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Pawlenty Drops Out of Republican Race — Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, left, at Thursday's debate in Ames, Iowa, with Jon M. Huntsman Jr. and Newt Gingrich. — DES MOINES — Tim Pawlenty, the former governor of Minnesota, dropped his bid for the Republican nomination for president …
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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 …

Tim Pawlenty ends presidential campaign — Former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty said today he will end his campaign for the GOP presidential nomination. — Pawlenty informed his supporters in a conference call and then announced his decision on ABC's This Week.
Discussion:
Firedoglake, Moe_Lane's blog, The Politico, Towleroad News #gay and Conservatives4Palin

Bachmann says she can win independents in general election — The morning after her win in the Ames straw poll, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) argued that she could appeal to independent and Democratic leaning voters in a general election and dismissed the challenge from new contender Texas Gov. Rick Perry.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly


Michele Bachmann wins the Ames Straw Poll — Republican presidential candidate, Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., center, arrives at a breakfast before the GOP Ames Straw Poll in Ames, Iowa, Saturday, Aug. 13, 2011. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)AMES, Iowa — Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann scored …

Ames Win Positions Michele Bachmann As Rick Perry's Top Obstacle To Be Anti-Romney (VIDEO) … AMES, Iowa — Michele Bachmann is Rick Perry's main rival now in the battle to give Republicans a viable alternative to Mitt Romney. Tim Pawlenty's campaign is on life support.


Tim Pawlenty drops out of presidential race
Discussion:
ABCNEWS, CNN, Runnin' Scared and Salon

Ex-Minn. Gov. Tim Pawlenty ends White House bid
Discussion:
Hot Air, Reuters, Betsy's Page, Outside the Beltway, Instapundit, Guardian, Michelle Malkin and 2012 Election Central

Bachmann Wins Iowa Straw Poll
Discussion:
The Daily Dish, Right Wing News, CNN and Connecting.the.Dots

Michele Bachmann wins Iowa Straw Poll
Discussion:
Bloomberg, The Other McCain, Washington Post, New York Times, The Politico, Outside the Beltway and CNN

Bachmann Wins Iowa, For Now: The Ticker
Discussion:
The Other McCain, Don Surber and GOP 12

Rick Perry's presidential run reorders 2012 landscape
Discussion:
Booman Tribune, New York Magazine and Wake up America

Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann wins Iowa straw poll
Discussion:
The Politico, The Note, Washington Monthly and Daily Kos

Perry Makes It Official: He's Running for President
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit and 2012 Election Central

Bachmann wins Ames straw poll; Ron Paul takes second, Pawlenty distant third
Discussion:
The Note, The Hill, Weasel Zippers, The Huffington Post, Hot Air, GOP 12 and The Moderate Voice

Rick Perry announces he will join 2012 presidential field to challenge President Obama
Discussion:
The Nation, Balloon Juice and Rick Perry for President


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 …
Discussion:
Clusterstock, No More Mister Nice Blog, The Impolitic, The Strata-Sphere and The Hill
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White House Debates Doing Little or Nothing — This is depressing ...from the NY Times: White House Debates Fight on Economy … Tax incentives are the “bigger idea”? It sounds like the debate is between doing nothing and doing very little. — If I arrived on the scene today …
Discussion:
Clusterstock, emptywheel and Grasping Reality …

White House Debates Giving Up on Helping the Economy
Discussion:
Paul Krugman, Don Surber and Grasping Reality …


Rick Perry's Crony Capitalism Problem — The presidential candidate's signature economic development initiative has raised questions among conservatives. — Gov. Rick Perry's presidential pitch goes something like this: During one of the worst recessions in American history, he's kept his state “open for business.”
Discussion:
Riehl World View

Clyburn hopes to use supercommittee post to tackle wealth gap — A leading House Democrat is hoping to use his prestigious seat on the deficit-cutting supercommittee to close the growing gully that divides the rich and the poor in America. — Rep. James Clyburn (S.C.) …
Discussion:
Michelle Malkin, Weasel Zippers and The Lonely Conservative

California Democratic Party May Dump Its Progressive Caucus for Proposing a Primary Challenge to Obama — On July 30th the Progressive Caucus of the California Democratic Party passed a resolution proposing that a primary challenge be offered to Obama next year.
Discussion:
naked capitalism and Corrente


The Elusive Big Idea — Neal Gabler is a senior fellow at the Annenberg Norman Lear Center at the University of Southern California and the author of “Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination.” — THE July/August issue of The Atlantic trumpets the “14 Biggest Ideas of the Year.”
Discussion:
Jared Bernstein and Daily Kos