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| US politics live: Rick Santorum's surge threatens Mitt Romney | US politics live: Rick Santorum's surge threatens Mitt Romney |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| 11.51am: Rather than a bucket of glittter, it seems Rick Santorum is about to get a bucket of something else dumped on his head, thanks to the Mitt Romney campaign and an entirely uncoordinated Romney-supporting Super Pac, via Buzzfeed Politics: | |
| In an interview with BuzzFeed, a Romney advisor offered details of the campaign's coming two-front attack, which the campaign expects will be echoed by the Super PAC, which cannot legally coordinate its message, but which has already bought hundreds of thousands of dollars of airtime in key states. | |
| "Santorum's a blank slate, so everyone's projecting on to him what they want because he's the last anti-Romney," said the advisor. "Santorum is going to get introduced to people that don't know him. | |
| The brief piece ends with this money quote: | |
| The expectation is that Santorum, just given his personality, is going to whine like crazy about this," the advisor laughed. | |
| I think we should assume "the advisor laughed" went something like this. | |
| 11.24am: So Rick Santorum was glitter-bombed again last night, in Tacoma, prompting this tweet: | |
| Maybe Rick Santorum should just walk around covered in glitter so it serves no purpose to bomb. | |
| Which would not only save time but also be generally cool. | |
| For the record, this is the sixth time Santorum has been glitter-bombed during the campaign and it is getting old. Can we not mix it up a bit? | |
| 11.01am: The Economist has a good summary of the budget kabuki playing out in Washington this week: | 11.01am: The Economist has a good summary of the budget kabuki playing out in Washington this week: |
| There are two reasons Mr Obama's budgets have become irrelevant, one good and one bad. The first, good reason is that since 2008 balancing the budget has simply had to take a back seat to averting economic collapse.... The resulting red ink is not pretty but plainly better than applying a fiscal vice at a time when monetary policymakers are running out of ideas for stimulating demand. | There are two reasons Mr Obama's budgets have become irrelevant, one good and one bad. The first, good reason is that since 2008 balancing the budget has simply had to take a back seat to averting economic collapse.... The resulting red ink is not pretty but plainly better than applying a fiscal vice at a time when monetary policymakers are running out of ideas for stimulating demand. |
| The second, bad reason is that the parties are deeply polarised, largely over Republicans' refusal to consider tax increases on a scale that Democrats consider meaningful. The result of these two forces is that fiscal policy only gets made when it absolutely must, usually in late-night white knuckle negotiating sessions with a sword hanging over the heads of both parties.... | The second, bad reason is that the parties are deeply polarised, largely over Republicans' refusal to consider tax increases on a scale that Democrats consider meaningful. The result of these two forces is that fiscal policy only gets made when it absolutely must, usually in late-night white knuckle negotiating sessions with a sword hanging over the heads of both parties.... |
| 10.53am: America's civil war – was it about slavery or states rights? Neither – it was about vampires*. According to Time, the Tim Burton-produced movie is "a promising first glimpse of the Civil War as Vampire Apocalypse." | |
| Yes it's a real thing: Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter hits the cinema screen soon and it looks awesome. | Yes it's a real thing: Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter hits the cinema screen soon and it looks awesome. |
| *Actually, it was about slavery | *Actually, it was about slavery |
| 10.31am: The GOP candidates are spread out all around the country today like a fast-growing frozen yoghurt franchise: | 10.31am: The GOP candidates are spread out all around the country today like a fast-growing frozen yoghurt franchise: |
| Rick Santorum • Noon (Pacific time): Rally at Hagadone Event Center, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho • 7pm PT: Rally, Capital High School Auditorium, Boise, Idaho | Rick Santorum • Noon (Pacific time): Rally at Hagadone Event Center, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho • 7pm PT: Rally, Capital High School Auditorium, Boise, Idaho |
| Mitt Romney • Travelling from Arizona to Michigan ahead of events there tomorrow and gnashing his teeth | Mitt Romney • Travelling from Arizona to Michigan ahead of events there tomorrow and gnashing his teeth |
| Newt Gingrich • Held a fundraising event at Fairbanks Ranch Country Club, San Diego • 2.30pm PT: Visits Tulare World Agriculture Expo, Tulare, California | Newt Gingrich • Held a fundraising event at Fairbanks Ranch Country Club, San Diego • 2.30pm PT: Visits Tulare World Agriculture Expo, Tulare, California |
| Ron Paul • Ensconced in his underground lair on Death Island, saying: "Since the beginning of time, man has yearned to destroy the sun." No, we don't know where he is. Congress maybe? | Ron Paul • Ensconced in his underground lair on Death Island, saying: "Since the beginning of time, man has yearned to destroy the sun." No, we don't know where he is. Congress maybe? |
| 10.15am: Here's a brief summary of the latest news from Ryan Devereaux: | 10.15am: Here's a brief summary of the latest news from Ryan Devereaux: |
| • Following his three victories last week, Rick Santorum is surging in the polls. A new CBS News/New York Times survey has the former Pennsylvania senator tied with Mitt Romney in support from Republican primary voters. Public Policy Polling, meanwhile, reports Santorum leading Romney by a wide margin in national support; 38% to 23%, respectively. The same poll has Newt Gingrich receiving 17% Ron Paul earning 13% of the support. PPP also reports Santorum is enjoying a significant lead in Romney's home state of Michigan, where the candidates' next major primary is scheduled. According to PPP, 39% of Michigan's Republican primary voters, compared to 24% for Mitt Romney,12% for Ron Paul and 11% for Newt Gingrich. Santorum's bump in popularity is fuelled by support he's received from evangelical Christians, the Tea Party and voters who identify themselves as "very conservative." | • Following his three victories last week, Rick Santorum is surging in the polls. A new CBS News/New York Times survey has the former Pennsylvania senator tied with Mitt Romney in support from Republican primary voters. Public Policy Polling, meanwhile, reports Santorum leading Romney by a wide margin in national support; 38% to 23%, respectively. The same poll has Newt Gingrich receiving 17% Ron Paul earning 13% of the support. PPP also reports Santorum is enjoying a significant lead in Romney's home state of Michigan, where the candidates' next major primary is scheduled. According to PPP, 39% of Michigan's Republican primary voters, compared to 24% for Mitt Romney,12% for Ron Paul and 11% for Newt Gingrich. Santorum's bump in popularity is fuelled by support he's received from evangelical Christians, the Tea Party and voters who identify themselves as "very conservative." |
| • Romney is not giving up Michigan without a fight. Politico reports his Super PAC, Restore Our Future, has dumped nearly half a million dollars into advertising in the state for the next six days alone. The figure triples the amount Romney's supporters have spent in Michigan advertising so far. Romney has also penned an OpEd in Detroit News attacking President Obama's auto bailout, a decision that resonated significantly in Michigan. Romney argues a managed bankruptcy would have produced largely the same result as a bailout but been more efficient. | • Romney is not giving up Michigan without a fight. Politico reports his Super PAC, Restore Our Future, has dumped nearly half a million dollars into advertising in the state for the next six days alone. The figure triples the amount Romney's supporters have spent in Michigan advertising so far. Romney has also penned an OpEd in Detroit News attacking President Obama's auto bailout, a decision that resonated significantly in Michigan. Romney argues a managed bankruptcy would have produced largely the same result as a bailout but been more efficient. |
| • Despite dwindling funds and lagging support, Newt Gingrich believes he is due for a comeback. The former House speaker has travelled to donor-rich California to drum up money for his campaign. Speaking at a rally Monday he dismissed any suggestion that he was out of the presidential contest. | • Despite dwindling funds and lagging support, Newt Gingrich believes he is due for a comeback. The former House speaker has travelled to donor-rich California to drum up money for his campaign. Speaking at a rally Monday he dismissed any suggestion that he was out of the presidential contest. |
| • A satirical defintion of the word "Romney" has cracked Google's top 10 list of searches on the candidate's last name. In the same way that "spreading Santorum" was used to associate anti-gay candidate Rick Santorum with "the frothy mixture of lube and fecal matter that is sometimes the by-product of anal sex," pranksters have now posited that "Romney" is also a verb, meaning "to defecate in fear." For example, one might use the following sentence, "Realizing Adelson had pulled out support, Gingrich thought he might soon Romney at the podium." The verb has been associated with an infamous incident in which the former Massachusetts governor strapped Seamus, the family dog, in a box on the roof of the car during a 1983 road trip. Overcome with terror, Seamus romneyed all over the place. | • A satirical defintion of the word "Romney" has cracked Google's top 10 list of searches on the candidate's last name. In the same way that "spreading Santorum" was used to associate anti-gay candidate Rick Santorum with "the frothy mixture of lube and fecal matter that is sometimes the by-product of anal sex," pranksters have now posited that "Romney" is also a verb, meaning "to defecate in fear." For example, one might use the following sentence, "Realizing Adelson had pulled out support, Gingrich thought he might soon Romney at the podium." The verb has been associated with an infamous incident in which the former Massachusetts governor strapped Seamus, the family dog, in a box on the roof of the car during a 1983 road trip. Overcome with terror, Seamus romneyed all over the place. |
| 10am: As the dust settles on President Obama's ambitious budget proposal, the Republican presidential candidates Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney are heading for a bitter scrap as the race for the GOP nomination tightens. | 10am: As the dust settles on President Obama's ambitious budget proposal, the Republican presidential candidates Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney are heading for a bitter scrap as the race for the GOP nomination tightens. |
| Romney's status as the inevitable nominee and perennial frontrunner appears under threat as Santorum's recent successes in the west and midwest are reflected in new polling showing the former Pennsylvania senator in the lead nationally and in key upcoming primary races. | Romney's status as the inevitable nominee and perennial frontrunner appears under threat as Santorum's recent successes in the west and midwest are reflected in new polling showing the former Pennsylvania senator in the lead nationally and in key upcoming primary races. |
| And despite it being Valentine's Day, there's little love lost between Capitol Hill and the White House, as Republicans attempt to blunt the populist message of Obama's optimistic and electioneering budget. | And despite it being Valentine's Day, there's little love lost between Capitol Hill and the White House, as Republicans attempt to blunt the populist message of Obama's optimistic and electioneering budget. |
| And remember: just 20 days to go until voting on Super Tuesday, 6 March. | And remember: just 20 days to go until voting on Super Tuesday, 6 March. |