full Transcripts Now Would Be ‘Reckless’  —  WASHINGTON — One week after he released partial transcripts of interviews with IRS officials involved in the scandal surrounding the targeting of conservative groups, the chair of the House Oversight …

Peter King: Journalists Who Report On Leaks Should Be Punished (VIDEO)  —  Rep. Peter King (R-NY) took a hardline Tuesday in the debate over intelligence leaks, arguing that journalists who report on classified information like the recently revealed National Security Agency surveillance programs should be punished.

Trailing, Gabriel Gomez takes fight to Ed Markey  —  Underdog Massachusetts Republican Senate candidate Gabriel Gomez went all out in a debate against frontrunner Ed Markey Tuesday to pin Washington's ills on the longtime Democratic congressman.  —  Gomez said the national debt, now $17 trillion …

Iowans: State, U.S. on diverging paths  —  The frustration with Obama stands in stark contrast to Iowans' feelings about the state of their state.  —  Results of this poll had Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad and his Republican advisers doing a happy dance — he gets a job approval rating of 58 percent, his all-time high for this term.

Blowing a Whistle  —  I'm glad I live in a country with people who are vigilant in defending civil liberties.  But as I listen to the debate about the disclosure of two government programs designed to track suspected phone and e-mail contacts of terrorists, I do wonder if some of those who …

Most disapprove of gov't phone snooping of ordinary Americans  —  PLAY CBS NEWS VIDEO  —  Polling analysis by Sarah Dutton, Jennifer De Pinto, Anthony Salvanto and Fred Backus  —  In the wake of the recent disclosure of two classified U.S. surveillance programs, most Americans disapprove …

Germans accuse U.S. of Stasi tactics before Obama visit  —  (Reuters) - German outrage over a U.S. Internet spying program has broken out ahead of a visit by Barack Obama, with ministers demanding the president provide a full explanation when he lands in Berlin next week and one official likening …

Lindsey Graham: ‘If I thought censoring the mail was necessary, I would suggest it’  —  Sen. Lindsey Graham would propose censoring Americans' ‘snail’ mail if he thought it would help protect national security, the South Carolina Republican said Tuesday.  But for now, he says he doesn't think it's necessary.

Obama Schmoozes Reporters At Secret Meeting  —  The president popped into an off-the-record briefing with reporters Monday.  —  Via: Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP  —  WASHINGTON — President Obama held an off-the-record meeting with select reporters from some of the nation's largest print …

President to appear at rally for Markey  —  WASHINGTON - President Obama arrives in Boston on Wednesday on the kind of mission for which he is known to excel — headlining a rally for Democrats, in this case Senate candidate Edward J. Markey.  But Obama arrives at a difficult moment in his presidency.