APNewsBreak: Gingrich campaign finance team quits  —  ATLANTA — The top fundraisers for Newt Gingrich's presidential campaign have abandoned his struggling bid amid anemic fundraising and heavy spending.  —  Campaign spokesman R.C. Hammond is confirming to The Associated Press …

Huntsman Campaign Launch Begins Day with Misspelling of His Own Name  —  ABC News' Sarah Kunin (@Sarah_Kunin) reports:  —  Every detail of Jon Huntsman's long-awaited campaign launch was meticulously planned, except of course for one minor detail: the misspelling of the candidate's name.

Obama expected to announce major Afghan drawdown  —  Pentagon and White House officials say about 10,000 troops will probably come home this year, a bigger number than Gen. David Petraeus wanted.  —  U.S. troops examine confiscated weapons and ammunition during a raid in Sabari, in eastern Afghanistan, on Sunday.

Straight Talk From Top Enlisted Marine on 'Don't Ask' Repeal  —  The Command Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, the service's top non-commissioned officer, is supposed to be tough, hard-charging — and more than a little intimidating. … In that respect, Sgt. Maj. Micheal Barrett …

Bristol Palin Reveals True Feelings About the McCains, ‘Dancing With the Stars,’ Levi Johnston and More  —  From Levi Johnston to Meghan McCain, Bristol Palin has been put off by a lot of people.  —  In her upcoming memoir, “Not Afraid of Life: My Journey So Far,” the 20-year-old daughter …

John McCain, John Kerry introduce Libya resolution  —  Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and John Kerry (D-Mass.) introduced a resolution Tuesday that would give President Barack Obama the green light to continue limited military operations in Libya.  —  The language of the proposal has more teeth …

Stunning result, twice  —  The result stunned poll director Mark DiCamillo, who said he initially dismissed as an aberration a similar outcome in a March poll that had one of the state's most-popular politicians falling so far from favor.  The nonpartisan Field Poll is considered one of the most reliable surveys in the state.

Cigarette Health Warnings  —  Beginning September 2012, FDA will require larger, more prominent cigarette health warnings on all cigarette packaging and advertisements in the United States.  These warnings mark the first change in cigarette warnings in more than 25 years and are a significant advancement …

Did Obama Really Prevent A Second Great Depression?  —  It has become a common refrain at the White House and among administration supporters that President Obama's aggressive efforts to stimulate growth prevented an economic catastrophe.  —  “We had to hit the ground running and do everything …

AP NewsBreak: A twist in Obama's health care law  —  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama's health care law would let several million middle-class people get nearly free insurance meant for the poor, a twist government number crunchers say they discovered only after the complex bill was signed.

Blue State Schools: The Shame of a Nation  —  When it come to excellence in education, red states rule — at least according to a panel of experts assembled by Tina Brown's Newsweek.  Using a set of indicators ranging from graduation rate to college admissions and SAT scores …

Pawlenty buys ads in Iowa  —  Tim Pawlenty will become the first Republican candidate to launch a major media buy in Iowa.  —  Pawlenty is going up with ads in the first-in-the-nation caucus state starting tomorrow on Fox News with a buy just under $50,000 in the Cedar Rapids, Des Moines …

Trendspotting: Will Law School Start Decreasing The Supply of Unemployable New Lawyers?  —  What is this, a law school for ants?  —  If the American Bar Association was serious about protecting its members, it'd be trying to do something to stop the influx of market-depressing new attorneys.

Astronaut husband of Rep. Giffords to retire  —  Astronaut Mark Kelly, the husband of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), announced Tuesday he would retire Oct. 1.  —  Kelly, a captain in both NASA and the Navy, recently piloted the final flight of the Space Shuttle Endeavour.

N.C. Man Allegedly Robs Bank of $1 to Get Health Care in Jail  —  A 59-year-old man has been jailed in Gastonia, N.C., on charges of larceny after allegedly robbing an RBC Bank for $1 so he could get health care in prison.  Richard James Verone handed a female teller a note demanding the money …

Are Taxes High or Low?  A Further Look  —  Bruce Bartlett held senior policy roles in the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations and served  —  on the staffs of Representatives Jack Kemp and Ron Paul.  —  A couple of weeks ago, I discussed the low level of federal taxes as a share …

Remarks by the President at a DNC Event  —  Washington, D.C.  —  THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.  Thank you, everybody.  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Thank you, everybody.  Please have a seat, have a seat.  —  It is wonderful to see all of you.  I've got a lot of friends in the room here.

The Rise of Uncompassionate Conservatism  —  The Republican noncandidate flavor of the week is Texas governor Rick Perry.  If you squint just right, you could mistake him at a podium for his predecessor, George W. Bush.  Except for his message.  —  There might be no more powerful symbol …

PIMCO Founder To Deficit-Obsessed Congress: Get Back To Reality  —  One of the most influential investors in the world of finance has a message for lawmakers — particularly conservative lawmakers — on Capitol Hill: rejoin the real world.  —  In a prospectus for clients, Bill Gross …

Schumer adds new weight to repatriation tax talks  —  Apple, Cisco, and other multinationals are lobbying hard for a tax break on foreign income.  They may have a new ally in Sen. Chuck Schumer.  —  By Tory Newmyer, writer  —  FORTUNE — The campaign by U.S. multinationals to sell Congress …

Michelle Obama Meets With Nelson Mandela, Says President Is ‘Pouty’  —  First lady Michelle Obama visited Nelson Mandela on the first day of her trip to South Africa today and told one greeter that her husband was “pouty” that he couldn't come along.  —  The first lady's weeklong trip …

Muslim woman Carnita Matthews escapes jail by remaining behind her burqa  —  Debate ... Carnita Matthews was pulled over last June.  Picture: Channel 9 HWT Image Library  —  Supporters shield Carnita Matthews as she leaves court.  Picture: Cameron Richardson.  Herald Sun

Jon Stewart: “Who are the most consistently misinformed media viewers? ...  Fox viewers, consistently, every poll.”  —  “Who are the most consistently misinformed media viewers? ...  Fox viewers, consistently, every poll.”  —  “President Obama and liberal former DNC Chairman Tim Kaine's $787 billion stimulus failed to create jobs.”