memeorandum: Romney-Ryan? — Mitt Romney is close to finishing off his rivals … (Fred Barnes/Weekly Standard)

11:50 AM ET, March 21, 2012

Top Items:

Alfredo Rocha / ABCNEWS:

Jeb Bush Endorses Mitt Romney in GOP Primary — Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush endorsed Mitt Romney after Romney's lopsided win in Illinois Tuesday night. The former Florida Governor - a Republican heavyweight - called on members of the party to coalesce behind Romney.

Discussion: Indecision Forever, Outside the Beltway and The Political Carnival

Erick Erickson / RedState:

The Nominee — It is a mathematical improbability that Rick Santorum will get to the magic number of 1,144 — the number of delegates needed to be the Republican Presidential nominee. It is a political improbability that Rick Santorum will stop Mitt Romney from getting to 1,144.

Discussion: GOP 12

Fred Barnes / Weekly Standard:

Romney-Ryan? — Mitt Romney is close to finishing off his rivals for the Republican presidential nomination, talk of a brokered GOP convention in August, and the prospect of a new candidate suddenly entering the contest. — This would be a political hat trick once it happens …

Discussion: Washington Post, Power Line, Politico, Swampland and Washington Times

New York Times:

Romney Wins by Wide Margin in Illinois Contest — CHICAGO — Mitt Romney swept to victory in the Illinois Republican primary on Tuesday, using the full force of his campaign and an argument that he has the best chance of defeating President Obama to overcome doubts among the more conservative voters at the heart of his party.

Discussion: The Caucus, USA Today, News Desk, Outside the Beltway, Dean's World, PRI, Washington Post, The Moderate Voice, Media Decoder, Campaign 2012, Reuters, Politico, The Daily Beast, msnbc.com, Truthdig and Newsy

Jeb Bush / CNN:

Jeb Bush endorses Romney, calls on party to unite — (CNN) - Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, whose endorsement has been highly-sought during the 2012 GOP primary contests, announced Wednesday he was backing presidential candidate Mitt Romney. — In a statement, Bush congratulated Romney …

Ralph Z. Hallow / Washington Times:

Finally, Romney gets tea party support — FreedomWorks drops opposition — The organization that ignited the tea party as a national mass movement gave Mitt Romney perhaps his biggest victory yet, deciding to drop its opposition to his candidacy, a top executive in the group told The Washington Times.

Discussion: Chicago Tribune, The Hill, Guardian, GOP 12, msnbc.com, The Hill, ABCNEWS, Ballot Box and The Lonely Conservative

Jonathan Easley / The Hill: Jeb Bush endorses Romney, boosting his presidential bid

Jay Cost / Weekly Standard: Morning Jay: How Romney Won Illinois, and What it Means

Alexander Burns / Politico:
Illinois primary results: Mitt Romney crushes Rick Santorum

Discussion: CNN, The Caucus, Scared Monkeys, Connecting.the.Dots, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog and Chicago Tribune

Kasie Hunt / Associated Press:
Romney pushes GOP presidential race toward a close

Discussion: Democracy in America, CBS News, JustOneMinute and CNN

BBC:

Raid on Toulouse shooting suspect — French police surrounded Mohammed Merah in Toulouse — Mohammed Merah, the man believed to be the gunman on a scooter who killed seven people in south-western France, is a 23-year-old French citizen of Algerian extraction.

Discussion: Blogs of War, The Jawa Report, Global Spin, Atlas Shrugs, Harry's Place and The Daily Caller

BBC:

France shootings: Police lay siege to Toulouse suspect — Mohammed Merah was reportedly convicted of bomb-making in Afghanistan — Police hunting a gunman suspected of killing seven people in southern France are laying siege to a flat in Toulouse. — The man, named as Mohammed Merah …

Discussion: National Post, ThinkProgress, CBS News, Global Spin, Newsy and msnbc.com

Murray Wardrop / Telegraph:
Toulouse siege: live

Discussion: Power Line, Reuters, blogs.telegraph.co.uk, Guardian, Hit & Run and Blazing Cat Fur

Scott Sayare / New York Times:
French Police Raid Toulouse House

Discussion: americanthinker.com and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

Telegraph:
Toulouse shooting: French police surround house of ‘jihadist’

Discussion: Melanie Phillips and Harry's Place

Alex Seitz-Wald / ThinkProgress:

Top Romney Adviser Says Romney Can Change His Positions After The Primaries: 'It's Almost Like An Etch A Sketch' — Mitt Romney can't be held accountable for his extreme right-wing views, at least according to his campaign's senior adviser, who said the candidate should be given a …

Discussion: Washington Post, Balloon Juice, The Maddow Blog and Daily Kos

Alicia M. Cohn / Ballot Box:
Romney adviser says campaign can start fresh for general election, ‘like an Etch A Sketch’

Discussion: The Raw Story

William Kristol / Weekly Standard:

Feelin' Blue — Looking back at the day's news, I must admit I'm having trouble maintaining my customary good cheer. — Watching Mitt Romney's victory speech in Illinois didn't reassure me about his chances against President Obama. (Watch it yourself to see if I'm being unfair.)

Discussion: Washington Monthly, GOP 12, Lawyers, Guns & Money, The Political Carnival, Daily Kos and Pundit & Pundette

Jeffrey Goldberg / The Atlantic Online:

Andrew Sullivan Is Frightened by Complexity — Somehow, in the midst of grappling with Andrew Sullivan's attack on me (in which he lied about what I have written, what I think, what I believe, and what I've reported, and shows no understanding, by the way, of reporting itself — but, hey, what are friends for?)

Jeffrey Goldberg / Bloomberg:
Israelis Grow Confident Strike on Iran's Nukes Can Work

Discussion: Power Line, Politico, The Daily Dish, NewsBusters.org, Via Meadia, Speakeasy, The Atlantic Online and The Huffington Post

Amie Parnes / The Hill:

Obama will avoid healthcare defense during court review — President Obama will not mark the two-year anniversary of his signing of the healthcare law — which takes place days before the Supreme Court offers a decision on the constitutionality of his signature legislative achievement.

Discussion: The Heritage Foundation

Sam Baker / The Hill:
Supreme Court faces an unprecedented frenzy during health reform arguments

Discussion: Reuters

Mj Lee / Politico:

Ron Paul: Secret Service is welfare — Ron Paul said Tuesday he doesn't want any Secret Service protection because it's “a form a welfare.” — “It's a form of welfare,” the presidential candidate told comedian Jay Leno Tuesday. “You know, you're having the taxpayers pay to take care …

Discussion: News Desk, Joe. My. God., The Other McCain, Jezebel, ABCNEWS and The Caucus

Claudia Rosett / PJ Media:
Mexico for Spring Break

Discussion: JustOneMinute, Taylor Marsh, TheBlaze.com and 2012.talkingpointsmemo.com

Jeff Glor / CBS News:

Calls grow to arrest gunman in Fla. teen slaying — (CBS News) SANFORD, Fla. - Pressure is building for authorities in Florida to arrest George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch captain who fatally shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin last month. — The incident is now a federal case, and it's slated to go before a grand jury.

Discussion: Boston Herald and The Reaction

Yahoo! Good Morning America:
Trayvon Martin Exclusive: Friend on Phone with Teen Before Death Recalls Final Moments

Discussion: Firedoglake, Daily Kos, msnbc.com and MiamiHerald.com

Peter V. Milo / CBS DC:

Controversial Painter Depicts Obama With Burning Constitution — Provo, Utah (CBS DC) - Jon McNaughton, a controversial artist who often mixes religion and politics in his work has released a new painting. — In ‘One Nation Under Socialism’ President Obama holds the U.S. Constitution as it burns.

Discussion: The Political Carnival

The Reliable Source / Washington Post:

John King and Dana Bash separate; CNN stars were married four years — John King and Dana Bash in Washington last year. (Rebecca D'Angelo for The Washington Post) Separated: Dana Bash, 40, and John King, 48, after less than four years of marriage, a friend of the CNN stars confirmed to us Tuesday.

Discussion: Politico and Mediaite

Betsy Rothstein / FishbowlDC:

David Corn Has Showdown in Barnes & Noble — MSNBC Contributor and Mother Jones' Washington Bureau Chief David Corn apparently got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. — He was spotted in the Barnes & Noble at Union Station throwing a fit because his new book — his fifth …

Discussion: Betsy's Page, Instapundit and small dead animals

Don Surber: Daily scoreboard — Final score: GOOD 8, EVIL 7. — 1. From the Associated Press:

FRANCE 24:

Cameron ‘tucked in bed’ by Obama during US trip — AFP - British Prime Minister David Cameron on Tuesday revealed he was “tucked up in bed” by US President Barack Obama during the pair's recent trip on Air Force One. — The two leaders were repeatedly seen back-slapping …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and ABCNEWS

James Taranto / Wall Street Journal:

‘Nice Guys’ Finish Last — Romney's condescending approach may be the best way to beat Obama. — One advantage an incumbent president has when seeking re-election is that he has already persuaded many voters to cast a ballot for him. That means a challenger—or the incumbent himself …

Discussion: IMAO, Althouse, Rush Limbaugh, The Daily Caller, National Review, Townhall.com, RedState and Hot Air

Kyle Gillis / Nevada Journal:

Obama to tout green energy ‘investments’ at solar facility employing 5 workers, relying on $54 million in taxpayer subsidies — Presidential visit to Boulder City solar plant shines light on high costs, small rewards of ‘green energy’ projects — BOULDER CITY, Nev. …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, Hot Air and Questions and Observations