memeorandum: Ron Paul ‘movement’ comes to Virginia (James Hohmann/Politico)

3:35 AM ET, February 29, 2012

Top Items:

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: The Caucus, BuzzFeed, Daily Kos, The Other McCain, The Daily Dish, Politico, The Moderate Voice, FiveThirtyEight, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and RedState

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: Politico, CNN and Ballot Box

Rick Santorum / CNN:

TRENDING: Santorum flips on Dems voting in GOP primaries — Washington (CNN) - As voters headed to the polls in Michigan on Tuesday, Rick Santorum defended a robo call his campaign used in the state urging Democrats to support its candidate as a vote against Mitt Romney.

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

John Hinderaker / Power Line:

A Big Night For Mitt Romney — Mitt Romney won easily in Arizona today, and various sources are calling Michigan for him as well. From my own review of the voting in Michigan, which is reported here, it seems that Romney's lead should increase through the evening, as he is winning big in the heavily populated counties around Detroit.

Discussion: CNN, NationalJournal.com and The Daily Beast

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: National Review, Weasel Zippers, Mediaite and The Hill

Fox News:

Romney fights to hold lead in Michigan primary after projected Arizona win — Mitt Romney was fighting in his home state of Michigan to fend off Rick Santorum Tuesday night, pulling ahead in the Republican presidential primary contest there after scoring a projected victory in Arizona.

Discussion: New York Times, Associated Press, The Jawa Report and Verum Serum

Alexander Burns / Politico:

Michigan and Arizona primary results 2012: Mitt Romney staves off Rick Santorum — Mitt Romney, with his wife Ann, prepares to address supporters in Novi, Mich. — Close — TOLEDO, Ohio — Mitt Romney took a big step toward setting himself back on a path to the Republican presidential nomination …

Discussion: Algemeiner.com

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: Politico and GOP 12

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

Discussion: Politico and RedState

Jeff Zeleny / New York Times:
Romney Wins Arizona; Tight Race in Michigan

Discussion: The Caucus and The Page

CNN:
EXIT POLLS: Michigan

Discussion: CBS News, Firedoglake, Swampland and Campaign 2012

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

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

CNN:
More than delegates at stake in Arizona, Michigan

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

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

Discussion: Metro, Los Angeles Times, American Power, Mother Jones and Althouse

Politico:
Mitt Romney: Rick Santorum's ‘dirty tricks’ could steal Michigan

Discussion: Rush Limbaugh, ABCNEWS, Washington Wire, Opinion L.A., Guardian, CNN, The Impolitic and The Reaction

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 Democratic Daily, Swampland, Wonkette, The Political Carnival, The Confluence, Balloon Juice, The Page, The Moderate Voice and Shakesville

Matthew Gagnon / Pine Tree Politics:

Snowe Fall(out) — Speculation has already begun in the frenzy that was created after Senator Snowe announced she would not be seeking re-election to the United States Senate. — What caused this? Who will run to replace her? Can anyone do it with the March filing deadline?

Discussion: Outside the Beltway and Guardian

Portland Press-Herald:

Sen. Snowe won't seek re-election — Citing bitter and unbreakable partisanship in Congress, Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, announced this afternoon that she has decided not to run for re-election after 33 years in Congress. — In a statement issued by her campaign, Snowe said that both she and her husband …

Discussion: Taegan Goddard's …, Michelle Malkin, Library Grape, Truthdig, US Politics and Dependable Renegade

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

Discussion: Pine Tree Politics, Politico, Sister Toldjah and No More Mister Nice Blog

Cameron Joseph / Ballot Box:
Three-term GOP Sen. Olympia Snowe won't run for reelection

Discussion: CNN

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

Greg Sargent / Washington Post:

Obama hits Romney with withering mockery as he makes case for reelection — In a speech to the United Auto Workers just now, Obama defended his decision to bail out the auto industry, lacing into Mitt Romney with withering derision. But this speech was about more than the auto-bailout.

Discussion: The New Republic, The Caucus, The Maddow Blog, Campaign 2012, The Lonely Conservative, Washington Monthly and The Daily Dish

Benjy Sarlin / 2012.talkingpointsmemo.com:
TPM2012 — President Obama Delivers Barnburner To UAW, Dings Romney And Santorum

Discussion: Washington Post, msnbc.com, Mother Jones, Swampland, Verum Serum and The Political Carnival

The White House:

Remarks by the President to UAW Conference — Washington, D.C. — THE PRESIDENT: How's it going, UAW? (Applause.) It is good to be with some autoworkers today! (Applause.) All right. Everybody have a seat, get comfortable. Go ahead and get comfortable. I'm going to talk for a little bit.

Discussion: Wheels, Opinion L.A. and Smartypants

White House / Detroit Free Press:
Transcript: Read Obama's speech today to the United Auto Workers Convention

Discussion: RealClearPolitics Video Log, CNNMoney.com, The Raw Story and Jay Bookman

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: BuzzFeed and Firedoglake

Daniel Strauss / The Hill:

Santorum regrets ‘throw up’ response to Kennedy speech — Rick Santorum regrets saying that he wanted to “throw up” in response to watching a video clip of President John F. Kennedy's 1960 speech about the separation of church and state. — “I wish I had that particular line back,” …

Discussion: Firedoglake, Mediaite, Washington Post, GOP 12, Little Green Footballs, Washington Wire and msnbc.com

Igor Volsky / ThinkProgress:
Santorum Backs Away From JFK ‘Throw Up’ Remark: ‘I Wish I Had That Particular Line Back’

Discussion: Odd Man Out, Strange Bedfellows, The Political Carnival and The Raw Story

Paul Chesser / National Legal and Policy Center:

Obama-Supporting Law Firm Advised on Failed Fisker Loan — An international law firm, which gave substantial political donations to President Obama and fellow Democrats over the last three campaign cycles, received its own significant stimulus award to advise on a controversial Department …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, Washington Free Beacon and Power Line

James Hohmann / Politico:

Ron Paul ‘movement’ comes to Virginia — SPRINGFIELD, Va. — Ron Paul lost his tenth and eleventh contests this year Tuesday night, but he dismissed those failures with only a passing reference here. — “They keep asking about winning particular states in this campaign, but guess what?

Discussion: The Page

James Delingpole / blogs.telegraph.co.uk:

Why I am so rude to Warmists — Sharing a car back from the BBC Big Question debate in Cardiff on Sunday I had a tremendous bust-up with one of my fellow panelists which I think many of you would have enjoyed hugely. (Our driver could barely keep a straight face).

Discussion: EU Referendum and Pirate's Cove