memeorandum: Playbook: Leap Day edition (Mike Allen/Politico)

10:00 AM ET, February 29, 2012

Top Items:

Romney Wins Arizona; Tight Race in Michigan — SOUTHFIELD, Mich. — Mitt Romney won the Arizona primary on Tuesday, based on surveys of voters leaving polls, but was locked in a tight battle with Rick Santorum in Michigan, where Mr. Santorum hoped to use his strong showing in his rival's native state …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, ThinkProgress, Shakesville, The Caucus, The Reaction, NY Daily News, Wall Street Journal, Towleroad News #gay, ABCNEWS, JustOneMinute and The Page

Josh Lederman / The Hill:

After tough race, Romney beats Santorum in Michigan primary — Mitt Romney re-established himself as the Republican front-runner Tuesday night with his win in Michigan's pivotal primary, fending off what would have been a crushing defeat by rival Rick Santorum.

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, CNN, Politico and Ballot Box

Hillary Chabot / Boston Herald:

John McCain: Close curtain on GOP ‘Greek tragedy’ — Believes ‘negative’ campaign will take a toll in November — Former GOP presidential candidate John McCain said yesterday he fears Republicans will be stuck with a bloodied nominee so sapped by months of campaign attacks …

Discussion: New York Times, National Review, Connecting.the.Dots, Weasel Zippers, Mediaite and The Hill

Allahpundit / Hot Air:

Open thread: Michigeddon; Update: Romney wins Arizona; Update: Michigan exit poll added; Update: Santorum loses Catholics? Update: Romney wins Michigan; Update: Romney exceeds 2008 vote total — The polls close in most of the state at 8 p.m. ET but a few precincts in the upper peninsula …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, GOP 12, The New Republic, The Caucus, ABCNEWS, blogs.telegraph.co.uk, The Daily Dish, BuzzFeed, Politico, The Other McCain and RedState

Jeremy W. Peters / The Caucus:

Huckabee Will Host a Presidential Forum on Fox News — The Republican presidential candidates may have grown tired of debating one another. But there's still one television invitation they won't turn down: Mike Huckabee's. — Mr. Huckabee will host his third presidential forum on Saturday …

Discussion: Washington Post, The Lonely Conservative, Politico and GOP 12

Maggie Haberman / Politico:

5 takeaways from Arizona and Michigan — Mitt did it. — After a brutal and nail-biting build-up, Mitt Romney emerged from two primary contests Tuesday night with important victories under his belt, and Rick Santorum's momentum was stalled. — Below are POLITICO's five takeaways from Arizona and Michigan:

Discussion: Pirate's Cove

John Hinderaker / Power Line:
A Big Night For Mitt Romney

Discussion: The Daily Beast, CNN and The PJ Tatler

Meghashyam Mali / Ballot Box:
Poll finds Santorum up by double-digits in Ohio

Discussion: Prairie Weather

Jonathan Martin / Reuters:
Michigan and Arizona primaries 2012: Mitt Romney wins ugly

Discussion: Washington Post, Marbury, NationalJournal.com, FiveThirtyEight, Politico and The Moderate Voice

CNN:
EXIT POLLS: Michigan

Discussion: CBS News, Swampland, Firedoglake and Campaign 2012

Matt Negrin / ABCNEWS:
Mitt Romney Wins Primaries in Michigan and Arizona

Discussion: CNN, Politico and CANNONFIRE

Amy Gardner / Washington Post:
In Ohio, fierce primary fight may hurt GOP's chances for the fall

Discussion: New York Times, Riehl World View, Reuters and The Page

Fox News:
Romney fights to hold lead in Michigan primary after projected Arizona win

Discussion: Verum Serum and New York Times

McKay Coppins / BuzzFeed:
Romney Camp Will Haunt Santorum With Robocall Story

Discussion: GOP 12, 2012.talkingpointsmemo.com and BuzzFeed

Michael A. Memoli / Los Angeles Times:
Exit polls: 1 in 10 voters was a Democrat in Michigan primary

Discussion: The Hill, Daily Kos and Associated Press

Rick Santorum / CNN:
TRENDING: Santorum flips on Dems voting in GOP primaries

Discussion: Politico, Campaign 2012, The Moderate Voice, ABCNEWS, The Hill, National Review, The Reaction, Hot Air and Ballot Box

Rachel Rose Hartman / Reuters:
Romney wins pivotal Michigan primary as well as Arizona

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit

Alexander Burns / Politico:
Michigan and Arizona primary results 2012: Mitt Romney staves off Rick Santorum

Discussion: Algemeiner.com

Gary Langer / ABCNEWS:
Michigan: Increase in Conservative Voters, Democrats

Discussion: Politico, Campaign 2012, Michelle Malkin, The Page and DISSENTING JUSTICE

David A. Fahrenthold / Washington Post:
Mitt Romney wins Arizona, Michigan primaries

Discussion: Guardian, Hit & Run, Los Angeles Times, Tales from the Trail, Metro, American Power, Mother Jones and Althouse

CNN:
More than delegates at stake in Arizona, Michigan

Discussion: American Prospect, Detroit Free Press, The Reaction, Dean's World, Washington Post, The Moderate Voice, Truthdig, Outside the Beltway, Klein Online and Daily Kos

Washington Post:

Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe to retire in blow to GOP — Maine Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe will not seek reelection in 2012, she announced Tuesday. — Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) on Dec. 17, 2011, after leaving the floor of the Senate. (J. Scott Applewhite - AP)

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, The Heritage Foundation, Pine Tree Politics, Wonkette, The Democratic Daily, Swampland, The Political Carnival, Balloon Juice, The Confluence, Shakesville, The Page and The Moderate Voice

Mike Allen / Politico:

Playbook: Leap Day edition — TO TELL THE KIDS -USA Today 1A, “What if there were no leap years? ... [T]he calendar would be ‘scrambled,’” by Dan Vergano: “[T]he Earth doesn't circle the sun in exactly 365 days [but] 365.2425 days ... Those extra digits add up to almost a full day, but not quite, every four years. ...

Discussion: Portland Press-Herald and Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog

Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:

Will Olympia Snowe Join Americans Elect? — Olympia Snowe's retirement statement seemed like it dropped a huge hint, and I'm surprised it hasn't received any attention: … This sounds exactly like the kind of rhetoric emanating from Americans Elect, the third-party group that believes …

Discussion: The Maddow Blog, The Caucus, Salon, Guardian, No More Mister Nice Blog and The Hill

Matthew Gagnon / Pine Tree Politics:
Snowe Fall(out) — Speculation has already begun in the frenzy …

Discussion: The Lonely Conservative, Outside the Beltway, Ballot Box, Hot Air and Guardian

Olympia Snowe / CNN:
Maine senator will not seek re-election

Discussion: Pine Tree Politics and Politico

Sacramento Bee:

Support for gay marriage takes dramatic leap in California, new poll shows — A new poll shows gay marriage has arrived in California - in public opinion if not in state lawbooks. — Golden State registered voters now favor same-sex unions by 59 percent to 34 percent …

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Steve Rothaus' Gay …, Towleroad News #gay and Joe. My. God.

Craig Bannister / CNSNews:

Sex-Crazed Co-Eds Going Broke Buying Birth Control, Student Tells Pelosi Hearing Touting Freebie Mandate — A Georgetown co-ed told Rep. Nancy Pelosi's hearing that the women in her law school program are having so much sex that they're going broke, so you and I should pay for their birth control.

Discussion: Questions and Observations, DISSENTING JUSTICE, Little Green Footballs, The Lonely Conservative, Washington Monthly, Balloon Juice, Hot Air, The PJ Tatler, Pundit & Pundette, The Mahablog, TBogg and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

Ryan Grim / The Huffington Post:

Democracy Alliance Dumps Progressive Organizations … REACT: — FOLLOW: — Fox News, Video, Koch Brothers, Media Matters, Robert Greenwald, The Advancement Project, The Democracy Alliance, Third Way, Center For Progressive Leadership, Color Of Change, Crew, Democracy-Alliance, Politics News

Discussion: Campaign 2012, BuzzFeed and Firedoglake

Washington Examiner:

Barone: Puzzling cheers for higher taxes — Copies of the president's FY2013 budget request are seen after they were delivered to the Senate Budget Committee on Feb. 13, 2012. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) — I have long been puzzled by the enthusiasm with which many young liberal bloggers cheer …

Steven Shepard / NationalJournal.com:

Despite Detroit Comeback, Public Opposes Bailout — A majority of Americans think the federal government should not have helped out U.S. automakers that were in financial trouble, but rather should have allowed them to go it alone, according to a new United Technologies/National Journal Congressional Connection Poll.

Discussion: Campaign 2012, Wall Street Journal and Weasel Zippers

Matthew Archbold / The Daily Register:

Ethicists Argue for Post Birth Abortions — In the Journal of Medical Ethics, two ethicists argue plainly for the killing of babies post birth. They're not hedging their bets. They're saying it plain and simple. And I, for one, thank them for it. — Alberto Giubilini and Francesca Minerva …

Discussion: blogs.telegraph.co.uk