Maryland State Senate Passes Gay Marriage Bill
John Edwards Sex Tape Will Be Destroyed
Mitt’s Bailout Stance Verges On Parody
TPM Editors’ Blog Opinions, Context & Ideas from TPM Editors
What's Wrong With This Picture?
A message House Dems repeatedly posed to Republicans today.
Scoring It Up
President Obama has signed the payroll tax cut extension into law, ending months of struggle over the issue. Here's a handy rundown on where it leaves the key players.
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The Wild, Wild West
Rep. John Sullivan (R-OK) apologizes after telling a town hall meeting back in Oklahoma last night that he'd have to kill a couple of senators to get the Paul Ryan budget passed.
Verging On Parody
Mitt Romney's position on the auto bailout is starting to sound like something out of South Park.
Dropping Fast
In Rasmussen's overnight tracking, Mitt Romney just dropped below 39% for the first time against President Obama.
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WTF, Newt?
When I was watching the debate last night I did a double-take when I heard Newt say that 'reforming' the federal Civil Service system could save "a minimum of $500 billion a year."
That sounded pretty crazy to me since that's like 15% of the entire federal government. And the vast majority of federal spending goes to the military and transfer payments like Social Security and Medicare.
Read More →A Romney-Paul Bromance?
The whispers turn to howls.
Oh, Fox News...
The Fox and Friends crew cranks the selective outrage meter up to eleven.
Fantastisch
Ridiculous Tea Party hero Joe "The Plumber" Wurzelbacher touts endorsement of ridiculous Tea Party also-ran Rich "Likes To Dress Up Like A Nazi" Iott.
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Flooring It
Obama campaign launches TV ad in Michigan going after all the GOP candidates -- but especially Mitt -- who "turned their back" on the auto industry.
Highlight Express
Last night's debate in 100 seconds. No huge gotcha moments, but some compelling back and forth between Mitt and Rick -- and a heaping dose of "this is what the presidential candidates are debating ... really?" Watch.
Paying The Price
Are GOP candidates paying a price with women voters for the recent tough talk on contraception? Mitt Romney's poll numbers suggest yes.
Five Strikes And You're Out
How badly did Rick whiff tonight? Let us count the ways.
We're All World Net Daily Now
Maybe 18 months ago this stuff was the stuff of three or four members of Congress and World Net Daily. Now Mitt Romney just said that Iran may get nuclear material and give it to Hezbollah.
Hezbollah will bring it to Mexico.
Nuclear Hezbollah will climb over the fence and then blow up a nuclear warhead of a dirty bomb in Cleveland.
This is a presidential debate.
Bizarre
Something profoundly comical about Romney attacking Rick Santorum over supporting Specter, when Santorum was the conservative backed into supporting the moderate Specter and Romney was probably to the left of Specter at the time.
What's With the Crowd
Is there really any question that the Romney Camp totally kicked butt getting their people into the hall? I mean, maybe everybody's beating up on Santorum. But this is not a crowd with an equal or proportional number of Santorum supporters.
Off the Rails
This is kind of amazing. The drift of this conversation is that not only should you be against contraceptives personally. And not only should you give religious exemptions to religious organizations. But even allowing any federal money to go to birth control is wrong. This is playing ball way back on GOP's 10 or 15 yard line.
More Liveblogging
8:53 PM: Mitt is walking the only line available on birth control: This isn't about contraception; it's about religious freedom.
8:55 PM: No debate complete without Newt invoking "tyranny."
Not Just Happening
Clearly, Newt doesn't give a crap about competing in Michigan. But Romney just took his position on the auto bailout even further into total incoherence. He opposes the auto bailout. But now he only opposes the money given before the bankruptcy phase. And what happened when they put the companies through a managed bankruptcy was what Mitt wanted all the time. So they actually figured out what to do from Mitt. Only that wasn't good either because it was a sell out to the unions. In a Rube Goldberg kind of way it sort of makes sense. But having tried to pander in every possible way at the time and doing the same thing now, the whole thing just comes out as an incomprehensible jumble.
Every Last Update
Get the very latest debate updates at TPMLivewire.
Why Google Hired Former Rep. Susan Molinari
Google is attempting to boost its political firepower, hiring former Rep. Susan Molinari (R-NY) to head its DC office.
Winners And Losers Of Payroll Tax Cut Debacle
Obama signed the payroll tax cut into law last night. Here are the biggest winners and losers from the debacle.
Most Recent Latest news stories from TPM reporters
Why Google Hired Former Rep. Susan Molinari
Google is attempting to boost its political firepower, hiring former Rep. Susan Molinari (R-NY) to head its DC office, Politico first reported on Thursday. Molinari will begin her new job as Google VP of public policy and government relations in March, according to Politico. Molinari's role will extend beyond the Beltway, though -- she's reportedly in charge of all political outreach for "the Americas," or the entire Western Hemisphere. "I am excited about Susan joining Google," David Drummond, Google. ...Rielle Hunter's John Edwards Sex Tape Will Be Destroyed
A sex tape allegedly featuring former Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) with former presidential campaign videographer and mistress Rielle Hunter will almost certainly never see the light of day thanks to a legal settlement that makes the tape her property. Hunter had sued former Edwards aide Andrew Young to gain possession of the tape, which was allegedly filmed in 2006. A spokesperson for Hunter told ABC's Raleigh affiliate that the "disputed property" would be returned to Hunter and declared the settlement a...Wisconsin Dems File Complaint With State Against David Koch
The Wisconsin Democrats are taking aim at one of their biggest opponents in the state's recall elections. No, not just Republican Gov. Scott Walker -- but conservative financier David Koch, and his organization Americans For Prosperity. But whether they will actually succeed in the latest front is another question. Specifically, the Dems announced on a conference call with reporters Thursday that they were filing a complaint with the state Government Accountability Board, which oversees elections in the ...Day In 100 Seconds: What's Wrong With This Picture?
Following on from all the hubbub that was last night's debate, the big question is, what is up with the seemingly cozy relationship between Mitt Romney and Ron Paul? Paul is running ads attacking Rick Santorum in Michigan, even though he doesn't plan to compete there. In addition, the two pretty much held off each other for most of the debate, leading to fevered speculation from the TV talking heads today. Also today, in a less simple, less soundbite-filled and decidedly less dramatic affair than the...NASA Video Shows Huge Antarctic Glacier Breaking Apart
A 3D simulation video from NASA gives viewers an amazingly close view of a gigantic glacier breaking apart off the western edge of Antartica. The video takes users on a breathtaking flight through the over 18-mile-long crack in the Pine Island Glacier, which will cause the glacier to break apart in a matter of months, producing an iceberg almost as large as the state of Rhode Island. The video was generated from elevation models captured during a flyby of the glacier in October 2011, when the crack...Joe the Plumber's Campaign: 'Rich Iott Is Not A Nazi'
Joe "The Plumber" Wurzelbacher's campaign for Congress is defending his association with 2010 Republican candidate Rich Iott, who endorsed Joe the Candidate earlier this week, and who dealt with controversy in the last campaign when it was discovered that he enjoys spending his weekends dressed up like a Nazi soldier. With Ohio losing two seats in the House, this district was combined from the home turfs of two Democratic incumbents, Reps. Marcy Kaptur and Dennis Kucinich. This week, Mr. The Plumber put ...Why Dems Think They're Winning The Contraception Battle
When it comes to the contraception debate, Democrats and Republicans have dug their trenches and settled in for a long battle. The latest skirmish Thursday morning was an unofficial hearing held by Democratic Steering and Policy Committee to hear testimony in support of the administration's contraception rule. Both sides think this is a winning issue for them. Thursday's hearing featured the testimony of Sandra Fluke, a third year law student at Georgetown University Law Center, a Jesuit university...GOP Rep: I'd Have To Personally Kill Some Senators To Get The Ryan Budget Passed (AUDIO)
Rep. John Sullivan (R-OK) sent TPM a public apology Thursday after we obtained audio of the five-term Republican telling constituents at a town hall this week that he'd have to personally shoot members of the U.S. Senate to get a budget passed through the chamber. Sullivan, a conservative Republican from Oklahoma's First District, was at a town hall meeting in Bixby, Okla., Wednesday when he lamented that the Paul Ryan Budget which the House passed in 2011 had no chance of passage in the Senate: You...What Google's Patents Reveal About Upcoming High-Tech Glasses
Search giant Google is reportedly gearing up to sell a set of high-tech, computerized glasses -- yes, as in spectacles -- later this year, according to reports published by The New York Times this week, confirming earlier reporting by the blog 9to5 Google. Not much is yet known about the high-tech specs for certain. They will reportedly contain a small camera, allowing users to snap photos and videos of their surroundings, but also a screen of some kind, allowing Google to layer relevant informationThe ...Winners And Losers Of The Payroll Tax Cut Debacle
President Obama signed the payroll tax cut package into law late Wednesday night, capping off a months-long saga that might prove to be Congress's last major battle before the 2012 election. So just what does the final outcome mean for the various political players? Here's how things broadly broke down. President Obama is the obvious winner, having portrayed himself throughout the long fight as the champion of middle-class tax cuts and economic security for the long-term unemployed. The payroll battle...Romney's 'Underpants Gnome' Defense On Auto Bailout
Another day, another explanation of Mitt Romney's oh-so-nuanced position on the auto bailout. And this time, for reasons that will soon become clear, it's pushing the GOP frontrunner's stance towards something that seems straight out of South Park. Last night, Romney made the case that Detroit's car makers needed to go through a managed bankruptcy -- hence his famous "Let Detroit Go Bankrupt" editorial -- and suggested that the private sector could have kept them from going under along with maybe just...D'oh! Debt Hawks Fear Most GOP Tax Plans Will Increase Deficit
A key test for the political establishment and the media this campaign cycle will be whether they accurately explain the Presidential candidates' budget plans to voters, or whether they allow the candidates to spin their way out of the severe implications of their own proposals. The election will hinge to a large extent on the two parties' visions for the role of the federal government and how to pay for it, and keeping the taxing and spending implication of those visions clear is the key to helping...Virginia Senate Advances Less Invasive Ultrasound, Personhood Bills
A less invasive but still controversial version of Virginia's pre-abortion ultrasound bill -- that does not mandate transvaginal ultrasounds -- has passed out of a Senate committee. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that the Senate Education and Health Committee passed a version of the bill on Thursday, by a vote of 8-7. On Wednesday, Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) backed off from his initial support of a bill that would have mandated that women receive a transvaginal or pelvic ultrasound before they couldThe ...Obama Calls Upon Congress To Pass 'Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights'
The White House on Thursday released a report outlining the Obama Administration's goals for protecting consumer privacy as more and more of our personal lives end up online. "Never has privacy been more important than today, in the age of the Internet, the World Wide Web and smart phones," President Obama wrote in a statement at the beginning of the report. The report calls upon Congress to pass a "Consumer Privacy of Bill of Rights," going on to outline just what the White House wants to see in such ...Conspiracy! Rivals Accuse Romney And Paul Of Collusion
The warm friendship between Ron Paul and Mitt Romney is starting to annoy their rivals, who are openly accusing the two candidates of forming a Survivor-style alliance. Ron Paul has mostly refrained from tough attacks on Romney, who has some kind words in turn for Paul. The libertarian-leaning Congressman has instead used his debate performances and advertising dollars to go after the rest of the field. Thursday's debate was no different as Paul lashed Santorum as a "fake" conservative, an attack he's...Fox And Friends: Class Warriors When Convenient
If you were outraged back in 2009 when the banks that played a large part in the economic meltdown handed out large bonuses to their executives, you may have just found an unlikely ally. Well, kind of. Fox and Friends hosts Steve Doocy and Brian Kilmeade expressed their consternation at the bonuses being handed out to employees at bankrupt solar panel company Solyndra LLC. That's right, the same Fox and Friends who began a segment on bank executive bonuses by asking whether government limiting...Idaho GOPer, Once Charged With Grand Theft Auto, Resigns Amid Sexual Harassment Scandal
An Idaho state Senator, previously seen failing a breathalyzer test and getting arrested for a DUI, has announced his resignation amid allegations that he sexually harassed a female Senate attache. Republican Senate leaders announced in a press conference on Wednesday that after he was confronted with the allegations, Sen. John McGee (R) said that he would immediately resign. "In this situation, my first priority is to ensure a safe, secure and professional work environment for Senate employees," said...Nancy Pelosi And Colbert Discuss DISCLOSE Act, Contraception
After vowing she would never be a guest on his show, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi stopped by the Colbert Report on Wednesday to discuss the DISCLOSE Act and the brouhaha over the Obama administration's contraception rule. Pelosi's measure is aimed at increasing transparency in election spending. If a business or wealthy individual is going to pour millions of dollars into an election, Pelosi said, "the public has a right to know by whose authority is this coming to them." But if businesses are...Newt's Wildly Ambitious Plan To Save $500 Billion A Year
Newt Gingrich has a wildly ambitious plan to save $500 billion dollars per year by reforming civil service laws. Or it may be closer to impossible. "I agree generally with the need to reform government," Gingrich said in Wednesday's GOP debate in Arizona. "I think that, if we were prepared to repeal the 130-year-old civil service laws, go to a modern management system, we could save a minimum of $500 billion a year with a better system."Warren Radio Ad Slams GOP 'Moral Conviction' Bill On Health Care
Elizabeth Warren has a new radio ad in the Massachusetts Senate race, hammering Republicans on their response to health care reform and the contraception insurance mandates. Notably, Warren never mentions her chief rival Republican Sen. Scott Brown by name, though he is in fact a co-sponsor of the Republican bill in question. Warren starts off by going after last week's House committee hearing on the contraception issue, which in the morning featured an all-male panel of clergy. Warren then renews her...Editor & Publisher
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