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What is Wrong With This Guy? — Congratulations to Mitt Romney for his big win last night. It was a win that, Romney supporters hoped, would help bury concerns about his ability to seal the deal to do what it takes. But I'm not so sure. If you're a straight-laced grown-up with money to burn …
Discussion:
Ross Douthat, Weekly Standard, Business Insider, RedState, Pundit & Pundette and Political Insider
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The National Review's Candidate Won't Stop Digging — It is days like today that make me thankful I think they all suck. At least I'm thankful I'm in the firmly not Romney camp. — Having told us only Romney was viable (with half-nods to Huntsman and Santorum) and having trotted …
Discussion:
CNN, The Daily Caller, National Review, ThinkProgress, The Right Scoop and Riehl World View


Mitt Romney: middle income Americans are focus, not very poor
Discussion:
The Caucus, The New Republic, Whiskey Fire, New York Times, Opinionator, ThinkProgress, The Hill, American Spectator, RedState, Michelle Malkin, National Review, Business Insider, Weekly Standard, Liberal Values, Informed Comment, The Enterprise Blog, PERRspectives, Erick's blog, Riehl World View, The Atlantic Online, Little Green Footballs, No More Mister Nice Blog, Stinque, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Washington Monthly, Taylor Marsh, Balloon Juice, Booman Tribune, Althouse, The PJ Tatler and Ballot Box

Romney says ‘poor’ comment needs context
Discussion:
The Maddow Blog, The Politico, The Reid Report and The Reality-Based Community

Mitt Romney: 'I'm not concerned about the very poor'
Discussion:
The Huffington Post

Romney, citing safety net, says he's ‘not concerned about the very poor’
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, Slate, Hot Air, National Review, Firedoglake, The Spencerian, Campaign 2012, The Week, ABCNEWS, USCatholic.org, Outside the Beltway, GOP 12, Hullabaloo, History Musings, The Reaction, Wake up America, Connecting.the.Dots, Shakesville, Eschaton, Alas, a Blog and Daily Kos

Why Romney Is ‘Not Concerned’ About the Poor
Discussion:
msnbc.com, Washington Post, Harry's Place, Feministing, The Daily Dish, Saint Petersblog and GOP 12

BREAKING NEWS: Trump to Endorse Newt Gingrich Tomorrow — LAS VEGAS — An advisor to Donald Trump says he will make a major announcement in Las Vegas tomorrow. Sources tell the 8 News NOW I-Team Trump will endorse Newt Gingrich. — According to Trump advisor Michael Cohen …
Discussion:
Michelle Malkin, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Washington Wire, The Gateway Pundit, Pat Dollard, Sister Toldjah, CNN and HotAirPundit
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Sources: Trump to endorse Newt — Word started leaking out in Las Vegas earlier that Donald Trump's “major announcement” is to back Newt Gingrich, and sources are confirming it to POLITICO. — The announcement is expected to come at an 11:30 a.m. press conference tomorrow that The Donald is holding.
Discussion:
The Right Scoop and Balloon Juice

Trump to make ‘major announcement’ on presidential race — Real estate mogul Donald Trump plans to make a big announcement related to the presidential race, he announced Wednesday. — “I will be making a major announcement tomorrow (Thursday, February 2) at 12:30 pm at Trump International Hotel & Tower …
Discussion:
Mediaite

Report: Trump to endorse Gingrich tomorrow in Nevada
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS, The Daily Caller and Alan Colmes' Liberaland

Florida primary might not be a done deal — TAMPA, Fla. — Florida's primary might not be over just yet. — The Newt Gingrich campaign is gearing up to challenge the results of the Florida Republican presidential primary based on the Republican National Committee's own rules which state …
Discussion:
Politics, Hot Air, Frontloading HQ and Wake up America
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They're Just Not That Into You, Mitt — Overall, turnout was down in the Florida Republican primary from 2008. In 2008, 1.95 million votes were cast in the Republican primary, compared to 1.67 million cast in 2012 (reported by the Florida State Board of Elections as of the morning of Feb. 1).
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times, Balloon Juice, Daily Pundit, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and Wall Street Journal

Romney Now Leads Gingrich, 31% to 26% — Santorum in third place, ahead of Paul — PRINCETON, NJ — Mitt Romney has moved ahead of Newt Gingrich in national Republican registered voters' preferences for the 2012 GOP nomination, 31% to 26%, according to Gallup Daily tracking from Jan. 27-31.
Discussion:
Saint Petersblog, CNN and Ballot Box


Florida fight rattles GOP leaders
Discussion:
New York Times, Daily Kos and US Politics

Romney Wins, but Turnout Lags
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The Maddow Blog, Wonkette, southernstudies.org, Dean's World, RADAMISTO and Washington Monthly

Susan G. Komen Loses Support After Planned Parenthood Decision … Video , Susan G. Komen , Susan G. Komen For The Cure , Komen , Komen For The Cure , Komen Planned Parenthood , Planned Parenthood Breast Exams , Planned Parenthood Susan g Komen , Susan g Koman Planned Parenthood , Susan g Komen Planned Parenthood , Politics News
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TBogg, Political Mojo, Washington Post, The Maddow Blog, Balloon Juice, ThinkProgress, NPR, UrbanGrounds and Firedoglake
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House Dem abandons Susan G. Komen after Planned Parenthood decision
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ThinkProgress, Jezebel, The Politico, Weasel Zippers and Wizbang

THREE CHEERS FOR ROMNEYCARE! — If only the Democrats had decided to socialize the food industry or housing, Romneycare would probably still be viewed as a massive triumph for conservative free-market principles — as it was at the time. — It's not as if we had a beautifully functioning free market …

‘Gasland’ Journalists Arrested At Hearing By Order Of House Republicans (UPDATES) … House GOP , Environment , Gop , Politics , Republicans , Video , Brad Miller , First Amendment , Josh Fox , Arrest , Documentary , Fracking , Gasland , Hearing , Journalist , Politics News
Discussion:
Mediaite, Guardian, Firedoglake, FishbowlDC, ANIMAL, Suburban Guerrilla, Daily Kos, The Raw Story and Lawyers, Guns & Money, more at Mediagazer »
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Josh Fox led away in handcuffs from hearing
Discussion:
Mediaite, ThinkProgress, Taylor Marsh and Grist


Gallup state numbers predict huge Obama loss — Gallup released their annual state-by-state presidential approval numbers yesterday, and the results should have 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue very worried. If President Obama carries only those states where he had a net positive approval rating in 2011 …
Discussion:
Power Line, The Right Scoop, Weasel Zippers, Rush Limbaugh, Los Angeles Times, Doug Ross, Hyscience, Shot in the Dark, Scared Monkeys and Gallup
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Bribery, compromised officials leave indicted financial-crime suspects free from prosecution under Holder's DOJ — A U.S. Justice Department source has told The Daily Caller that at least two DOJ prosecutors accepted cash bribes from allegedly corrupt finance executives who were indicted …
Discussion:
The Right Scoop, Ricochet Conversations Feed and The PJ Tatler

Gay Activists Glitter Bomb Romney, He Calls It ‘Confetti’ To Celebrate Florida Victory — Mitt Romney was “glitter bombed” by an advocate protesting the former governor's flimsy record on equality for gay and lesbian Americans as he took the stage at a campaign event in Eagan, Minnesota this afternoon.
Discussion:
ABCNEWS, Gay Star News, The Raw Story, Mediaite and Towleroad News #gay
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Actually, it won't be 1972 — Noah Millman says George Packer has it wrong, that the GOP is not, in fact, going to have a McGovern moment anytime soon. I think these are good observations: … This is an underappreciated point. Can you find a single significant point on which Romney …
Discussion:
Eunomia and The Daily Dish

NO SEX PLEASE, WE'RE JAPANESE: Japan Population Decline: Third Of Nation's Youth Have ‘No Interest’ In Sex. … There's no future in this. — UPDATE: Reader Jeff Johnson writes: “That statistic is shocking - but what causes people to go against their basic instincts, procreation in this situation?
Discussion:
Daily Pundit and Althouse

Panetta Sets End to Afghan Combat Role for U.S. in '13 — BRUSSELS — In a major milestone toward ending a decade of war in Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said on Wednesday that American forces would step back from a combat role there as early as mid-2013 …
Discussion:
Washington Post, Outside the Beltway, USCatholic.org, Business Insider, Danger Room, Daily Kos and American Power
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Panetta: US combat in Afghanistan to end next year
Discussion:
The Politico, BBC, Weasel Zippers, msnbc.com and Associated Press


Accused teacher's behavior was reported decades ago, students say — Two former students of a teacher accused of bizarre acts of lewd conduct in his classroom said school officials were informed about his questionable behavior two decades ago. — School officials and Sheriff's Department investigators …
Discussion:
msnbc.com, www2.tbo.com, Jezebel, utsandiego.com and Los Angeles Times

GOP: Ban welfare cash at strip clubs — The Republican-led House is going after strip clubs - again. — Up for a vote Wednesday evening is a bill that would ban welfare recipients from using their benefits at strip clubs, liquor stores and casinos. It's the same measure that was included …
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit, Pat Dollard and Weasel Zippers
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House GOP seeks to bar the use of welfare funds at strip clubs
Discussion:
Examiner, Wonkette, Washington Monthly, ThinkProgress, Weasel Zippers, UrbanGrounds, Balloon Juice and Daily Kos

Dem Congressman: West “Not Representative Of African-American Community” — “People like Mr. [Allen] West, and Governor Brewer and so on, particularly Mr. West, is not only not representative of the African-American community or of the Republican Party, let alone of the American public.
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers, The Right Scoop, RedState, Don Surber and The Other McCain
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Rep. Jim Moran (D): Rep. Allen West ‘Not Representative Of African-American Community’
Discussion:
Hot Air, The Gateway Pundit, American Glob and The PJ Tatler