Newslinks for Wednesday Feb 22: Key debate takes place tonight as Romney retakes poll lead in Michigan

Lots at stake in first debate in nearly a month

"A lot has changed in the battle for the GOP nomination since the last debate, a CNN-Republican Party of Florida showdown in Jacksonville on January 26. Romney went on to win big in Florida and Nevada, while Gingrich, who had just scored an impressive victory in South Carolina, faded fast. Then Santorum surged in state and national polling after sweeping the February 7th contests in Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri. The debate Wednesday is the last time the candidates will share a stage before primaries in Arizona and Michigan on Tuesday" - CNN

• "The former Massachusetts governor was long considered the clear GOP leader in Arizona, but polls have narrowed considerably in recent days and now indicate a dead heat between him and Santorum." - Arizona Republic
• "The stakes are high for Mr. Gingrich, who is low on money and facing eclipse by Mr. Santorum’s surge even in Southern states that were to be his bulwark. He needs to give voters, especially conservatives, a reason to return to him." - New York Times
• "Team Romney tells me there will be a bolder tax-cut plan released either at the debate tomorrow night (if Mitt gets it in) ... the new plan will be across-the-board with supply-side incentives from rate reduction, and that it will help small-business owners" - National Review

Poll shows Romney back on top in Michigan

"It’s just one poll, but that’s the first time he’s led in the state in nearly three weeks — and the same poll had him trailing Santorum by nine just a week ago. Another poll out today has the race tied and PPP’s new one, while showing Santorum still ahead by four, has Romney roaring back from a 15-point deficit over the past seven days." - Hot Air

• "A surging Rick Santorum is running even with Mitt Romney atop the Republican presidential field, but neither candidate is faring well against President Barack Obama" - AP
• Romney only 4% ahead in a supposedly friendly state, Arizona - Weekly Standard

Romney, in an attempt to step on Santorum's territory, gets tough on social issues

"Romney [said] his vice presidential pick would be anti-abortion... pledging to pick strict constructionists to serve on the Supreme Court and castigating the Obama administration for launching a war against religion. “I can tell you as someone who has understood very personally the significance of religious tolerance and religious freedom and the right to one's own conscience, I will make sure that we never again attack religious liberty in the United States of America if I’m president," Romney said, in a rare reference to his Mormon faith." - LA Times

Santorum comments on "Satan" attract controversy

"A 2008 speech by Rick Santorum at Ave Maria University is making waves this week, in large part because Santorum said Satan had his sights set on America and the country was facing spiritual warfare." - CNN

• "Asked whether he still thinks Satan is attacking the United States, Santorum called the inquiry “not relevant to what’s being discussed in America today.” “If they want to dig up old speeches of me talking to religious groups, they can go ahead and do so, but I’m going to stay on message and I’m going to talk about things that Americans want to talk about,” Santorum said" - National Journal
• "There is no way that a man who expresses such a dark view of the American national character can win the presidency." - John Podhoretz
• "Santorum not only defends beliefs that are looked down upon as dated and unrealistic; he does it with a passionate sincerity that opens him to mockery and attack." - Rich Lowry

Byron York investigates why Santorum lost Pennsylvania by 19% in 2006 

"The biggest policy reason was Santorum's outspoken support for the war in Iraq. By November 2006, the war was going badly and threatened to turn into a full-scale catastrophe. President Bush resisted calls to change course. While Santorum's Democratic opponent, Bob Casey, called for a new policy, Santorum stuck with the president, and with the war. He even made it his primary focus in the last days of the campaign." - Byron York

• Santorum says he's no Washington insider - USA Today

Gingrich campaigning on low gas prices

"Down in the polls and increasingly overlooked in the Republican nominating contest, Mr. Gingrich's campaign is betting it can claw its way back into the conversation with a focus on rising gas prices, an issue that is viewed as an increasing liability for the White House. "There's no reason we can't get gasoline down to $2 and $2.50 a gallon," Mr. Gingrich said Monday in Tulsa." - WSJ ($)

• Obama seeks to deflect GOP criticism over escalating gas prices - The Hill

The Washington Post reviews Rep. Darrell Issa's first year as House oversight chairman

"Since assuming the chairmanship of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee in January 2011, the California Republican has held hundreds of hearings, made more than 700 requests for information and issued almost two dozen subpoenas." - More at the Washington Post

Smart donations make Sen. John Cornyn favorite in race to become Senate Republican whip

"Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) gave more than $100,000 to colleagues though his leadership political action committee (PAC) last year... His rival in the race, Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), has given $60,000 through his leadership fund, the Next Century Fund, to Senate GOP colleagues and $45,000 to Senate Republican candidates such as George Allen in Virginia and Jeff Flake in Arizona." - The Hill

Serious conservative primary challenge to 36-year incumbent, Sen. Dick Lugar - Weekly Standard

• Sen. Lugar defends Indiana residency - USA Today

Obama to offer corporate tax plan

"Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner told a Senate panel last week the plan will be an effort to find "common ground" on broad principles between Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill. ... Senior administration officials Tuesday would not provide details of the president's plan. They said it will be consistent with his commitment to fairness and the message he laid out in the State of the Union address." - CNN

• Politicians fiddle while fiscal crisis looms - John Stossel for Town Hall
• Rahm Emanuel, Bill Daley to be named Obama campaign co-chairmen - LA Times

Democratic senators want super PAC crackdown - Politico

Supreme Court adds more time for oral arguments on Obama healthcare law - The Hill

And finally... Biden’s office circulates press release to promote veep’s trip to “Road Island” - Hot Air

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Newslinks for Tuesday Feb 21: Reagan Democrats fleeing Romney explain his trouble - and Santorum's rise - in Michigan

Why is Romney struggling in Michigan? Reagan Democrats.

"Blame the frosty homecoming on the Independent Voters Formerly Known as Reagan Democrats. Economically populist and socially conservative, these blue-collar, largely Catholic, largely unionized workers tend to swing. In 2008 they helped put Barack Obama over the top. In 2010 they returned to the GOP... As talk of his paltry 14 percent tax rate and “I like to be able to fire people”–style gaffes came to dominate the airwaves in January, Mitt’s unfavorable rating among working-class whites jumped 20 points nationwide." - Daily Beast

• "It was no accident that [Santorum] had come here: Steubenville is home to precisely the combination of religious conservatives and blue-collar Rust Belt voters that Santorum is hoping will lead him to victory on Super Tuesday and beyond." - Washington Post
• Poll: Mitt Romney not hurt in Michigan over stance opposing auto bailouts - The Hill

Despite polls, Romney confident of Michigan win

"The campaign has good reason to be skeptical of the media's recent narrative of doom for Romney. A week ago, the worst poll for Romney... had him down 15 points to Rick Santorum in Michigan. Today, after adjusting its initial, less-than-realistic turnout projections, the same polling company has Romney down just four points. And given that Romney's ads just went on the air in the middle of last week, there's still plenty of time for his message to sink in and get him over the hump." - BuzzFeed

• "There are few outward signs that panic has set in at the Romney campaign — the delegate-by-delegate chess game has only begun — but concern is palpable among Mr. Romney, his allies and Republican Party elders" - New York Times
• "Mitt Romney, struggling to shore up his support in the Midwest, again attacked Rick Santorum‘s spending during his time in Congress." - WSJ

Donald Trump hitting Michigan airwaves for Mitt - ABC

"What’s the prescription for a famously brilliant venture capitalist who has trouble connecting with blue-collar voters in his native state?  How about bringing in a far more controversial venture capitalist who’s claim to recent fame is in firing people on national television?" - Hot Air

Santorum and Gingrich focus attacks on Obama's religious liberty record

• "Rick Santorum said Monday that Obama had been "particularly weak" in protecting religious liberty around the world and compared him to "tyrants" who want to limit the role of faith in their citizens lives." - LA Times
• "Gingrich also charged Obama again with waging a war on religion, something the former House speaker has said repeatedly since a controversy erupted over an Obama administration policy requiring religious-affiliated employers to provide free birth control." - USA Today
• But Ed Kilgore warns that the GOP shouldn't put too much faith in the Catholic vote: "American Catholics are hardly monolithic, even on issues supposedly touching on the Church’s authority and teachings."

Looking ahead: Santorum has big polling leads in Texas and Oklahoma - Hot Air

Romney tops January funding figures

• "Romney raised $6.5 million in the month of January but spent nearly $19 million, leaving him with about $7.7 million in cash ... Santorum raised $4.5 million in January and spent $3.3 million, leaving him with about $1.5 million in cash ... Newt Gingrich raised $5.6 million during the month of January, but spent almost $6 million, leaving him with about $1.7 million in cash" - New York Times
• "Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul raised $4.5 million in January, his campaign just announced. The Texas congressman ended the month with $1.6 million in the bank." - USA Today

Republican Presidential campaigns are becoming reliant upon SuperPAC money

"[O]ver all, super PACs backing the four leading Republican contenders raised $22.1 million in January, slightly more than the candidates themselves, and ended the month with $19.4 million in cash on hand, about $5 million more than the candidates had." - New York Times

Billionaire Sheldon Adelson says he might give $100M to Newt Gingrich - Forbes

Sen. Rubio tops poll on vice presidential picks - USA Today

Some Republicans still clamoring for a "Plan B" candidate

"[O]ne knowledgeable GOP source confirms that some Republicans are circulating the deadlines and the basic math that would allow another candidate to get into the nomination fight and take it all the way to the convention... A majority of the delegates to the national convention are still up for grabs." - CNN

• "The Tea Partiers think they want a convention fight. The fantasists say they want a Daniels-ex-machina. But the realists in the Republican Party’s elite have settled into the grim reality: One of the three flawed men battling for their party’s nomination will win it" - BuzzFeed
• "If these four candidates are unacceptable to a majority of Republicans, they won't be accepted — and something else will have to happen. What that "something else" will be, I don't know. But ... a wild convention seems more plausible than sewing together the good bits from the current pack." - Jonah Goldberg
• Gov. Daniels again nixes GOP presidential bid - USA Today
• Poll finds most GOP voters opposed to brokered convention - The Hill

The price of a Romney endorsement: how Tim Pawlenty paid off his campaign debt

"According to Politic, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, the Republican front-runner, and his family members joined with several Bain Capital officials to assist Mr. Pawlenty in retiring his debt last year, federal records show." - The State Column

Why did Obama tell Democrats SuperPAC fundraising is okay? Because the pro-Obama SuperPAC raised only $59K in January (and $50K of that was from one guy) - Politico

The next debt fight will be ugly, but will come after the election

"The fiscal year ends on Sept. 30. Whether the debt limit is reached before the presidential election (a third of Senate seats and all House seats will also be at stake and control of one or both could change, setting up a particularly nasty fight along party lines) depends on how well the economy performs. But even if the recovery slows down, or simply doesn't speed up, and the limit is reached before the election, the Treasury Department can—and likely will—use "extraordinary measures" to push back the drop-dead deadline for raising it." - National Journal

US and Mexico announce accord to boost offshore oil, gas exploration - The Hill

Obama to meet with Netanyahu next month as concern grows on Iran response - Bloomberg

David Brooks: Talented people can thrive in our individualistic society. The less fortunate find it harder

"Over all, we’ve made life richer for the people who have the social capital to create their own worlds. We’ve also made it harder for the people who don’t — especially poorer children. ... So maybe it’s time to acknowledge a core reality: People with skills can really thrive in this tenuous, networked society. People without those advantages would probably be better off if we could build new versions of the settled, stable and thick arrangements we’ve left behind." - David Brooks

And finally... John Ensign used to be a Senator. Now he's back to his old job... as a vet - CNN

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Newslinks for Monday Feb 20: McCain warns negativity of primary campaign is boosting Obama

VIDEO: Fox News panel, including Karl Rove, discuss Michigan primary and implications for Romney of possible defeat

Latest RCP national average: Santorum 33.8%, Romney 28.4%, Gingrich 14.0%, Paul 12.2%

McCain warns that negativity of primary campaign could help re-elect Obama - Politico

He probably meant attacks like...

• Rick Santorum told voters that Mr. Romney’s leadership of the 2002 Winter Olympics amounted to pork-barrel spending and hypocrisy - WSJ
• Ron Paul blasts Santorum's 'atrocious' voting record - LA Times

"Voter say they don't like negative campaigning. But, although they may reject such ads consciously, that doesn't mean they aren't unconsciously affected" - Drew Westen for the LA Times

Santorum picking up very few endorsements from former Congressional colleagues - USA Today

BUT, reports USA Today: "Former Ohio senator Mike DeWine switched his support to Rick Santorum today, saying he could no longer back Mitt Romney because of his "astounding inability" to give people a reason to vote for him." Also see the American Spectator.

Ron Paul says Santorum's social issues are a 'losing position' for the GOP - National Journal

Santorum faces full on media scrutiny of his social conservatism - The Hill

"With Santorum launching one social issues bomb after another, there is no time to talk about the economy. Is this the Democratic Party’s dream, or what?" - PowerLine

• Santorum rallies thousands at Georgia megachurch - Washington Post
• Rick Santorum denies questioning Obama's faith - LA Times
• Santorum Criticizes Obama's 'World View,' Not Faith - NPR
• Social conservatism is crucial to building a Republican majority - Jeff Bell's thinking profiled by James Taranto in the Wall Street Journal
• Matt Lewis at the Daily Caller agrees: "As much as moderate Republicans and cosmopolitan conservatives might lament the resurrection of the culture wars (which were foisted upon us, and appear to have been rekindled once again by liberal overreach), they were electorally fruitful for the GOP."
• Why Romney can, and should, win evangelical vote - Nancy French for USA Today
• Nate Silver says Romney has a more moderate tone on social issues but doesn't differ substantially from Santorum on policy.

"Rick Santorum is sharpening his rhetoric against President Obama on the campaign trail, painting a picture of a president out of touch with the American people that seems aimed at tapping into fear and anger among Republican primary voters." - CBS

Jennifer Rubin issues stark warning against Santorum

"Santorum is no Marco Rubio. Whereas Rubio expands the party’s base of support, Santorum shrinks it. Whereas women, independents and young people see Rubio as a forward-looking reformer, Santorum seems stuck in a time warp from a different era, someone chasing issues that were “lost” decades ago." - Rubin in the Washington Post

Gingrich piles on Michigan pressure

"Newt Gingrich said Sunday that a primary loss by any of the Republican presidential candidates in their home states would be devastating to that campaign. "If any of the three of us lose our home state, if Santorum loses Pennsylvania, Romney loses Michigan or I lose Georgia, I think you have a very, very badly weakened candidacy, for any one of the three of us," Gingrich said on "Fox News Sunday."  "I think it's extraordinarily important to carry your own state."" - Politico

• Gingrich archives show his public praise, private criticism of Reagan - Washington Post
• Newt Gingrich says his focus is on Super Tuesday - LA Times
• Gingrich, Cain campaign together in Georgia - MSNBC

The New York Times previews Wednesday night's debate - the first since Santorum leapfrogged Romney in Michigan and national polls.

"About the only argument that still works for Romney among GOP insiders is that he would be less of a drag on the ticket than the strident Santorum or the mercurial Newt Gingrich." - Walter Shapiro for TNR

Is it too late for another candidate to enter the race?

"There are growing calls for an alternative to Mitt Romney as the Republican standard-bearer, with the names of Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie again being seen as the most likely saviors." - Politico

Majority Leader Eric Cantor said House Republicans will push for two measures to benefit small-business owners in the coming weeks - Roll Call

Payroll tax cut agreement pushes nation closer to hitting debt ceiling

"The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that in the short term, the payroll package will add $101 billion to the deficit, which effectively erases a month of wiggle room under the $16.394 trillion debt cap. The government’s public debt currently sits at $15.39 trillion." - The Hill

• "Conservatives in power have never been -- and can never be -- as anti-government as they are in a campaign" - E J Dionne for RCP

Obama Goes Soft on Iran - Weekly Standard

• At the American Conservative Rod Dreher calls McCain and Lindsey the "terrible twins": "McCain wanted the US to risk war with Russia over Georgia. How fortunate we are that McCain lost in 2008. Who knows where our soldiers would be fighting today if he hadn’t."

Monica Lewinsky at center of four hour documentary on Bill Clinton - New York Times

A universal birth-control mandate is a curious priority for a dying republic - Mark Steyn at NRO says the mandate is like handing out condoms on the Titantic.

Presidential candidates are always saying THIS is the most important election ever but which one really did matter most? - David Mayhew in the Washington Post

And finally... HotAir goes in search of a new slogan for the Obama campaign...

Join in the fun.

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Newslinks for Friday Feb 17: The truth about Obama's stimulus

VIDEO: Campaign video defending Scott Walker against recall

VIDEO: New Santorum ad bills him as "Proven Conservative"

The truth about Obama's stimulus and unemployment

"I have written many times that inefficient spending cannot create jobs. Rather, wasteful spending destroys wealth and thereby destroys jobs, too. That thesis is amply borne out by the experience of recent years." - PowerLine

• Unemployment has been higher for longer under Obama than since the Great Depression - Pete Wehner

Rick Synder, Governor of Michigan, endorses Romney

"Our country has never elected a president born and raised in Michigan. Mitt Romney was born in Detroit. His father served with distinction as governor. Before that, he was president of American Motors. Mitt grew up with the prospects of the auto industry and of Michigan discussed around the dinner table. He has deep ties to our state. Mitt understands the challenges confronting Michigan as few Americans do." - Synder in the Detroit News

• Rick Santorum challenges Michigan to be 'game-changer' - LA Times
• Santo's uncompromisingly conservative platform has finally been rewarded in the polls and the voting, but the arithmetic still favors Mitt Romney - Doyle Mcmanus in the LA Times
• The more Romney explains his opposition to auto-bailouts the more he confuses - National Journal
• Romney isn’t sinking because of the flip-flops. He’s sinking because of his robotic reasonableness. Michael Tomasky on how Mitt became the Al Gore of the GOP - Daily Beast

Elections expert Larry Sabato calls the Feb. 28 Michigan Republican primary a "must-win" for Mitt Romney - WSJ

Don't lurch right; Don't unveil a new Mitt, Don't stop attacking - Michael Crowley's advice for Romney in TIME

Santorum could beat Gingrich in his home state of Georgia - RCP

Gerson: Santorum is Romney's most serious challenger

"Santorum combines a deeply held social conservatism with an authentic blue-collar appeal. Romney has trouble competing in either category. While Santorum is very conservative, he avoids being a conservative caricature. He was one of the Senate’s main advocates of global health programs and a champion of faith-based anti-poverty efforts." - Mike Gerson in the Washington Post

The 18% question: Why did Santorum lose his Senate seat by 18%?

"The reasons for Santorum's defeat are too complicated for a 30-second ad or a brief answer at a debate. He can blame a lot of factors, but in the end he was most responsible for his own fate. Now, if Santorum's presidential campaign continues to soar, he'll likely have to discuss the '06 defeat more. The Romney campaign will point to it as proof that Santorum can't win the White House. Santorum's job is to tell voters -- and prove to them with his actions -- that he has learned from his loss, and that he's a better candidate for it." - Byron York for the Washington Examiner

The uncharitable Santorum?

"The Santorums actually gave less than two percent of their income to charity, a smaller percentage than the average for people in their income group though not extremely so. The average is slightly more than three percent." - NPR

"Rick Santorum, whose humble coal-country biography is central to his political message, made more than $3.6 million in recent years as a Washington consultant" - Washington Post

Could Ron Paul come to Romney's rescue?

"In a Republican presidential contest known for its angry rivalries, the Romney-Paul relationship stands out for its behind-the-scenes civility. It is a friendship that, by Mr. Paul’s telling, Mr. Romney has worked to cultivate." - New York Times

• Is Romney giving Trump the cold shoulder? - Daily Caller
• Huntsman disagrees with Romney's statements on China - MSNBC
• The Mormon card is now being played against Mitt Romney - Toby Harnden

Republicans in Washington need to stop acting like Democrats, says … Mitt Romney - HotAir

"The small fraction of Americans who are trying to pick the Republican nominee are old, white, uniformly Christian and unrepresentative of the nation at large" - Timothy Egan at the New York Times

Perry plans new PAC with unused campaign money - USA Today

Payroll-Tax Cut Pact a Rare Sign of Bipartisanship - WSJ

"While House GOP leaders are reluctantly backing the agreement, most Senate Republicans are expected to vote against it. This will be the first time that Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and his lieutenants will be voting differently than their Senate counterparts on a high-profile issue in the 112th Congress." - The Hill

• Senate Republicans out in the cold - Roll Call

Jennifer Rubin's verdict on the deal: "After folding at the end of last year, Republicans plainly don’t have the votes or the nerve to hold up a deal. On one hand, it does damage to the president’s argument that the Republicans are obstructionists. That said, fiscal hawks are not going to be pleased. Once again, the president and Congress simply kicked the can down the road."

Hispanic delegation in Congress set to grow to over 30, from 25 - Politico

"In some good news for Republicans in a marquee Senate race, a new poll shows GOP Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts enjoying a wide lead over his premier Democratic challenger, Elizabeth Warren. A poll by Suffolk University/7NEWS released Thursday night found Mr. Brown leading Ms. Warren, 49% to 40%." - WSJ

GOP says "drill. drill, drill" is answer to higher gas prices - Politico

The New Jersey Assembly on Thursday passed a bill legalizing same-sex marriages, setting the stage for an anticipated veto by Gov. Chris Christie - NPR

• Five reasons to oppose gay marriage - John Hawkins for TownHall.com

Obama approval drops to 43% in latest Gallup poll - Fox

• CNN Poll: Americans Oppose HHS Mandate 50% to 44% - Weekly Standard

Rep. Dennis Kucinich faces tough redistricting battle against Democratic primary challengers - Roll Call

And finally... "They call him 'Honest Abe.' But he's just another Springfield insider."

Peggy Noonan draws up an attack ad against Abraham Lincoln - WSJ

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Newslinks for Thursday Feb 16: Romney struggles in Michigan as national polling shows big Santorum lead

Mitt Romney can't count on home-state advantage in Michigan

""Michigan's been my home, and this is personal," Romney says in a new TV ad that features vintage black-and-white photos, including one of a teen-aged Mitt and his square-jawed father, the state's late governor, George Romney. ... Polls indicate that Michigan could go either way, making Romney's attempt at repositioning himself a particularly acute task in this state, the first in the industrial Midwest to award delegates and a place where a loss could be shattering. ... Romney is reverting to the formula that worked earlier this year: He's going negative against his main opponent and leveling an intense media barrage that the other side hasn't got the resources to counter." - LA Times

• Romney says he cares 'very deeply' about auto industry - LA Times
• "Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, one of the final holdouts of the state’s Republican establishment, will endorse Mitt Romney Thursday." - WSJ
• Romney targets auto bailout in battle for Michigan - AP
• The character of the Chinese government—one that marries aspects of the free market with suppression of freedom—shouldn't become the norm - Mitt Romney for the WSJ

Latest polling shows Santorum with a big lead

"A new Rasmussen survey shows Rick Santorum has jumped to a 12-point lead over Mitt Romney nationally in the race for the GOP presidential nomination. Santorum leads with with 39%, followed by Mitt Romney at 27%, Newt Gingrich at 15% and Ron Paul at 10%. Key finding: "Perhaps more tellingly, Santorum now trounces Romney 55% to 34% in a one-on-one matchup among likely GOP primary voters. This is the first time any challenger has led Romney nationally in a head-to-head match-up."" - PoliticalWire

• Santorum releases four years of tax returns - USA Today
• Democrats keeping an eye on surging Rick Santorum - LA Times
• Is Romney’s campaign running out of money? - Hot Air

Gingrich trying to win delegates in Michigan

"“My prediction is that if Mitt Romney goes and attacks Santorum as negatively as he attacked me in Florida and elsewhere, that what you’re going to see is he’ll peel votes off Santorum, but they’re going to come to me, they’re not going to go to Romney,” Gingrich said on the FOX News show, “On The Record.”" - CNN

• "The Super PAC promoting Newt Gingrich’s presidential campaign is unleashing radio ads Thursday in three key states as well as nationally on popular conservative talk shows." - WSJ

Congressional negotiators reach payroll deal

"Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and House Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp (R-Mich.) emerged from a Capitol meeting room to say the agreement — hashed out by a bicameral, bipartisan conference committee — would garner enough support to move forward in both chambers." - Politico

• "The deal, such as it is, seems like less of a triumph for Congress than the mere prevention of disaster. Neither party had wanted to see the payroll tax go up in an election year with a weak economy nor did they want unemployment benefits to cease." - National Journal

House Republicans delay vote on transportation bill

"House Speaker John Boehner told his Republican caucus Wednesday that the House will postpone voting on a massive transportation and energy bill... The move was a sign that GOP leaders were still struggling to put together the votes to pass the measure that funds highway programs and includes several energy measures, including drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), and approval of the Keystone XL pipeline." - CNN

• Keystone Pipeline fate in U.S. in limbo but construction moves forward in Canada - Fox News
• GOP eases its culture of ‘no’ - Politico

Sen. Marco Rubio taking an active role in opposing Obama's diplomatic record

"Sen. Marco Rubio isn’t waiting for a vice presidential offer to go after President Barack Obama: He’s been locked in a quiet battle with the White House for months, blocking key diplomatic appointments in hopes of getting his say on foreign policy. The Rubio-Obama administration skirmish — sloppy, confusing and still largely unresolved — could presage an even bigger, sloppier and more confusing Rubio-Obama political battle this fall." - Politico

Rep. Allen West: Democratic handouts an 'insidious form of slavery'

""Our party firmly believes in the safety net," West said in a late Wednesday floor speech. "We reject the idea of the safety net becoming a hammock. "For this reason, the Republican value of minimizing government dependence is particularly beneficial to the poorest among us," he continued. "Conversely, the Democratic appetite for ever-increasing redistributionary handouts is in fact the most insidious form of slavery remaining in the world today, and it does not promote economic freedom."" - The Hill

Some Senate candidates are held back by House membership

"In the 15 races ranked as most competitive... Republicans could field current or recently departed House members in eight of them; Democratic House members are top candidates in four Senate races. Races that were not supposed to be all that close are looking more like barn-burners, in large part because one of the standard-bearers carries the millstone of his or her current position: member of the House." - New York Times

• Nevada and Massachusetts are the key to Senate control - Roll Call
• Claire McCaskill: Obama loyalist to the end - Politico

Chris Christie defends lower flags for Whitney Houston - Politico

Obama is busy campaigning in California again 

"At the posh home of a Hollywood soap opera producer, the president urged Democrats to mobilize, telling supporters... "People out there are hurting and they need us to do more," Obama said on a star-studded night that included a performance by the Foo Fighters and appearances by actors Jack Black and Rashida Jones."- AP

• "Government spends taxpayer dollars and liberals want to spend more of them. But what sets Mr. Obama apart—what places him in a category of one—is how eager he is to find ways outside the normal appropriations process to fund his schemes in the name of fairness, or to make them appear free." - Karl Rove in the WSJ ($)
• CNN Poll: Obama approval rating back to 50% mark
• Nate Silver says the fundamentals now point to an Obama re-election

Pentagon eyeing future cuts to nuclear arsenal

"Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the committee there are internal discussions under way about the number of nuclear weapons America will have in the future. The talks, Dempsey said in his testimony before the committee, were in preparation for upcoming meetings with Russia on the matter. Rep. Trent Franks, R-Arizona, called the idea "reckless lunacy." Rep. William "Mac" Thornberry, R-Texas, said the concept has him "very concerned."" - CNN

California Congresswoman calls conservative leaders 'demons'

"California Congresswoman Maxine Waters' rant last weekend at the California Democrats State Convention in San Diego... described House Majority leader Eric Cantor and Speaker of the House John Boehner as “demons” who are “destroying this country”" - Nile Gardiner

George Will: Supreme Court should take on New York City’s rent control laws - Washington Post

Polling: Conservatives would support Israeli military action on Iran

"Fully 71% of conservative Republicans think the U.S. should support Israel’s military action if they attack Iran, compared with 43% of moderate and liberal Republicans. A majority of independents and Democrats (including both liberal and more moderate Democrats) think the U.S. should stay neutral." - Weekly Standard

• Dept. of Homeland Security 'concerned' over threats from Iran - Fox News

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Newslinks for Wednesday Feb 15: The battle for Michigan begins as Romney and Santorum draw contrasts

The battle for Michigan

"Amid signs Rick Santorum could win an upset victory in Michigan, Mitt Romney escalated his campaign to win the state's Republican primary by taking on the powerful auto union and reigniting the debate over the federal bailouts of two Detroit auto makers." - WSJ ($)

• "Romney’s national campaign [has] deployed top operatives to the state and on Tuesday reserved nearly $1.3 million in airtime in the run-up to the Feb. 28 primary, according to a media-buying source. The pro-Romney super PAC Restore Our Future is also putting big bucks behind a new negative ad on Santorum that starts Wednesday." - Politico
• "As Mitt Romney faces a newly energized Rick Santorum, the super PAC supporting Romney, Restore Our Future, is weighing in this week with a major ad buy of more than $1.5 million, the group told CNN Tuesday." - CNN
• "Asked about his expectations for Michigan... Santorum said Michigan was a lot like Pennsylvania, where he's had political success. Santorum said he will "hopefully finish a good strong second" to Romney. "We think we can plant our flag there and do well," he said." - AP

Romney and Santorum start to draw contrasts

"An air war has broken out over Michigan between Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum, but the opening salvos are largely positive spots that present each candidate as the savior of a state once on the brink of collapse." - WSJ

• "In the coming weeks, Santorum’s record in Congress, his writings, his past interviews — everything — will be dissected as never before. Romney’s campaign and the super PAC backing him will make certain of that, as will the media. Gingrich will use the debates to draw his own distinctions with Santorum." - Washington Post
• Romney narrows in on Santorum's voting history - Commentary
• Female voters could be a problem for Santorum in general election contest - The Hill

How Romney's attacks are backfiring - his supporters are as guilty of over-spending as Santorum - Washington Examiner

• "A CNN/ORC International poll released Tuesday indicates Romney's popularity has especially taken a tumble among Republicans, with a 13-point decline in positive reviews from his own party." - CNN

Gingrich is staying in the race, for now

"The former House speaker, who is on a three-day fund-raising swing in California, has said he is committed to staying in the race, despite skeptics who are counting him out. "Well they did twice before, and both times I came back ahead in the polls," Gingrich said Tuesday." - CNN

Are the Maine GOP caucus results in doubt?

""The Bangor Daily News in Maine reports "pressure is on" the state Republican Party to "reconsider its weekend declaration that Mitt Romney won" the Maine caucuses. Romney edged out Ron Paul by 194 votes. ... Paul's campaign has been saying since Saturday that the Texas congressman could end up winning more delegates than Romney when all is said and done. " - USA Today

• Santorum may not qualify for the Indiana primary - WSJ

Santorum exploring Secret Service protection following Occupy protests at one of his rallies - AP

Rick Perry appears to be serious about a future White House race

"Rick Perry may "absolutely" run for president again and described the debates in the 2012 primary as good practice." - CNN

Payroll tax cut, unemployment benefits: Tentative deal reached

"A tentative deal reached by senior House and Senate leaders, which appears poised to pass absent a last-minute snag, would prolong a payroll tax cut that benefits 160 million Americans, extend unemployment benefits and forestall rate cuts to doctors who treat Medicare patients." - Politico

• "In the Senate, senior Democratic aides told Fox News that Democrats are putting aside their push for a millionaire surtax now that Republicans have offered to extend the tax cut with no strings attached. One aide added, "To be sure, it will live to see another day."" - Fox News
• "McConnell declined to endorse a proposal announced by Boehner on Monday to extend the payroll tax holiday without paying for it." - The Hill

GOP negative about Boehner's transport bill

"Some tea party folks didn’t come to Washington to build roads, much less bridges; suburban Republicans have a full menu of complaints, from oil drilling to shifting transit funding away from a dedicated source; and some of those who represent government employees aren’t thrilled with a pay-for that cuts the federal contribution to their constituents’ pensions." - Politico

• Sen. Jim DeMint: "The highway bill is the latest example of Washington's bipartisan addiction to big spending. ... A serious highway bill would at least live within the means of the highway trust fund. But Republicans and Democrats have surrendered to the status quo of unsustainable spending." - WSJ ($)
• "The White House cited its unhappiness with many of the transportation provisions in the much-criticized $260 billion bill, along with GOP-backed energy language that includes an attempt to hasten approval for the Keystone XL pipeline." - Politico

Dana Milbank: Does the GOP care about Latino voters?

"What else but a death wish could explain the party’s treatment of the fastest-growing voting bloc in the nation? First was the wave of Arizona-style immigration laws. Then came the anti-immigrant rhetoric from the GOP presidential candidates. On Tuesday, Senate Republicans roughed up Adalberto Jose Jordan — because, well, just because they could." - Dana Milbank for the Washington Post

Rep. Darrell Issa takes step toward holding Holder in contempt of Congress

"In a Jan. 31 letter, Issa had threatened Holder with such a move if he failed to provide all the subpoenaed documents relating to the Fast and Furious gunwalking scandal by Feb. 9. That deadline has come and gone, and Holder’s Department of Justice still hasn’t provided most of those documents. Issa’s subpoena dates back to Oct. 12, 2011." - Daily Caller

Sen. John Cornyn favorite to win No.2 spot in the Senate GOP leadership - Roll Call

Michelle Malkin: The tea party isn't dead. It's just looking down ballot - Town Hall

Obama could be hurt by defense cuts

"The biggest political threat that President Barack Obama could face in military towns like Norfolk and Fayetteville and Tampa isn’t criticism that he’s pulling out of Afghanistan or Iraq too early. It’s his refusal, so far, to roll back automatic cuts to the Pentagon that could damage local economies already bracing for a drawdown in defense funding. Republicans are using almost $1 trillion in potential defense cuts as a wedge issue with a jobs twist, aiming to weaken Obama where it could hurt him most: in a handful of top-tier battleground states such as Virginia, Colorado, Florida and North Carolina." - Politico

Democrats in tough races turn critical of Obama’s 2013 budget

"In the Senate, Jon Tester (Mont.) and Claire McCaskill (Mo.)... said Obama’s proposal had fallen short of what was necessary to rein in federal debt. “Unfortunately, this budget still includes unacceptable deficit levels, and I’m ready to work with Democrats and Republicans alike to tackle this problem,” McCaskill said. And Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has kept quiet on the budget, declining to give it the full-throated praise that Democratic leaders in the House have poured onto the proposal." - The Hill

And finally... Herman Cain turns down "Dancing with the Stars"

"The Atlanta Journal-Constitution says it got confirmation from a Cain aide that the former pizza company executive nixed his chance for the Mirror Ball trophy. "He can't dance in an eight count. He can only dance in a nine-count," Lisa Reichert is quoted as saying about Cain." - USA Today

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Newslinks for Tuesday Feb 14: Obama's budget raises spending and taxes, and fails on entitlement reform

Obama unveils $3.8 trillion budget

"President Obama unveiled a $3.8 trillion budget request Monday that hikes taxes on the rich, spends new money on infrastructure and education, but does little to reform the entitlement programs that pose the biggest long-term threat to the federal budget." - CNN

• "Republicans in and out of Washington savaged President Obama’s proposed budget for the 2013 fiscal year as a broken promise on deficit reduction made worse by a series of gimmicks that overstate what budget savings there are." - New York Times
• "The White House intends to boost government subsidies for wealthy buyers of the Chevy Volt and other new-technology vehicles — to $10,000 per buyer." - Daily Caller
• Hot Air blasts Obama for not providing any money for D.C.'s voucher program: "This is basically Keystone part II: Once again, some unfortunate Americans have ended up on the wrong side of a core left-wing constituency whom The One needs to help him get reelected."
• Dana Milbank: "[T]he real game the White House was playing was dodgeball: evading anything resembling a serious budget proposal." - Washington Post
• Grover Norquist: Obama's budget is 'trickle-down taxation' - Newsmax
• Obama's new budget will put America in the poor house - Washington Examiner editorial
• Republicans dismiss Obama budget - LA Times

House Republican leaders agree to payroll tax holiday extension without offsets

"House Republican leaders said Monday that they will support extending the federal payroll tax holiday through the end of the year without demanding spending cuts to pay for it, a concession aimed at averting another po­litically damaging showdown in Washington." - Washington Post

• "For far too long, the extension of the payroll tax cut was coupled with more entitlement spending...  Today, House Republicans announced that they will decouple the two issues and pass a clean payroll tax cut extension until the end of the year." - RedState
• "Boehner and his leadership team’s reversal creates the latest challenge in their long-running attempts to corral the unruly GOP caucus." - Politico

GOP revives pipeline push in highway bill

"The GOP sees the battle over Keystone as an election-season political winner, but the legislation faces long odds of a victory in the Senate, much less President Obama’s signature. The House version of the massive transportation package, slated for a vote this week, includes provisions to force a permit for TransCanada Corp.’s proposed Alberta-to-Texas pipeline." - The Hill

• "It is sad that we have gotten here, but House Republicans, including conservative stalwarts like Jim Jordan of Ohio, are set to pass Barack Obama’s latest stimulus plan. Except they are calling it John Boehner’s “Highway Bill.”" - Erick Erickson
• "[T]he fact is that, under this bill, contract authority for transportation will outpace its funding source by roughly $55 billion from FY2013 through FY 2016." - RedState
• Rand Paul puts hold on transportation bill - Politico

Polling indicates Santorum could win Romney's home state of Michigan

"Two polls released Monday showed Romney, the former Massachusetts governor who grew up in Bloomfield Hills, trailing former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania. American Research Group had Santorum up 33%-27% on Romney... Another survey firm, Public Policy Polling, had Santorum ahead with a far greater margin, 39% to 24%, for Romney" - Detroit Free Press

• "Santorum is hoping to turn the political conversation away from the social and cultural issues that have dominated his quest for the Republican presidential nomination so far and focus instead on the economy" - New York Times
• Pro-Romney super PAC buys ad time in Michigan - USA Today
• "Among the Republicans that the polling firm classified as definite voters, Mr. Santorum’s lead was larger, 11 points over Mr. Romney. However, Mr. Romney led Mr. Santorum 33 to 22 among voters the pollsters classified as more marginal." - Nate Silver
• Michigan Gov. Snyder says he'll endorse soon - Politico
• Polls: GOP Voters Who Dislike Romney Flock to Santorum - WSJ

Santorum event disrupted by Occupy protesters

"Minutes into Santorum's speech, protesters began chanting and shouting. They rarely stopped over the next half-hour. "I think it's really important to understand what this radical element represents," Santorum, a former Pennsylvania senator, told hundreds of supporters gathered outside the Washington Historical Museum. "What they represent is true intolerance."" - AP

• "After hearing that, the conservative crowd attempted to shout down the Occupy protestors with chants of “U.S.A., U.S.A.”" - CNN

With early voting underway, Romney courts Arizona primary voters

"The former Massachusetts governor has the backing of key establishment figures here, including his 2008 rival Sen. John McCain, and the most recent polling shows him winning handily, but the surveys were done before rival Rick Santorum surged in recent days. Voters who share Romney’s Mormon faith make up one-tenth of the GOP electorate in Arizona, and Mesa is a hub. Voters attending the event here cheered heartily when Romney mentioned his faith." - LA Times

Gingrich predicts ANOTHER comeback 

"“Twice I’ve led in the Gallup polls,” he said, referring to his surge in early December and following his victory in the South Carolina primary in January. He predicted that he would return to the top of polls in a few weeks. He dismissed any notion of dropping out before Super Tuesday on March 6, as the editors of the conservative magazine National Review called on him to do for the good of the Republican Party on Monday. “National Review wanted us to drop out in June,” Mr. Gingrich said. “It’s silly.”"- New York Times

• Why I chose Newt over Santorum - Chuck Norris for Town Hall

GOP lawmakers to grill Panetta over cuts to Pentagon budget - The Hill

Politico checks in with the 5 most vulnerable House incumbents

• Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.)
• Rep. Tim Murphy (R-Pa.)
• Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.)
• Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.)
• Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.)
  
• ...and for some of them, primary season is just round the corner - Politico

Great Scott! Stephen F. Hayes lauds Governor Walker of Wisconsin

"Throughout the 2012 election cycle Republicans have pined for a bold, conservative reformer—a leader courageous enough to make difficult choices and articulate enough to explain them to a skeptical public. The good news is they have such a candidate. The less good news: Scott Walker isn’t running for president. He’s running to hang on to his job as governor of Wisconsin." - Stephen F. Hayes for the Weekly Standard

David Brooks: The weakening of our social fabric can't be reduced to simple economic debates

"The American social fabric is now so depleted that even if manufacturing jobs miraculously came back we still would not be producing enough stable, skilled workers to fill them. It’s not enough just to have economic growth policies. The country also needs to rebuild orderly communities. This requires bourgeois paternalism: Building organizations and structures that induce people to behave responsibly rather than irresponsibly and, yes, sometimes using government to do so." - David Brooks for the New York Times

White House economic adviser: "We need a global minimum tax" - Weekly Standard

Voter rolls rife with inaccuracies

"The report found that there are about 1.8 million dead people listed as active voters. Some 2.8 million people have active registrations in more than one state. And 12 million registrations have errors serious enough to make it unlikely that mailings based on them will reach voters." - New York Times

Washington state's governor signs gay marriage law

"Governor Christine Gregoire signed legislation on Monday to make Washington state the seventh in the United States to legalize gay marriage, but opponents vowed to try to prevent the law from taking effect." - Reuters

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Newslinks for Monday Feb 13: Santorum builds for two-man race with Romney

VIDEO: Sarah Palin tells Fox News that she's still not convinced by Romney

Palin hints that Romney might be a flawed candidate in a matchup with Obama - WSJ

SANTORUM STILL SURGING

Santorum moves ahead of Gingrich and is 5.8% behind Romney in national poll of polls - RCP

• Team Santorum is confident that they can beat Romney if they can get race down to a one-to-one - Politico
• "Romney has been painting Santorum as a long-time Washington insider who pursued home-state projects. Santorum on Sunday described Romney's recent criticism as "desperate." "You reach a point where desperate people do desperate things," said Santorum, who represented Pennsylvania during his 16 years in Congress, first in the House and then in the Senate." - USA Today | WSJ

Romney wins Maine, beating off strong Paul challenge...

"In Maine, Romney won 39 percent of the poll votes; Texas Rep. Ron Paul took 36 percent of the vote, while former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum captured 18 percent. Former House speaker Newt Gingrich won 6 percent." - Washington Post

• "It was a smart decision for Mr. Romney to pay a late visit to the state, without which he might have lost." - Nate Silver
• BUT Paul campaign disputes Romney's Maine victory - MSNBC

...he also wins CPAC straw poll with 38%, Santorum won 31%, Gingrich 15% - Roll Call

• Santorum hints CPAC poll was rigged - LA Times

Jennifer Rubin predicts the right-wing blogosphere will downplay Romney's CPAC and Maine victories: "Standing on the floor of the ballroom, I remarked to a conservative journalist after the speech that I was surprised by the robust greeting (given all the harrumphing in the right-wing media). He waved me off: “It doesn’t matter what he says.” Well, yes, to many in the right blogosphere nothing Romney says makes any difference, but voters, even very conservative activists, are a different matter."

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell urges GOP activists to back Romney - USA Today

For a candidate running against the entrenched interests of Washington, Romney keeps an awful lot of lobbyists around - New York Times

NRO: Romney must set out his agenda

"Romney is a transactional politician rather than a charismatic one. Maybe he should make the most of it: Tell conservatives what they will get out of a Romney presidency. Entitlements brought under budgetary control. A more market-oriented health-care system. Judges who know their place in the constitutional architecture. Fannie and Freddie extinguished. The defense budget protected. Tax reform, and tax relief for families." - NRO Editors

• BUT, says Peter Beinart at the Daily Beast: The GOP frontrunner cannot catch fire with conservatives because he wants to run on a platform of fixing the economy and restoring jobs—but they’re more interested in fighting a culture war about limited government and greater freedom

Romney mocked for describing himself as "severe" conservative

"As Molly Ball of The Atlantic pointed out, Mr. Romney “described conservatism as if it were a disease.” Indeed. Mark Liberman, a linguistics professor at the University of Pennsylvania, provided a list of words that most commonly follow the adverb “severely”; the top five, in frequency of use, are disabled, depressed, ill, limited and injured." - Paul Krugman in the New York Times

Gingrich campaign in need of cash

At RCP Michael Barone thinks last week's results were serious for Gingrich: "The one candidate who took a clear loss was Newt Gingrich, who failed to get on the ballot in Missouri, finished a miserable fourth in Minnesota and beat Ron Paul by 1 percent in Colorado. Those are dreadful results 16 days after his big win in South Carolina. It's not clear how he maintains the visibility he needs to recover."

• In need of cash, Gingrich is forced to focus on donors rather than voters - New York Times

Al Cardenas, head of the American Conservative Union, has said that Republican turmoil might lead to a brokered convention in which Jeb Bush, former Florida governor, would emerge as a “possible alternative” party nominee - Toby Harnden

2012 primary race is increasing voter dislike for GOP - Washington Post

• Republicans have become "nattering nabobs of negativism" - Dana Milbank for the Washington Post

Mitch McConnell: Birth-control debate will continue until Obama 'backs down' - The Hill

• The NRO Editors dismiss Obama's contraceptive "compromise" as a symbolic tweak
• The Weekly Standard calls it "phony"
• Commentary doesn't like Obama's choice of "accommodation" to describe his changed position
• Democrats to Catholics: ‘We don’t want you’ - Rod Dreher

Some Senate Republicans wish earmarks could return - Roll Call

Boehner's $260 billion highway bill heads for cliff

"Boehner has made the legislation a priority and the election-year centerpiece of the House GOP’s jobs agenda. The measure uses revenues from an expansion of domestic oil drilling to offset some of the cost of maintenance and improvements to roads and bridges. The bill also contains no earmarks, which have traditionally been liberally sprinkled throughout transportation legislation. This cheers fiscal hawks, but makes it harder for Boehner to win support from rank-and-file members who in the past have enjoyed directing federal largesse toward their pet projects." - The Hill

Republican National Committee prepares “The Big Fail” briefing highlighting Obama’s record on unemployment, housing, national debt, poverty, ethics and negative advertising - Daily Caller

China will get the oil from Canada that could have come to the U.S. if we'd built the Keystone XL Pipeline - Rick Perry in the Wall Street Journal

At CPAC, Gov Scott Walker Walker warns of high stakes in Wisconsin recall: "If we fail -- and I'm not planning on it -- but if we were to fail, I think this sets aside any courageous act in American politics for at least a decade, if not a generation" - Hotline

At CPAC, Tory MEP Dan Hannan warns America against Europeanization

"I have been a member of the European Parliament for 12 years, I am living in your future — or at least the future toward which your present leaders seem intent on taking it," he said at the Conservative Political Action Conference Saturday in Washington. "Believe me, my friend, you are not going to enjoy it." - Washington Times | HotAir has his full speech

Strong In 2010, Where Is The Tea Party Now? - NPR

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Newslinks for Friday Feb 10: CPAC offers Romney and Santorum chance to appeal to grassroots support

Highlights of the first day of CPAC...

• Rick Perry inspires Republicans to ‘keep the faith’ at CPAC 2012 - Houston Chronicle
• "When asked if he would run for President again, Perry replied, “Oh, sure,” but said his focus was on Texas." - Hot Air
• "House Speaker John Boehner wears the conflict that rages in the House of Representatives as a badge of honor. “When [the media] uses the word ‘tumultuous’ to describe our majority it doesn’t bother me at all,” the Ohio Republican told the Conservative Political Action Conference on Thursday. “I’m actually taking it as a compliment”" - Houston Chronicle
• Bachmann mocks her own campaign flubs at CPAC - USA Today
• Herman Cain says he's not going away quietly - LA Times
• "Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli gave a packed house at the Conservative Political Action Conference an energetic defense of federalism on Thursday." - National Journal

...as contraception controversy consumes CPAC, Washington and the presidential campaign

""This isn't even a social issue. This is a constitutional issue," Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said onstage. "What (the Constitution) says is that the federal government does not have the power to force religious organizations to pay for things that that organization thinks is wrong." " - Fox News

"Congressional Democrats and Republicans escalated their rhetorical war Thursday over a pending federal rule requiring religiously affiliated employers to provide full contraception coverage to women" - CNN

"Santorum has also been focused on the controversial regulation by the Department of Health and Human Services... “I know it’s the Catholic church, but it’s the Catholic church first, it won’t be the last if they get away with it,” he said" - ABC

• Biden on the new contraception rule: I’m determined to see a compromise here - Hot Air
• Sen. Tom Coburn: Debate over birth-control rule ‘blown out of proportion’ - The Hill
• Grover Norquist: Obama translating Harvard’s ‘anti-Catholic animosity’ into policy - Daily Caller
• "One way or another -- either by backing down or by facing an electoral spanking -- Obama will not win this one. With the backlash he is inviting, he might finally learn the limits of his mythical magic." - David Limbaugh
• The Gospel according to Obama - Charles Krauthammer

Will the conservative grassroots accept Romney when he speaks today?

"A Romney fund-raiser described the candidate's Friday speech... "He's going to try to provide a holistic rationale for why he should be the guy in the fall that will be conservative, thoughtful and combative, so people can say, 'If he acts that way in the fall, I'm for him,' " the donor said." - Wall Street Journal

• "For more than an hour... Mitt Romney huddled with a small gathering of leaders in the conservative movement, potential emissaries to those who have so far proved most wary of embracing him as the Republican Party’s nominee." - New York Times
• "He said he plans to use a portion of the speech to focus on something he rarely brings up on the campaign trail - his record as governor of Massachusetts." - Politico
• "Politico suggests that Romney will want to "deliver a truly conservative message in person." My advice to the Romney campaign: be careful." - David Frum

David Brooks: Romney needs to show his conservative core, not just talk up his business background

"If Romney is to thrive, he really needs to go on an integrity tour. He needs to show how his outer pronouncements flow directly from his inner core. He needs to trust that voters will take him as he really is. He needs to tell his own complicated individual story and stop reducing himself to the outsider/businessman advertising cliché. He needs to tell us what about his character is more fundamental than his national park patriotism and his skill at corporate restructuring." - David Brooks for the New York Times

Santorum will use his appearance to emphasize electability

"[T]he CPAC straw poll... is up for grabs. If Santorum wins it, it will be a notch for him going into the final weeks before Arizona, Michigan and Super Tuesday - and add to the perception that he is galvanizing the base of the party that has not embraced Romney." - Politico

• "A new poll in Pennsylvania shows that Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney are running neck and neck, but Republicans in the Keystone State believe Mr. Romney has the best shot by far of beating President Barack Obama." - Wall Street Journal

Peggy Noonan: the American public is being turned off by politics

"Maybe the story the political class is missing is not "They don't like the Republican field," or "They don't like Obama." Maybe the story is that people are tuning out altogether. Maybe they're bored with politics, and most especially with politicians. Maybe they don't think our government can't solve anything. Maybe, even, our political class has done such a good job depicting the crisis we're in that the American people, with their low faith in institutions, think nothing, really, can be done about it." - Peggy Noonan for the Wall Street Journal

• Is 2012 slipping away from the GOP? - Power Line

Congress prepares for Obama's 2013 budget - Politico

• "Congressional Republicans said Thursday that negotiations over extending a payroll tax cut were going so poorly that it was possible the tax break — along with added unemployment benefits — could expire at the end of the month." - New York Times

"The latest Gallup tracking poll shows more people approving of Mr. Obama’s job performance than disapproving, by a 49%-45%." - Wall Street Journal

• "It looks as though Barack Obama may already be deriving some political benefit from the release of last week’s favorable jobs report." - Nate Silver

House passes bill banning insider trading by members of Congress...

"The 417-to-2 vote occurred less than three weeks after President Obama demanded such action in his State of the Union address. The Senate approved a similar bill by a vote of 96 to 3 on Feb. 2." - New York Times

...as Rep. Spencer Bachus faces insider-trading investigation

"The Office of Congressional Ethics is investigating the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee over possible violations of insider-trading laws, according to individuals familiar with the case. Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.), who holds one of the most influential positions in the House, has been a frequent trader on Capitol Hill, buying stock options while overseeing the nation’s banking and financial services industries." - Washington Post

10 states freed from some 'No Child Left Behind' requirements - CNN

• Obama now substituting his own regulations for No Child Left Behind law - Hot Air

Top Giffords aide to run for her seat

"Ron Barber, a top aide to former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D., Ariz.) who was wounded at the same event where the congresswoman was shot a year ago, announced Thursday he’s running to take her place." - Wall Street Journal

Can America learn from the demise of the British Empire, avoiding the paternalism and self-doubt that led to disastrous decline? - Andrew Roberts for the Wall Street Journal

And finally... the Obama re-election campaign's soundtrack

"The hefty amount of country songs shows a clear play for values voters, and the same can be said for the youth vote that he courts with relative unknown indie bands like AgesAndAges. Mr Obama showed off his knowledge of alternative music - even that released since he became President - by picking trendy artists Arcade Fire and Florence + the Machine." - Daily Mail

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Newslinks for Thursday Feb 9: Obama under attack from all sides over contraception decision

Obama administration struggles to contain uproar over birth-control rule - The Hill

• "In a rare show of political force, House Speaker John A. Boehner took to the House floor to criticize the Obama administration's new rules on contraceptives and vowed the GOP-led chamber will work to overturn what he characterized as an attack on religious freedoms." - LA Times
• Report: Obama doubles down on new contraception rule at Democratic retreat - Hot Air
• "[A]n intraparty values rift — likely to be most pronounced in battleground states with large numbers of Catholic voters, like Pennsylvania — can’t be helpful to Obama as he heads into the general election. ... Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, who’s up for reelection this year and has called the Obama edict “un-American” and a “direct affront to the religious freedoms protected under the First Amendment.”" - Politico
• The Obama administration must be forced to back all the way down - National Review
• Super-PAC men: Obama bundlers gone wild - Michelle Malkin for the Washington Examiner

50% oppose government mandate for religious organizations to provide contraceptives - Rasmussen reports

Highway bill is a key test for Boehner and the House GOP

"Now comes an 846-page, $260-billion, five-year highway bill called the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act of 2012. ... The few House Democrats who might be enticed to vote for the bill will be more than offset by the opposition of [Harry] Reid ... And so there exists a two-pronged danger... The first is that... John Boehner will sweeten the deal in order to gain more Democrats' votes in the House. The second is that... Reid will win the big spending increases he wants, while expunging all redeeming provisions from the bill in a conference committee." - Washington Examiner

• In this Congress, even the easy bills get stuck - Politico
• Some in GOP want return to earmarks - The Hill
• House conservatives support Barack Obama’s latest stimulus - Erick Erickson
• Gallup Poll: Record low 10% approve of Congress - USA Today

Sens. McCain and Graham urge Obama administration to give aid and arms to Syrian rebels

"“The conflict in Syria is entering a critical new phase,” the senators said. “Assad’s slaughter of people in Syria, including dozens more killed today, is only increasing and growing more ruthless. In Libya, the threat of imminent atrocities in Benghazi mobilized the world to act. Such atrocities are now a reality in Homs and other cities all across Syria.”" - The Hill

• Report: Pentagon reviewing military options on Syria, just in case - Hot Air
• Republicans need more than rhetoric on defense - George Will
• What the US needs to know about the Syrian rebels - Michael Weiss

Mitch McConnell to assail "liberal thugs" at CPAC

"Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell plans to launch a fierce attack on the Obama administration and congressional Democrats, calling out “liberal thugs” for intimidating their opponents in the name of political expediency. ... The attacks are an attempt by McConnell to make an election-year argument aimed at painting President Barack Obama as ideologically driven at the expense of the economy." - Politico

• Worried conservatives descend on CPAC - Washington Times

Santorum enjoys his new status as the main anti-Romney...

• "Now, with more victories under his belt than any other candidate, he is organizing a nationwide campaign with ambitious goals. He is preparing to go head-to-head against Mr. Romney in Mr. Romney’s home state, Michigan, which votes Feb. 28. And aides said he was likely to challenge Mr. Gingrich on Super Tuesday, March 6, on Mr. Gingrich’s home turf, Georgia." - New York Times
• "Buoyed by unexpected victories in three states on Tuesday night, Rick Santorum swept into North Texas on Wednesday, where he sought to build momentum by assuring Republican primary voters that he and not Newt Gingrich was the true and reliable conservative in the presidential race." - Houston Chronicle
• "Tuesday’s victories gave GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum at least 55 additional delegates and pushed him into second place in the delegate hunt" - Wall Street Journal
• Triumphant Santorum takes fight into Romney’s backyard: Michigan - The Hill
• "Rick Santorum's campaign confirmed Wednesday they raised $1 million in the past 24 hours, with $800,000 coming from online donations." - CNN

...as Romney promises to get more aggressive with him

""We think we can beat Sen. Santorum where we compete head-to-head in an aggressive way, and we obviously didn't do that in Colorado or Minnesota to the extent that (Santorum's) campaign did," Romney told reporters. ... Republicans in Washington have "spent too much, borrowed too much, (and) earmarked too much," he said. "Frankly, Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich were a big part."" - CNN

• "If Romney turns his well-financed character assassination machine on Rick Santorum, or Santorum resorts to character assassination against either Romney or Gingrich, the Republicans may forfeit whatever chance they have of defeating Barack Obama in November." - Thomas Sowell for Town Hall
• How Romney could fail to get enough delegates - Washington Examiner
• Student tries to throw glitter at Romney in Denver - AP

Gingrich in decline after losing anti-Romney status

• "Coming off a drubbing by conservative rival Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich plans to head to home turf as part of his strategy to revitalize his struggling presidential campaign with a strong showing in next month's Super Tuesday primaries." - CNN
• But Gingrich may not be able to guard his home turf: "The Georgia presidential primary may not be a slam dunk for Republican hopeful Newt Gingrich, a congressman from the state for two decades. Rival Mitt Romney is signaling that the biggest prize on Super Tuesday could be up for grabs." - AP
• "Election? What election? Some 12 hours after getting clocked in Minnesota and Colorado, Newt Gingrich came to a manufacturing plant here to talk about the economy, Social Security and most issues besides Tuesday’s voting. (Mr. Gingrich was not on the ballot in Missouri.)" - Wall Street Journal

Karl Rove: Newt's Southern strategy won't work - WSJ

The next GOP contest: Maine

"Maine’s caucuses are multiday affairs, held over the course of more than a week, with the results to be released on Saturday. The state is considered Mitt Romney territory, given that he has a house in adjacent New Hampshire and was governor of Massachusetts. But Representative Ron Paul has been making an aggressive push in the state and came to visit late last month... The contest is nonbinding, and the results are used to help select the state’s 24 delegates to the Republican National Convention in August." - New York Times

• "Gingrich and Santorum have had little to no presence and have virtually no campaign organizations in the state." - AP
• After Maine: "If there’s one silver lining for Mitt Romney after Tuesday’s losses, it might be that the people of Michigan are looking forward to seeing him." - Wall Street Journal

Roll Call looks ahead... to the 2014 Senate races 

"If Democrats are concerned about the lopsided Senate playing field this cycle, just wait until 2014. An early scan of next cycle’s Senate landscape paints a favorable picture for the GOP, which will defend 13 seats to Democrats’ 20. There is a noticeable dearth of competitive Republican seats, while several Democrats will be automatic targets based on geography."- Roll Call

Washington state legislature votes to approve same-sex marriage

"A bipartisan group of lawmakers in Washington State voted Wednesday in favor of a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage, putting Washington on the path toward becoming the seventh state in the nation to legalize marriage for gay and lesbian couples."- CNN

• Prop. 8 ruling: The legal path ahead - Erwin Chemerinsky

Arizona woman off ballot after high court agrees her English isn't good enough - CNN

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