Santorum Aide: Obama’s 'Radical Islamic Policies’
How Republicans
Can Still End Medicare
Gaffe Becomes Organizing Tool In WI Recall Effort
TPM Editors’ Blog Opinions, Context & Ideas from TPM Editors
Pander Monday
Newt Gingrich. Still on the trail. Still saying stuff like this.
Freudian Crypto-Islamic Slip
Rick Santorum spokesperson Alice Stewart got tied up in knots on MSNBC a short time ago talking about President Obama's "radical environmental policies" and instead referred to his "radical Islamic policies." Watch.
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Swagga
David Koch on defending Gov. Scott Walker against recall: "We've gotten pretty good at this over the years. We've spent a lot of money in Wisconsin. We're going to spend more."
So Much Harder Than It Looks
I still have an axiom for the 2012 nomination process: Mitt will be the nominee.
As I've noted repeatedly now, it's just too late for anyone else to get in, if for nothing else simply because of the filing deadlines. But the other factor I keep coming back to is this: when the Savior candidate comes in, Mitt just says "Okay, cool. I'm still ahead in delegates. I've got tons of money. I'm not sure what else I'll do with my life at this point beside do this. But sure, I'm just going to step aside now and become the only mulligan nominee in modern history."
Really?
Read More →Here Comes Mitt
Big movement for Mitt in Michigan polling, and it's largely come without him having to go harshly negative on Santorum -- at least so far.
You can see the movement in the TPM Poll Average, where Santorum peaked in Michigan last Wednesday:
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Getting Better All The Time
Why birth control, transvaginal probes, and pre-natal testing has suddenly come to dominate Republican rhetoric.
Privatization Today, Privatization Tomorrah
Congressional Republicans not giving up on plans to get rid of Medicare and replace it with a privatized system.
Mobile Revolution (Geeks Only)
If you're involved in the news business or simply have a smart phone, you don't need anyone to tell you that more and more people are consuming more and more news on mobile devices. But even if you know that, seeing the actual numbers will probably surprise you.
Read More →Babeu, the Massachusetts Years
From TPM Reader GR ...
As your self-appointed stringer in the Berkshires and a resident of North Adams, MA, I can add some depth to the Paul Babeu story. Babeu was a sitting city councilor, police officer and ran for mayor twice and lost. It's not nearly as simple as Republican politics that prompted Paul to leave Massachusetts as your earlier letter from VS implied.Read More →
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McCain and Babeu
TPM Reader VS on McCain and Babeu ...
One thing to keep in mind with McCain's reaction to Babeu is his relationship with Jim Kolbe (Giffords's predecessor). When Kolbe came out, most of the Arizona Republicans turned away from him--some passively, some actively condemning him. The only one who came to his defense and support was McCain. I don't remember the exact words, but he said something like, he did not stop being my friend just because he's gay, nothing changed.Read More →
7 Words
New Obama campaign pitch distilled to 7 words: "GM is alive; bin Laden is dead."
The Higher Criticism
Santorum attacks Obama's agenda as not "based on the bible".
The Real Issue
In a press conference just now, in which it seemed he was surrounded by the entire staff of the Pinal County Sheriff's Department, Sheriff Paul Babeu forcefully denied the charges made against him that he, or an associate, threatened the deportation of an ex-boyfriend.
"I am gay," Babeu said, but the charges against me are "completely false."
Read More →Babeu Denies Allegations
Paul Babeu in a press conference just now: "I am gay," but charges against me "completely false."
Babeu News Conference
Sheriff Babeu to hold 2:30 PM news conference. Watch live here.
Babeu Fallout
Romney campaign says Sheriff has stepped down from his position as the Romney campaign's Arizona state co-chair.
Babeu, Days Ago, at CPAC
Only days ago, right-wing rising star Sheriff Paul Babeu appeared at CPAC. Video after the jump ...
Read More →Big Trouble for Anti-Immigration Hero
High-profile hardline 'border' Sheriff Paul Babeu has been the toast of the national anti-immigration movement and he's running for Congress this year on the Republican ticket. (You may remember him as the guy in John McCain's 'danged fence' commercial in 2010.)
But now he's been accused of threatening to deport his undocumented male lover. No word yet on whether he's remaining in the congressional race or as Mitt Romney's state co-chair.
Dance with the Girl(s) That Brung Ya
Romney's on-going auto bailout dance now pissing off Tea Partiers too.
Beyond A Joke
How a little joke can spark a cable news firestorm.
Gingrich: You Can’t ‘Put A Gun Rack In A Volt’
Newt Gingrich on Monday mocked the Obama administration’s promotion of smaller, fuel-efficient cars.
MI Race Tightens, But Romney Is Still In Trouble
Romney may be enticing a few conservatives to vote for him, but he’s still got his work cut out for him in Michigan.
Most Recent Latest news stories from TPM reporters
Politico Gaffe Becomes Organizing Tool In Wisconsin Recall Effort
When President Obama spoke to workers in Wisconsin last week, Politico accidentally made itself the story. The paper's reporter mistook the Wisconsin state flag for the seal of a local union, and cited it as an illustration of President Obama's pro-union bias. Politico cleaned the egg off its face by wiping the story from the Internet. But the gaffe made the rounds among actual union officials in the state and now that the laughter's subsided, they've turned it into a membership drive.Gallup: Iran, China Top America's 'Greatest Enemy' List
America needs adversaries. And according to a new Gallup poll, Americans are happy to place Iran and China at the top of its "greatest enemy" list. Iran leads with 32 percent of respondents listing the Middle Eastern country as the United States' top enemy. That number is up from 25 percent in 2011, and Iran has topped the list for the past five surveys since 2005. Gallup cites Iran's continued public announcements of its growing nuclear capabilities, threatening Israel and the possibility that it could ...Group Behind Anti-Muslim Police Training Says Focus On Sharia Law!
The group that hired an anti-Muslim training group to teach part of a seminar to police officers in Tennessee is defending itself against subsequent criticism by arguing that the media should really be focusing on Muslim groups like CAIR and ISNA that are trying to "infiltrate every phase of our society at every level" in order to "alter the mindset and agendas of our society for the overthrow of our Constitution and the implementation of Sharia Islamic Law."Today On The Trail: February 20, 2012
Here are ten things you need to know today. Romney gaining ground in Michigan: Rick Santorum's 15-point lead in Michigan is down to just 4, according to the latest survey from Public Policy Polling. Mitt Romney's share rose to 33% to Santorum's 37%. Ron Paul gets 15% and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich brings up the rear with 10%. The primary is next Tuesday, February 28. Santorum widens lead over Romney nationally: Gallup's daily tracking poll shows Rick Santorum slowly widening his lead over Mitt...Michigan Race Tightens, Romney Still Trails
Can it really be called a win if you have to struggle to beat Rick Santorum? New Public Policy Polling (D) numbers of Michigan show the former Mass. Governor Mitt Romney closing the gap on Santorum, the former Senator from Pennsylvania, as the February 28th vote approaches -- Santorum gets 37 percent in the new numbers to Romney's 33, while Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) sees 15 and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is down to 10 percent. But the real question is why Romney remains in this position, still...How Republicans Could Still Succeed At Privatizing Medicare
Republicans may be backing off their famously toxic plan by Paul Ryan to privatize Medicare, but they've doubled down on the broader concept and are taking strategic steps to get there over time. Democrats currently have the upper hand in their battle to protect traditional Medicare for the future, but unless they thwart the GOP's drumbeat and build support for their alternate vision, it may not be for long. There's little disagreement that Medicare is currently on an unsustainable trajectory, with...Two Charts That Should Terrify Republicans
If Republicans seem spooked to you these days, here's why. President Obama's political comeback over the past several months aligns neatly with when he began more aggressively attacking the GOP and politicking for economic growth and equality back in September. But over that same stretch, the economy began moving in the right direction. Indicators of economic growth started moving upward, and the eye-popping indications of economic weakness started moving downward. That's surely had an effect. And if...Obama Campaign Takes On Santorum: 'Phony Theology' Comment 'Over The Line'
Since the campaign began, President Obama's reelection team has directed virtually all of its attention toward Mitt Romney. But over the weekend, Rick Santorum's explosive comments about the President's "theology" got the attention of his top campaign advisers. For the first time, Obama's campaign is pushing back on Santorum's statements, and the surging GOP candidate is struggling to explain them.Mitch Daniels: 'This Is The Worst Recovery Ever'
As the economy slowly improves, the GOP's effort to recalibrate its message for the 2012 elections continued Sunday as rising star and Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels took to arguing that the recovery is too slow and the economy remains "pathetically weak." "Let's not kid ourselves: this is the worst recovery ever from a serious recession, and history says the deeper the down, the sharper the up," Daniels said on CNN's State of the Union. "It should have been a very vigorous one. Hasn't been."Today On The Trail: February 19, 2012
Here are ten things you need to know today. Sunday shows line-up: Reps. Paul Ryan and Chris Van Hollen will be on Meet the Press; Newt Gingrich and Rep. Eric Cantor will be on Fox News Sunday; John McCain and Robert Gibbs will be on This Week; Rick Santorum will be on Face the Nation; Ron Paul, Michele Bachmann, and Mitch Daniels will be on State of the Union. After last Maine County votes, Romney still winner: Washington County, Maine, which put their caucus off for a week because of a snow storm, added ...Arizona Sheriff Paul Babeu Angrily Denies Ex-Boyfriend's Accusations
Updated: February 18, 2012, 5:01 PM While saying for the first time publicly that he is gay, rising Republican star Sheriff Paul Babeu used a dramatic news conference on Saturday in Arizona to angrily deny allegations that had been leveled against him by an ex-boyfriend in a newspaper report a day earlier. "I'm here to say that all these allegations that were in one of these newspapers are absolutely, completely false," the sheriff said while while surrounded by a number of his deputies and fellow...Arizona Sheriff Rocked By Accusations Of Alleged Immigrant Ex-Boyfriend
Updated: February 18, 2012, 2:09 PM Rising Republican star and well-known border hawk Sheriff Paul Babeu, who's now running for Congress in Arizona, was hit Friday night with bombshell accusations from a Mexican immigrant who said he dated the sheriff for years and was threatened with deportation if he ever told anyone about their romance. The Phoenix New Times newspaper broke the story on its website in a piece written by veteran journalist Monica Alonzo. The accusations came complete with text...D'oh! Romney's Auto-Bailout Dance Enrages Tea Party Too
Mitt Romney is stuck in the worst possible position this week in Michigan when it comes to the auto bailout. On the one hand, he's being pilloried by both Democrats and the local press for his confusing criticism of the federal intervention that rescued the auto industry. On the other hand, his claim that he would have rescued Detroit too -- maybe even with similar measures! -- is drawing jeers from conservatives as well. That's right, the Tea Party isn't happy with his bailout position either. Attens...Today On The Trail: February 18, 2012
It's the start of Presidents' Day weekend. Here are ten things you need to know today. Watch for DeWine endorsement switch fallout: State Attorney General and former US Senator Mike DeWine (R-OH) switched his presidential endorsement from former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney to former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) on Friday, but it's the fallout to watch. Predictably, the Romney camp shrugged it off and the Santorum himself touted it. The real question is whether the Republican establishment is straying at...Grimm Not Listed As Guest For Rally That's Meant To Show Support For Him
It's been a rough few weeks for Rep. Michael Grimm (R-NY), who's facing some big questions based on New York Times investigations into allegations of shady (and possibly illegal) fundraising efforts and, more recently, questionable former business dealings. The good news for Grimm: there's a party on Saturday that supporters are portraying as an event to demonstrate support for the former FBI agent. The bad news: it doesn't look like Grimm was even listed as a special guest on the original invite, which ...Day In 100 Seconds: Beyond A Joke
A joke about aspirin and contraception sparked a blaze that lasted all day across the cable news networks. Anchor after anchor, and pundit after pundit wanted to weigh in on the remarks by Santorum backer Foster Friess that women who don't want to get pregnant should just hold an aspirin "between their knees." Of course, they couldn't resist making some jokes of their own, whether this was reflecting on how it seemed like a comment out of "Mad Men," or noting that his own name sounds a bit like one...Man Charged In U.S. Capitol Terror Sting Switched Target At Least Five Times
The man arrested in an FBI terror sting just as he was allegedly about to attempt what he thought would be a suicide attack on the U.S. Capitol had several other targets in mind before he eventually settled on his final plan, according to federal authorities. An affidavit from an FBI agent filed in federal court Friday says that Amine El Khalifi planned to explode a bomb at an office building in Alexandria that contained military offices, then wanted to attack a synagogue, then decided to target an Army ...Judge Tells Walker: No More Extensions On The Recall
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) was just dealt a defeat in court, with Dane County Judge Richard Niess denying a request by Walker for more time -- on top of a previous extension -- to review and challenge the more than one-million signatures that Democrats filed last month to recall him. The request was filed with the court on Tuesday, and argued Friday, with a ruling coming very quickly afterward. Had the request been granted, the potential existed for the official certification and triggering of the. ...Obama Administration Wouldn't Defend Blocking Military Benefits From Same-Sex Couples
The Obama Justice Department has concluded that legislation banning same-sex couples from receiving military and veterans benefits violates the equal protection component of the Fifth Amendment and will no longer defend the statute in court, Attorney General Eric Holder wrote in a letter to Congressional leaders on Friday. "The legislative record of these provisions contains no rationale for providing veterans' benefits to opposite-sex couples of veterans but not to legally married same-sex spouses of...Santorum Peels Off Mike DeWine From Romney Camp
In an embarrassment for Mitt Romney, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine (R) switched his support to Rick Santorum on Friday with a brutal speech condemning Romney for failing to run a positive campaign. "Let's be honest," DeWine said. "In the past months, Mitt Romney and his Super PAC have coupled a remarkable ability to tear down his opponents with an astounding inability to provide voters with a rationale to support him." DeWine, who lost his Senate seat in the same 2006 Democratic wave that swept out ...Editor & Publisher
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