Top Items:
Washington Examiner:
In Arizona, GOP debates end on low point — MESA, Ariz. — Rick Santorum suspects something is up between Mitt Romney and Ron Paul. Santorum had a tough night at the 20th, and likely last, Republican debate, held here at the Mesa Arts Center. He took a lot of attacks from Romney and a few from Paul …
Discussion:
The Hill, Campaign 2012, americanthinker.com, Taegan Goddard's … and Hot Air
RELATED:
Roger Simon / Politico:
Will GOP perp walk lead to White House? — I am sick to death of the media's scare tactics. — Which is why I nearly jumped out of my skin when CNN's John King said during Wednesday night's Republican debate, “One of these men could be president 11 months from now.” — It was enough to give one chills.
Discussion:
Campaign 2012, ABCNEWS, CNN and Connecting.the.Dots
Philip Klein / Campaign 2012:
Santorum stumbles in Arizona debate — None of the candidates really shined in tonight's Republican debate, but Rick Santorum, in his first debate as a co-frontrunner, badly stumbled. So by default, that helps Mitt Romney. — From the get go and throughout the debate …
Discussion:
Human Events, Townhall.com, National Review, Riehl World View, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Pundit & Pundette and Betsy's Page
Josh Lederman / The Hill:
Romney, Santorum rip into one another at pivotal GOP debate — MESA, Ariz. — Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum ripped into one another at Wednesday night's GOP presidential debate in their last joint appearance before a chain of make-or-break contests. — Romney was helped out in his attacks …
Discussion:
Reuters, Bloomberg, The Moderate Voice, CNN, Shakesville, Don Surber, msnbc.com, Politico, ABCNEWS, The Huffington Post and The Other McCain
2012.talkingpointsmemo.com:
TPM2012 — Five Ways Rick Santorum Blew It in Arizona — If we've learned one thing through this turbulent Republican primary, it's that the debates really matter. Newt Gingrich rose and fell on his debate performances, Rick Perry knocked himself out entirely on the debate stage …
Discussion:
The Raw Story, Washington Wire, Balloon Juice and Hot Air
Peter Hamby / CNN:
Five things we learned from Wednesday's debate
Five things we learned from Wednesday's debate
Discussion:
ABCNEWS and Taegan Goddard's …
Aaron Blake / Washington Post:
Romney and Paul successfully call Santorum's conservatism into question
Romney and Paul successfully call Santorum's conservatism into question
Discussion:
Campaign Stops, Mail Online, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Weasel Zippers, Daily Kos and Israel Matzav
Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:
Live-Blogging The Mesa Debate
Live-Blogging The Mesa Debate
Discussion:
The Daily Beast, Taegan Goddard's …, Political Mojo and Balloon Juice
Chuck Stokes / WXYZ-TV:
EXCLUSIVE POLL: Santorum leads Romney in close Michigan Republican Presidential Primary race
EXCLUSIVE POLL: Santorum leads Romney in close Michigan Republican Presidential Primary race
Discussion:
Washington Post
Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:
Obama ties Romney with Arizona
Obama ties Romney with Arizona
Discussion:
American Prospect, Mail Online, Balloon Juice, CNN, Guardian, HotAirPundit, Taegan Goddard's …, Hot Air, Ballot Box, Washington Wire and detroitnews.com
Politico:
GOP fears rise over 2012 tone, message — MESA, Ariz. — In 2008, after Republicans were routed in the presidential and congressional elections, there was widespread consensus within elite GOP circles about the party's structural problems: The Republican voter base was too old, too white …
Discussion:
Booman Tribune
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Emily Schultheis / Politico:
Huntsman: 'I'm not a surrogate for anybody' — Jon Huntsman, speaking about the state of the race on MSNBC's “Morning Joe” today, said that “given the lay of the land today” Mitt Romney would be his choice for president, but that he's “not a surrogate for anybody.”
RELATED:
Alexander Burns / Politico:
Newt: Media never asked Obama about ‘infanticide’ - except it did (UPDATE: Or did it?) — Surprise! Newt Gingrich is attacking the press. — Coming out of the debate's first break, CNN moderator John King read off a question: What are the candidates' views on contraception?
Discussion:
JustOneMinute, Jill Stanek, his vorpal sword and NewsBusters.org
Donovan Slack / Politico:
No shovel for Obama — It was a rather odd sight: as an array of museum officials, including former first lady Laura Bush, took up shovels at the groundbreaking for the first national museum dedicated exclusively to African-American history and culture, the nation's first black president sat watching, no shovel in hand.
Discussion:
UrbanGrounds, Scared Monkeys, Weasel Zippers, The Huffington Post and The Hill
Los Angeles Times:
‘Super PAC’ leaders profit from lack of oversight — Leaders of some of the new groups are taking advantage of the mammoth donations and the lack of oversight to write themselves big paychecks or hire their own companies. — Casino mogul Sheldon Adelson and his family have given millions …
Discussion:
ThinkProgress and Politico
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Igor Volsky / ThinkProgress:
Chris Christie: Obama Is Showing ‘Cowardice’ For Trying To Have It ‘Both Ways’ On Marriage Equality — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) accused President Obama of “cowardice” and trying to have it “both ways” on marriage equality during a contentious appearance on MSNBC's Morning Joe on Thursday.
Discussion:
Towleroad News #gay and Joe. My. God.
Ari Shavit / Haaretz:
If Israel strikes Iran, it'll be because Obama didn't stop it — While our prime minister won't say so out loud, he is deeply scornful of his predecessors for spending so much time on the Palestinian issue while neglecting the Iranian issue. — Get Haaretz on iPhone — Get Haaretz on Android
Discussion:
Israel Matzav and Outside the Beltway
E.J. Dionne Jr / Washington Post:
President Obama as an alien — They say that President Obama is a Muslim, but if he isn't, he's a secularist who is waging war on religion. On some days he's a Nazi, but on most others he's merely a socialist. His especially creative opponents see him as having a “Kenyan anti-colonial worldview …
Nikki Finke / Deadline.com/hollywood:
SACHA BARON COHEN BANNED FROM OSCARS: EXCLUSIVE — BREAKING... EXCLUSIVE: The Academy Of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has pulled actor Sacha Baron Cohen's tickets from the 84th Academy Awards. This means he is banned from attending the Oscars even though he is an Academy member …
Discussion:
Sky Dancing, The Daily Caller, Mediaite, ThinkProgress and Atlas Shrugs
Jim McElhatton / Washington Times:
Bonuses given after raises at Solyndra — Worker incentive paid during bankruptcy — WILMINGTON, Del. — Several of the nearly two dozen employees at bankrupt solar panel maker Solyndra LLC who were approved for bonuses Wednesday had months earlier received pay raises as high as 70 percent …
Discussion:
Michelle Malkin, The Lonely Conservative and Campaign 2012
James Taranto / Wall Street Journal:
Unplanned Parenthood — Illegitimacy and the liberal elite. — (Best of the tube tonight: We'll appear on Fox Business's “Lou Dobbs Tonight.” The program starts at 7 p.m. ET, with our panel around 7:40.) — Social issues are so fascinating for the same reason debates over them are so often dull …
Discussion:
Don Surber, Prairie Weather and New York Times
James Barron / New York Times:
Recalling Her Determined Daughter, a Journalist Killed in Syria — Marie Colvin got into Yale University the way she would later get into foreign countries, with grit and determination. — After spending a year in Brazil on a student exchange program, from January of her junior year …
Discussion:
JIMROMENESKO.COM, Politico, Sky Dancing, News Desk and CNN, more at Mediagazer »
Sarah Amos / ABCNEWS:
Price Shock: Watch Cost of Gas Jump 10 Cents During ABC's ‘World News’ Broadcast — The headlines of major newspapers and TV networks this week have been dominated by rising gas prices. — Drivers across the country have shared their stories on the cost - with many already paying more than $4 a gallon at the pump.
Discussion:
Campaign 2012 and Mediaite
Tim Mak / Politico:
Warren Buffett: I'm ‘delighted’ about Buffett rule — Billionnaire investor Warren Buffet said in a letter Wednesday that he was “delighted” to support legislation to implement the “Buffett Rule,” which would ensure that those making over $1 million annually pay at least a 30 percent effective tax rate.
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers, Wake up America and Wonkette
NOH8 Campaign:
CONGRESSIONAL SUPPORT: #NOH8OnTheHill — Last week, we announced NOH8 Co-Founders Adam Bouska and Jeff Parshley would be hosting a special photo shoot in Washington, D.C. for any and all Members of Congress in the US Senate and House of Representatives who were willing to show their support …
Discussion:
On Top Magazine Headlines, ABCNEWS and Advocate
Daily Mail:
Click to rate Rating (0) — I work at a hospital ER and these moochers are taking over. No money to pay but they've got Smart Phones, manicured nails, expensive hair weaves but are on Medicaid. There are also those who are taking advantage of Medicaid for their elderly loved ones …
Reason:
GM's Profits Don't Mean Taxpayers Will Be Off the Hook — The company's cash cushion might go to unions, not investors. — Three years after being rescued by a taxpayer bailout, General Motors recently announced some rather ambitious profit targets for 2012.
Discussion:
americanthinker.com
Edward Wyatt / New York Times:
White House, Consumers in Mind, Offers Online Privacy Guidelines — WASHINGTON — The Obama administration on Wednesday outlined a set of online privacy principles that officials said would help consumers control the use of their personal data gleaned from Internet searches.
Discussion:
The TechBlock, Bits and The Page, more at Techmeme »
Matt Bai / New York Times:
Scott Ritter's Other War — On a February afternoon in 2009, Ryan Venneman, one of only five full-time police officers in tiny Barrett Township, Pa., decided to spend some time hunting for sexual predators online. Venneman entered a Yahoo chat room, where the minimum legal age is supposed be 18 …
Discussion:
News Desk, Daniel W. Drezner and Hullabaloo
Lori Montgomery / Washington Post:
Report: Debt will swell under top GOP hopefuls' tax plans — The national debt is likely to balloon under tax policies championed by three of the four major Republican candidates for president, according to an independent analysis of tax and spending proposals so far offered by the candidates.
Discussion:
Weekly Standard, Political Insider, The Week, BuzzFeed and Prairie Weather