Santorum Catches Romney in GOP Race  —  Obama Leads Both in General Election Matchups  —  OVERVIEW  —  Rick Santorum's support among Tea Party Republicans and white evangelicals is surging, and he now has pulled into a virtual tie with Mitt Romney in the race for the Republican presidential nomination.

Obama proposes $800 million in aid for “Arab Spring”  —  (Reuters) - The White House announced plans on Monday to help “Arab Spring” countries swept by revolutions with more than $800 million in economic aid, while maintaining U.S. military aid to Egypt.  —  In his annual budget message to Congress …

Gregoire signs gay marriage into law  —  With Gov. Chris Gregoire's signature on Monday, Washington joins six other states and the District of Columbia in allowing same-sex couples to marry.  —  OLYMPIA — Surrounded by applauding gay couples and with media from around the country looking on …

House GOP scrambles payroll tax cut calculus  —  In a dramatic reversal, House GOP leaders said Monday they'll attempt this week to pass a 10-month extension of the payroll tax holiday without saying how they'd pay for it.  —  Republicans say it's not their first choice …

Tucker Carlson takes on the media  —  The top editors at the Daily Caller have come out with the first in a series of articles about the liberal media watchdog Media Matters For America, and in doing so they have suggested that MSNBC and reporters from the Washington Post, POLITICO …

Norquist: Romney Will Do As Told  —  Is Mitt Romney so weak he won't be able to stand up to Congress?  —  Grover Norquist, head of the Americans for Tax Reform advocacy group, speaks at a session entitled “Scrap the Code: Towards Pro-Growth Tax Reform” at the conservative Americans for Prosperity …

Obama's Broken Deficit Promise  —  “This is big,” wrote White House director of new media Macon Phillips in a February 23, 2009 blog post, “the President today promised that by the end of his first term, he will cut in half the massive federal deficit we've inherited.  And we'll do it in a new way: honestly and candidly.”

Political Punch — “Dogs Against Romney”?  Democrats Say Unleash the Hound!  —  Tomorrow outside the Westminster dog show at Madison Square Garden at noon the group “Dogs Against Romney” will protest “to ensure pet lovers are aware that Mitt Romney is mean to dogs,” according to the group's press release.

Justice Breyer robbed at West Indies vacation home  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Justice Stephen Breyer was robbed last week by a machete-wielding intruder at his vacation home in the West Indies, a Supreme Court spokeswoman said Monday.  —  The 73-year-old Breyer, wife Joanna and guests were confronted …

Why America Keeps Getting More Conservative  —  Even with the president's approval rating showing signs of life and the Republicans busily bashing themselves over the head — “one is a practicing polygamist and he's not even the Mormon,” retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor recently quipped …

Whitney Houston album price hike sparks controversy  —  Sony Music under fire after cost of greatest hits set on iTunes rises by more than 60% after singer's death  —  Sony Music has come under fire after it increased the price of a Whitney Houston album on Apple's iTunes Store hours after the singer was found dead.

Four Cabinet members willing to help Democratic super PACs  —  Fundraising activities are limited, but star power brings in the bucks  —  14 minutes, 55 seconds ago Updated: 13 minutes, 38 seconds ago  —  At least four Cabinet members appear ready and willing to answer President Barack Obama's call …

‘Former Homosexual’ Calls for Dan Savage's Arrest  —  DL Foster, an anti-gay activist and professed “former homosexual,” called for the arrest of author Dan Savage for his role in founding the It Gets Better Project, which has consistently been in the crosshairs of Religious Right activists …