Michigan GOP race tightens  —  The Republican race for President in Michigan has tightened considerably over the last week, with what was a 15 point lead for Rick Santorum down to 4.  He leads with 37% to 33% for Mitt Romney, 15% for Ron Paul, and 10% for Newt Gingrich.

Pain Without Gain  —  Last week the European Commission confirmed what everyone suspected: the economies it surveys are shrinking, not growing.  It's not an official recession yet, but the only real question is how deep the downturn will be.  —  And this downturn is hitting nations that have never recovered from the last recession.

Pakistan Can't Seem to Figure Out Why Bin Laden Was Hiding There  —  The Pakistani commission appointed to investigate just how Osama bin Laden came to be living in Abbottabad, in a large house adjacent to Pakistan's military academy (a house built by an architect regularly employed …

Why Mitt Romney's Presidential Prospects May Not Be Salvageable  —  Business School Case Study: Company R has the financial resources, the professional staff, the marketing know-how, and the business expertise to dominate its competition.  But despite the near-universal familiarity of its signature product …

Ron Paul: 'I Think It's A Losing Position' For Republicans To Focus On Social Issues  —  Ron Paul appeared on CNN's State of the Union today, and in addition to boosting his own candidacy, Candy Crowley asked him about latest frontrunner Rick Santorum and whether or not a candidate like him …

H'wood snubs Muslim Stone  —  Sean Stone, son of controversial director Oliver Stone, converted to Islam in Iran last week and says he's already experiencing a Hollywood backlash.  —  The ceremony was held in Isfahan, where he is researching a documentary.  He now goes by the name of Sean Christopher Ali Stone.

Muslims stone Christians on Temple Mount  —  A mob of some 50 Palestinian Muslims stoned a group of Christian tourists atop Jerusalem's Temple Mount on Sunday morning.  Three of the Israeli police officers who acted to protect the Christian group were wounded by the stone-throwers.

Notes on an Unfinished Letter of Apology (Or, Does Ed Morrissey Torture Cats?) … When the draft of the e-mail passed the 3,000-word mark, and was still clearly not half-finished, I gave it up.  What had begun as a mea culpa had metamorphosed into a treatise explaining the entire history …

Biography:  —  Winslow T. Wheeler worked on national security issues for 31 years for members of the U.S. Senate and for the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO).  In the Senate, Wheeler worked for Jacob K. Javits, R-N.Y., Nancy L. Kassebaum, R-Kan., David Pryor, D-Ark., and Pete V. Domenici …

House Republicans plot repeal of Obama education regulations  —  House Republicans are looking to move legislation as early as next week that would repeal two Education Department regulations that the GOP say intrude on the authority of states to set education policy.

Iran Raid Seen as a Huge Task for Israeli Jets  —  WASHINGTON — Should Israel decide to launch a strike on Iran, its pilots would have to fly more than 1,000 miles across unfriendly airspace, refuel in the air en route, fight off Iran's air defenses, attack multiple underground sites simultaneously — and use at least 100 planes.

Plouffe, Obama Aide, Lends Firm Hand to Campaign  —  WASHINGTON — David Plouffe is not a hugger, crier or someone who gets all gaga every time he walks into his West Wing office, just a few feet from that of the president.  He disdains doomsayers as “bed-wetters,” press hordes as “jackals” …