Romney up big in Illinois  —  Mitt Romney is headed for a blowout victory in Illinois on Tuesday.  He leads with 45% to 30% for Rick Santorum, 12% for Newt Gingrich, and 10% for Ron Paul.  —  Romney's particularly strong among voters who live in suburban areas (50-29) and with those who live in urban areas (46-23).

The Hill Poll: Voter gloom on Obama's jobs, gas, debt policies  —  Half of likely voters expect the Supreme Court to strike down President Obama's signature healthcare law, and strong majorities see other major policies coming from the White House making life more difficult for themselves and the country …

Obama's high-dollar donations lagging  —  President Obama is struggling to draw in big-dollar donations, with half as many people writing large checks to his campaign than at this point four years ago.  —  Obama is outpacing his Republican rivals in fundraising overall …

Two polls: Mourdock within 6 of Lugar  —  Richard Mourdock has closed within single digits of Sen. Dick Lugar in the Indiana GOP Senate primary race, according to a pair of polls commissioned by groups seeking to oust the six-term incumbent.  —  Both polls — one paid for by Citizens United …

Republicans go on offensive over rumors Obama may tap emergency oil reserves  —  Republicans launched a preemptive strike last week against rumored plans by the White House to tap the country's emergency oil reserves.  —  Releasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve …

THE VETTING - HOLDER 1995: WE MUST ‘BRAINWASH’ PEOPLE ON GUNS  —  Breitbart.com has uncovered video from 1995 of then-U.S. Attorney Eric Holder announcing a public campaign to “really brainwash people into thinking about guns in a vastly different way.”  —  Holder was addressing the Woman's National Democratic Club.

Apple Conference Call  —  WHAT: Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, and Peter Oppenheimer, Apple's CFO, will host a conference call to announce the outcome of the Company's discussions concerning its cash balance.  Apple® will not be providing an update on the current quarter nor will any topics be discussed other than cash.

C-Span Founder to Step Down as Chief Executive  —  Brian Lamb, who created the revolutionary nonprofit cable television network C-Span in the late 1970s and has been its public face ever since, is handing it over to two lieutenants, Rob Kennedy and Susan Swain.

How ‘Hunger Games’ Built Up Must-See Fever  —  SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Selling a movie used to be a snap.  You printed a poster, ran trailers in theaters and carpet-bombed NBC's Thursday night lineup with ads.  —  Today, that kind of campaign would get a movie marketer fired.

Nobel peace prize winner defends law criminalising homosexuality in Liberia  —  Exclusive: In joint interview, Tony Blair refuses to comment on Liberian president's remarks supporting anti-gay laws  —  The Nobel peace prize winner and president of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf …

Israel shifts views on Iran  —  JERUSALEM - Despite saber-rattling from Jerusalem, Israeli officials now agree with the U.S. assessment that Tehran has not yet decided on the actual construction of a nuclear bomb, according to senior Israeli government and defense figures.

Senator Scott Brown On Santorum's Security: “The First Time He's Actually Ever Used Protection”  —  Republican Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown entertained the crowd at the annual St. Patrick's Day breakfast in Boston with a line on Santorum's new Secret Service detail.  —  by