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In Defense of Romney — Over the past several months, Mitt Romney has been an excellent presidential candidate. He has performed superbly in the debates. He has outorganized his rivals. He has relentlessly stayed on his core theme of putting Americans back to work.
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Cainmentum — Is the new Republican frontrunner Herman Cain? Maybe for this week anyway. PPP polled Republican primary voters in three pretty different states over the weekend- North Carolina, Nebraska, and West Virginia- and found Cain leading the way in each of them as Newt Gingrich surged …
Discussion:
GOP 12, Don Surber, ThinkProgress, Daily Kos, The Lonely Conservative, The New Republic and Wall Street Journal


Rick Perry slips, Herman Cain rises in bid for GOP nomination, poll finds — After a quick rise in the race for the Republican presidential nomination, Texas Gov. Rick Perry has experienced an almost equally dramatic decline, losing about half of his support over the past month, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.
Discussion:
Slate, CNN, msnbc.com, New York Post, The Politico, Outside the Beltway, Political Mojo, Bloomberg, Hot Air, Conservatives4Palin, Guardian, The Agonist, Swampland, Big Government, The Moderate Voice, Washington Wire, Daily Kos, Jay Bookman, Firedoglake, The Other McCain, New York Times, Ben Smith's Blog, Politics, Iowa Caucuses, Associated Press, New York Magazine, Lynn Sweet, Hotline On Call, Pajamas Media, The 1600 Report and The Hill

Rick Perry, Jon Huntsman, Michele Bachmann, Mitt Romney to boycott Univision debate over Rubio report — Four Republican presidential candidates are boycotting a proposed Univision debate due to allegations that the Spanish-language media giant tried to strongarm Sen. Marco Rubio …
Discussion:
Ballot Box

‘Now Is Not My Time’ to Run, Christie Says — Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey announced on Tuesday that he had decided not to seek the presidency. — 1:30 p.m. | Updated Saying “now is not my time,” Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey announced on Tuesday that he would not seek the Republican nomination for the presidency.

Gov. Chris Christie will not run for president
Discussion:
The Daily Beast, Runnin' Scared, Wonkette, Outside the Beltway, Sister Toldjah and Citizens for Legitimate …

Bachmann: Now that Christie's made his decision ‘I think the table is set’
Discussion:
CNN and Iowa Caucuses

Christie Coulda' Been A Contender, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Ran Neck And Neck With Romney, Obama
Discussion:
Washington Wire, Hotline On Call and GOP 12

Chris Christie won't run for president: Now what?
Discussion:
Ballot Box, Big Journalism, The New Republic, msnbc.com and Iowa Caucuses

On Wall Street, a Protest Matures — “I think a good deal of the bankers should be in jail.” — That is what Andrew Cole, an unemployed 24-year-old graduate of Bucknell University, told me Monday morning in Zuccotti Park, the epicenter of the Occupy Wall Street movement.
Discussion:
New York Magazine, Washington Post, The Huffington Post, Firedoglake, Fox News, Truthdig, Hit & Run, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Dealbreaker, Hullabaloo, The Crawdad Hole, NewsBusters.org blogs, Swampland, Boston Globe, Campaign 2012, Hot Air, thenation.com/blogs/180, NY Daily News and New York Times
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Vice President Joe Biden doesn't know who Van Jones is — In interview on 970 WFLA, the VP says “whoever he is”
Discussion:
Ben Smith's Blog, Publius Forum, Weasel Zippers, Michelle Malkin, JammieWearingFool and Pajamas Media


Progressive of Pallor on pointless parade
Discussion:
The Daily Californian and The Daily Caller

Who are the 99 percent?
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, Democracy in America, Felix Salmon, Wonkette and Political Mojo

Union Workers, Politicians Voice Support For “Occupy Wall Street” Protesters Following Arrests
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars and Suburban Guerrilla

House Republicans Request Special Counsel to Probe Holder on ‘Fast and Furious’ — EXCLUSIVE: House Republicans are calling for a special counsel to determine whether Attorney General Holder perjured himself during his testimony to the House Judiciary Committee on Operation Fast and Furious, Fox News has learned.
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CBS News Reporter Says White House Screamed, Swore at Her Over Fast and Furious
Discussion:
Power Line, Campaign 2012, Hot Air, Moe Lane, The Heritage Foundation, Sweetness & Light and Sister Toldjah

Documents show Holder was informed of Fast and Furious operation in 2010
Discussion:
Doug Ross, Wake up America and americanthinker.com


Money Dispute May End ‘Simpsons’ — A money dispute between Fox and the actors who voice the characters on The Simpsons may force the long-running hit series to shut down next spring. Lloyd Grove reports exclusively. — As Homer Simpson would put it, “D'oh!”
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland, AOL TV, Mediaite, ArtsBeat, newsfeed.time.com, Deadline.com, The Raw Story, WJLA-TV, Gothamist and Gawker, more at Mediagazer »


Sarah Palin-affiliated law firm made early-state deadline inquiries — Ken Vogel and I both have sources telling us that calls were made on behalf of a mystery candidate to various early states to determine presidential filing deadlines. — The calls were made by representatives …
Discussion:
Politics, The Page, Riehl World View, Hot Air, GOP 12, Big Government, Conservatives4Palin, Citizens for Legitimate … and Atlas Shrugs

Reid blocks attempt by McConnell to vote on president's jobs bill — In a lively spat on the Senate floor Tuesday, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) attempted call up President Obama's jobs plan for an immediate vote in the upper chamber. — However, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid …
Discussion:
TPMDC and Weasel Zippers
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Obama administration kept Democratic senators hanging on the phone
Discussion:
CNN, Weasel Zippers, Betsy's Page and Instapundit


Bernanke Calls on Congress to Do More — Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told U.S. lawmakers Tuesday that while the central bank was ready to do more to help a U.S. economy that was “close to faltering,” Congress and the White House should take steps to aid a persistently weak recovery.
Discussion:
Real Time Economics, The Raw Story and The Atlantic Online
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Testimony — Economic Outlook and Recent Monetary Policy Actions

Fed Chief Raises Doubts on Recovery
Discussion:
Business Insider, Washington Monthly, Daniel W. Drezner and The Reformed Broker


Herman Cain: ‘Show Me The Science’ That Being Gay Is Not A Choice — The ladies of The View today challenged newly crowned Republican presidential front-runner Herman Cain on his beliefs about homosexuality. He confirmed that he would bring back Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and “Yes,” he believes being gay is a choice.
Discussion:
Firedoglake, Good As You and Towleroad News #gay

Wolf: Grover Norquist's Relationships Should Give People Pause — Washington, D.C. - In a speech today on the House floor, Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) expressed concern about Grover Norquist's influence on the political process in Washington and his association with several individuals, groups and causes many would consider unsavory.
Discussion:
Washington Wire, The Caucus and National Review
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After Ruling, Hispanics Flee an Alabama Town — ALBERTVILLE, Ala. — The vanishing began Wednesday night, the most frightened families packing up their cars as soon as they heard the news. — They left behind mobile homes, sold fully furnished for a thousand dollars or even less.
Discussion:
Blog of Rights, al.com topics and Gawker
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Warren Buffett says he will release his tax return if Rupert Murdoch does — The billionaire investor Warren Buffett said Tuesday that he would release his tax returns if NewsCorp chairman Rupert Murdoch does. — Buffett's finances became a political target after President Obama made the …
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers
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Secret Docs Show Foreclosure Watchdog Doesn't Bark or Bite — Why has the administration's flagship foreclosure prevention program been so ineffective in helping struggling homeowners get loan modifications and stay in their homes? One reason: The government's supervision of the program has apparently ranged from nonexistent to weak.
Discussion:
Firedoglake, TalkLeft, Felix Salmon, Business Insider, Poynter, HousingWire and Eschaton

Judicial Watch Obtains Documents Detailing the Cost to Taxpayers for Michelle Obama's Family Trip to Africa — Charges for the Aircraft and Crew Alone Amount to $424,142 — Judicial Watch, the organization that investigates and fights government corruption, announced today …
Discussion:
Campaign 2012, The Gateway Pundit, Politics, Weasel Zippers and JammieWearingFool


National Cathedral reopens Nov. 12, but needs $15 million for earthquake damage and expenses — Officials plan to reopen Washington National Cathedral on Nov. 12, but they also said Tuesday that much work remains to repair the damage caused by last summer's earthquake.
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice


Mitt Romney forecasts first lady role for his wife — Mitt Romney's not only laying out plans for his own time in the White House: He's got a role sketched out for his wife, Ann, as first lady, too. — “My wife is gorgeous and she is the brains in the outfit. ...
Discussion:
CNN