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

9:05 AM ET, February 29, 2012

Top Items:

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

Jeff Zeleny / New York Times:

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 Caucus, ABCNEWS, JustOneMinute, Towleroad News #gay, NY Daily News, Wall Street Journal and The Page

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, The New Republic, The Caucus, blogs.telegraph.co.uk, The Daily Dish, BuzzFeed, The Other McCain, Politico, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, FiveThirtyEight 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

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, The Daily Beast and The PJ Tatler

Jonathan Martin / Reuters:

Michigan and Arizona primaries 2012: Mitt Romney wins ugly — NOVI, Mich. - Mitt Romney may have won ugly in Michigan, but his narrow victory will temper the mounting criticism of his candidacy, even though his resilience is about to be tested again in some of the biggest prizes of Super Tuesday.

Discussion: 2012.talkingpointsmemo.com, Marbury, Washington Post, FiveThirtyEight, NationalJournal.com and The Moderate Voice

Matt Negrin / ABCNEWS:

Mitt Romney Wins Primaries in Michigan and Arizona — Mitt Romney pulled off a win in the Michigan primary tonight, though the race was close and underscored his struggles as the GOP establishment candidate seeking the party's nomination. — The former Massachusetts governor also won …

Discussion: CNN, Politico and CANNONFIRE

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 and Ballot Box

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

Discussion: Verum Serum and New York Times

CNN:
EXIT POLLS: Michigan

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, CBS News, Firedoglake, Swampland and Campaign 2012

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

Discussion: Algemeiner.com

Maggie Haberman / Politico:
5 takeaways from Arizona and Michigan

Discussion: Pirate's Cove

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

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

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit

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

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

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

CNN:
More than delegates at stake in Arizona, Michigan

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

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

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

Discussion: CNN, Rush Limbaugh, Opinion L.A., ABCNEWS, The Impolitic, Washington Wire, The Spectacle Blog, msnbc.com, Guardian 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, Pine Tree Politics, Wonkette, The Democratic Daily, Swampland, The Political Carnival, The Confluence, Balloon Juice, 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: Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog

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: The Lonely Conservative and Outside the Beltway

Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:
Will Olympia Snowe Join Americans Elect?

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

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

Discussion: Pine Tree Politics, Politico, Hot Air and Sister Toldjah

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: DISSENTING JUSTICE, Little Green Footballs, The Lonely Conservative, Washington Monthly, Hot Air, Balloon Juice, 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: BuzzFeed and Firedoglake

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: The Daily Caller, Opinion L.A., Wheels and Smartypants

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