The best of today's 2012 coverage.

Tax-hating Michele Bachmann used to work for the IRS
While presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann often touts her "federal tax litigation attorney" past, the WSJ digs a bit deeper: "Ms. Bachmann spent four years with the Internal Revenue Service district counsel office in St. Paul, Minn., from 1988 to 1992, and "worked on hundreds of civil and criminal cases," according to her congressional website. This part of her resume cuts two ways for Ms. Bachman, who ranks near the top of the GOP field in polls of New Hampshire and Iowa, where she campaigned over the weekend. She's a favorite of the tea party, for whom the IRS personifies government overreach. Ms. Bachmann, on the other hand, in her limited comments on the matter, says the experience formed her views on taxes." [Wall Street Journal]

Romney's jobs record looks like a liability
Presidential contender Mitt Romney often points to his tenure as governor of Massachusetts as proof that he can stimulate job creation. But, according to the LA Times, Romney's record suggest otherwise: "Many factors contribute to the economics of any given state, and a governor can sometimes have only limited influence. But Romney's performance in the job represents his argument for election. He and his backers say he is responsible for demonstrable progress for the state, which faced a series of economic challenges, including a fiscal crisis that mushroomed shortly after Romney's election… Leading economists and business advocates in Massachusetts say Romney is correct - but only to a point. 'Romney's record of economic stewardship fell short of expectations,' said Michael Widmer, president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, a business-backed group that provides research on fiscal and economic matters. In remarks echoed by others, Widmer said Romney fell particularly short in his promise to recruit employers to the state.