Perry makes first campaign outing  —  MANCHESTER, N.H. — In the first public event of his presidential campaign, Rick Perry swept into a New Hampshire festival Sunday surrounded by a crush of reporters, and pointedly looked past rival Mitt Romney to focus instead on Barack Obama.

So much for Sam's Club  —  The departure of Tim Pawlenty this morning won't have a major impact on a race that had already taken shape without him — that's why he dropped out.  —  The move makes clear that Texas Gov. Rick Perry has fully seized the space Pawlenty sought to occupy, of the established conservative alternative.

Pawlenty Drops Out of Presidential Race After Disappointing Straw Poll Finish  —  Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty is dropping out of the Republican presidential contest, after a disappointing third place finish in the Iowa Straw Poll yesterday.  —  “We needed to get some lift to continue …

White House Debates Fight on Economy  —  WASHINGTON — As the economy worsens, President Obama and his senior aides are considering whether to adopt a more combative approach on economic issues, seeking to highlight substantive differences with Republicans in Congress and on the campaign trail rather …