McConnell puts Medicare in the ransom note  —  The Republican debt-ceiling strategy hasn't been subtle: GOP officials are threatening to cause a recession, on purpose, unless Democrats give them the spending cuts they want.  It's Hostage Taking 101.  —  The trick has been identifying the ransom.

Are Dems drawing hard line on Medicare after all?  —  Is it possible that Democrats participating in the Biden-led deficit reduction talks are drawing a hard line against any cuts to Medicare benefits?  —  Many liberals fear that Dems will cave on this point.

Asking People About Statistics  —  As you can see 52% of US adults answered that more than 20% of Americans are gay or lesbian.  —  About 3.5% of Americans identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered.  —  By contrast roughly 2.2% of Americans are ethnically or religiously Jewish and 4.8% of Americans are Asian.

CNN Poll: GOP 2012 field still up in the air  —  Washington (CNN) - Call it a sign of how unsettled the GOP presidential field remains: Two of the three people at the top of new national poll in the battle for the Republican nomination may not even run for the White House.

Inside Meghan McCain's Bachelorette Pad  —  The famous daughter of the famous senator shows off her 1,100-square-foot bachelorette home in West Hollywood.  —  LEAST-REPUBLICAN PIECE OF CLOTHING: My black studded Christian Louboutin heels.  They are hard-core.  My friend nicknamed them my dominatrix heels.