Cain leads nationally  —  Yesterday PPP released numbers showing Herman Cain leading Mitt Romney 30-22 in Iowa and our monthly look at the national picture finds the exact same numbers.  Cain is up 30-22 on Romney with Newt Gingrich sneaking past Rick Perry for 3rd place at 15% to Perry's 14% …

My Advice to the Occupy Wall Street Protesters  —  Hit bankers where it hurts  —  I've been down to “Occupy Wall Street” twice now, and I love it.  The protests building at Liberty Square and spreading over Lower Manhattan are a great thing, the logical answer to the Tea Party and a long-overdue middle finger to the financial elite.

Wall Street Journal circulation scam claims senior Murdoch executive  —  Andrew Langhoff resigns as European publishing chief after exposure of secret channels of cash to help boost sales figures  —  One of Rupert Murdoch's most senior European executives has resigned following Guardian inquiries …

Conceding One to the Critics  —  As readers of this site have no doubt noticed, I'm not one who is greatly troubled by hostile criticism.  —  On the other hand, sometimes the critics make a valid point.  When they do, I'm not too obstinate to concede.  —  For years, I've shared …

DOJ: Feds Can Tell Church Who Its Ministers Will Be  —  In yet another stunning attack on freedom of religion, President Barack Obama's Justice Department asked the Supreme Court last week to give the federal government the power to tell a church who its ministers will be.

Biden Warns of More Rapes and Murders If Jobs Bill Is Not Passed  —  In Flint, Michigan, Vice President Joe Biden suggested that more rapes and murders could occur if President Barack Obama's jobs bill is not passed.  —  “In 2008, when Flint had 265 sworn officers on their police force …

To the Barricades  —  Gail Collins: David, I was sorry to see you didn't have a little bit of sympathy for the Occupy Wall Street protesters.  —  David Brooks: The only survey I've seen on who these people are was conducted by New York magazine.  Three percent are mainstream liberals of the Barack Obama variety.

A Modest Proposal: Call Obstruction What It Is  —  Here is the headline in the online home page of the NYT, about Obama's “pass this jobs bill, pass it now” proposal.  Note the word “fails”:  —  The subhead and the rest of the article make clear that more Senators voted for the bill than against it — 50 to 49.

Solar Firm That Received $1.2 Billion Federal Loan Plagued by Financial Problems  —  With the Solyndra scandal still swirling, the Obama administration is under pressure to reveal the financial condition of the solar companies that received $4.75 billion in similar federal loan guarantees on the last day of the program.

All the Single Ladies  —  IN 2001, WHEN I was 28, I broke up with my boyfriend.  Allan and I had been together for three years, and there was no good reason to end things.  He was (and remains) an exceptional person, intelligent, good-looking, loyal, kind.

VIDEO: Mitt Heaps Praise on Romneycare “Parent” Ted Kennedy  —  The GOP front-runner is doing his best to sidestep the health care reform landmine.  This video sure won't help.  —  Post Comment  —  It's no secret that Mitt Romney has an albatross around his neck: Romneycare …

N.H.'s Bill Gardner to Nevada: Drop dead  —  Bill Gardner just flipped the Republicans the bird.  Again.  —  In a three-page statement released Wednesday afternoon, the New Hampshire secretary of state reiterated his independence and said he'll move the primary up as far as necessary …

Holmes County: Two more arrests in Amish attacks  —  Eli M. Miller, 32, and Daniel S. Mullet, 37, surrendered in connection with the recent attack on a fellow Amish man, a 74-year-old who had his beard cut during the incident.  Both are charged with aggravated burglary and kidnapping.

Rep. Curry Todd Arrested for DUI  —  Nashville, Tn - Local state representative Curry Todd has been arrested in Nashville.  He is charged with DUI and possession of a handgun while under the influence.  —  Police picked him up around 11:15 Tuesday night.  —  Todd is a Republican from Collierville.

Charles Schumer: ‘Impossible’ for Democrats to lose Senate in 2012  —  (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press)  —  A top Democrat said it's “almost impossible” Republicans will take over the Senate majority in 2012.  —  Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), his party's former campaign chairman …

Scott Brown web message mirrors 2002 Elizabeth Dole speech  —  WASHINGTON - A Democratic group has unearthed a bit of inspirational autobiography on Senator Scott Brown's official website that was lifted verbatim from a 2002 campaign speech by Elizabeth Dole.

Congress OKs 3 trade deals  —  Congress on Wednesday approved three long-stalled free-trade deals with Colombia, Panama and South Korea.  —  Advocates say the deals will result in the export of billions of dollars of U.S. goods and boost hundreds of thousands of American jobs.

Police arrest Occupy San Francisco protesters at Wells Fargo headquarters  —  Occupy San Francisco protesters marched and demonstrated outside Wells Fargo headquarters today in the city's Financial District today.  —  Below are blog reports from this morning's protest.

The Obamas Subtly Begin to Play Racial Politics  —  Are you a Republican?  Are you a racist?  Because if you ask the Obamas, the answer is that you just might be.  —  Ever so subtly, the Obamas - yes, her too - appear to be playing the race card.  They are turning this into a “values” …

Herman Cain consultant: 9-9-9 wouldn't be accepted  —  Herman Cain expressed confidence at Tuesday's debate that his much-touted “9-9-9” plan to revamp the tax code would pass Congress, but the paid campaign consultant who scored the plan for Cain said the idea was more of a theory …

Buffett made $62,855,038 last year  —  NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — Billionaire investor Warren Buffett this week showed a little more leg in his campaign to get Congress to raise taxes on the uber-rich.  —  In a letter to Republican Rep. Tim Huelskamp Tuesday, Buffett revealed that his adjusted gross income …