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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, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, americanthinker.com, Taegan Goddard's …, Hot Air and CNN
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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:
The Impolitic, ABCNEWS, CNN, The Other McCain, Campaign 2012 and Hot Air


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 …

Romney rips Santorum, unions in Arizona — Mitt Romney kept up the attack on Rick Santorum and ripped unions Thursday morning, criticizing the former senator for voting against his principles in a Phoenix speech. — Santorum repeatedly sought during Wednesday night's debate to explain …

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:
CNN, Reuters, Bloomberg, Politico, The Week, The Moderate Voice, Shakesville, Don Surber, ABCNEWS, msnbc.com, Connecting.the.Dots and The Huffington Post


Five things we learned from Wednesday's debate — Mesa, Arizona (CNN) — The four GOP presidential candidates had one last chance to state their case in front of the nation before Tuesday's primaries in Arizona and Michigan. Did one candidate stand out from the rest?
Discussion:
ABCNEWS and Taegan Goddard's …

Free Press endorsement: Mitt Romney is best — but we urge him to recapture collaborative spirit
Discussion:
ABCNEWS, The Hill, CNN, New York Times, Washington Post and The Raw Story

Romney and Paul successfully call Santorum's conservatism into question
Discussion:
Mail Online, Campaign Stops, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Weasel Zippers, Daily Kos and Israel Matzav

EXCLUSIVE POLL: Santorum leads Romney in close Michigan Republican Presidential Primary race
Discussion:
Washington Post


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:
Wonkette and Booman Tribune
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Huntsman calls for third party, says GOP '12 field lacks big ideas — Jon Huntsman called for the rise of a third party on Thursday as he argued the remaining GOP presidential candidates lack big ideas. — The comments from the former Utah governor, who dropped out of the race in January …
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland and ABCNEWS


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:
Jill Stanek, NewsBusters.org and his vorpal sword
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Politico Sends In The Clowns — In the course of thumping Gingrich Alexander Burns of Politico delivers a howler: — Newt: Media never asked Obama about ‘infanticide’ - except it did (UPDATE: Or did it?) — That is quite an UPDATE. As if to illustrate Newt's point that the Elite Media turned …
Discussion:
NationalJournal.com and The New Civil Rights Movement

CNN LIVE EVENT/SPECIAL — Full Transcript of CNN ARIZONA REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE, 20:00-22:00 — THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. — UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: The presidential race has been won by Governor Ronald Reagan of California.
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, Daily Kos, The Reality-Based Community and National Review
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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, Shakesville, Prairie Weather and New York Times


Exclusive: Marco Rubio's Mormon Roots — As a child, he was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Ticket balancing is a great tradition, and this could affect Romney's Vice Presidential calculation. — Do Rubio's Mormon roots complicate the Republican's electable dream ticket?
Discussion:
The Hill, Guardian and The Daily Caller


Rep. Joel Kleefisch allegedly caught voting for absent member — MADISON- The I-Team confronts a state representative after he's caught breaking a rule and that state representative was caught on tape! — The issue is caught on, what appears to be, cell phone video.
Discussion:
The Raw Story and Taegan Goddard's …

2 U.S. troops killed in Koran backlash — PLAY CBS NEWS VIDEO — Afghanistan, Ten Years Later — (CBS News) Updated at 10:10 a.m. Eastern. — Two U.S. troops have been shot to death and four more wounded by an Afghan solider who turned his gun on his allies in apparent anger …
Discussion:
Outside the Beltway, Corrente, Weasel Zippers, Jihad Watch and Taylor Marsh


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:
Gawker, Sky Dancing, The Daily Caller, Mediaite, ThinkProgress and Atlas Shrugs


Will Supreme Court Reconsider Citizens United? Two Justices Hope So — Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg knows an opportunity when she sees one. — Last Friday night at the close of business, she wrote a statement in which she was joined by Justice Stephen Breyer suggesting …


How to Remove Your Google Search History Before Google's New Privacy Policy Takes Effect — [UPDATE 2/22/2012] It is important to note that disabling Web History in your Google account will not prevent Google from gathering and storing this information and using it for internal purposes.
Discussion:
Guardian, more at Techmeme »


A secret history of the 2008 campaign — Modern political conventions are notoriously stage-managed events, scripted, vetted and produced for television. But on Aug. 27, 2008, the climactic scene nearly went horribly awry. — According to a careful plan negotiated between the Clinton …
Discussion:
Taegan Goddard's …

Israeli strike on Iran would pose risk for US economy, Obama — A military strike by Israel against Iran's nuclear facilities has emerged as one of the biggest threats to the U.S. economic recovery and could roil the November elections. — The Obama administration and economic experts …
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers


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, Weasel Zippers, Scared Monkeys, The Huffington Post and The Hill


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.

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 …

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


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:
Politico, Sky Dancing, JIMROMENESKO.COM, News Desk and CNN, more at Mediagazer »


Jobless Claims in U.S. Point to Improving Labor Market — The number of Americans filing first-time claims for jobless benefits last week held at a four- year low and consumers became more confident, indicating an improving labor market may boost household spending.