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| Arizona and Michigan primaries live: final day of campaigning by Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum | Arizona and Michigan primaries live: final day of campaigning by Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| 10.26am: Rather than pondering Clarence Thomas's chances of being the GOP nominee – something that would be a win-win for the Democrats, since it would guarantee an Obama win and get Thomas off the Supreme Court – we can instead waste time on Mitt Romney's vice presidential choices. | |
| On Sunday on CBS's Face the Nation, Chris Christie clearly signalled that he's in the market for the VP nomination: | |
| If Governor Romney were to come and talk to me about it, I'd listen because I love my party enough and I love my country enough to listen. But I love being governor of New Jersey.... If you're betting, bet on my being governor of New Jersey into next year. | |
| As non-denial denials go, that's one of the weakest on record. If Christie was the VP nominee and the Romney-Christie ticket won in November, Christie wouldn't have to resign until 20 January 2013 – or "into next year" – and still win that bet. | |
| 10.15am: An early contender for the Worst Article of the 2012 Election Cycle comes to us from the Daily Beast on the GOP's hunt for a presidential nominee: | |
| While [Chris] Christie and [Jeb] Bush might be fine candidates, perhaps the Republicans should consider a more inspired and game-changing pick: Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. | |
| A sign of the brilliance of this argument is contained in the article's conclusion: "Yes, it is hard to believe that Clarence Thomas would ever be the Republican nominee." That part is true. | |
| As OTB blogger Steven Taylor (hat-tip) wonders: When did the Daily Beast Become The Onion? | |
| 9.54am: The RomneyBot 2000 software upgrade continues to reveal a few bugs during testing. Last week there was Romney's "two Cadillacs" remark and yesterday – as Ryan Devereaux reported below – at the the Daytona 500 there was the "I have some great friends that are NASCAR team owners" remark. | 9.54am: The RomneyBot 2000 software upgrade continues to reveal a few bugs during testing. Last week there was Romney's "two Cadillacs" remark and yesterday – as Ryan Devereaux reported below – at the the Daytona 500 there was the "I have some great friends that are NASCAR team owners" remark. |
| But here's what Romney said earlier at the Nascar drivers' meeting: | But here's what Romney said earlier at the Nascar drivers' meeting: |
| This combines a couple of things I like best, cars and sports. I appreciate the spirit of the men and women that are driving today. This is a chance to really look at some of the determination and great qualities of the human spirit. This is quintessentially American. I love what you're doing, happy to be here today. | This combines a couple of things I like best, cars and sports. I appreciate the spirit of the men and women that are driving today. This is a chance to really look at some of the determination and great qualities of the human spirit. This is quintessentially American. I love what you're doing, happy to be here today. |
| He then left before the race started. Obviously a quintessentially huge fan. | He then left before the race started. Obviously a quintessentially huge fan. |
| 9.40am: Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney are locked in a bitter battle for votes in Michigan on the final day of campaigning before the Republican primaries there and in Arizona – and we have live coverage of the war within the GOP. | 9.40am: Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney are locked in a bitter battle for votes in Michigan on the final day of campaigning before the Republican primaries there and in Arizona – and we have live coverage of the war within the GOP. |
| Here's Ryan Devereaux's summary of today's campaign news: | Here's Ryan Devereaux's summary of today's campaign news: |
| • Candidates in the Republican primaries of Michigan and Arizona are spending their last full day of campaigning before voting tomorrow. Rick Santorum has squandered his earlier big lead in the Michigan polls: Public Policy Polling has Romney regaining the advantage, putting him at 39%, compared to 37% for Santorum, 13% for Ron Paul and 9% for Newt Gingrich. While only 16% of Michigan voters have cast their ballots early, those who have overwhelmingly supported Romney. | • Candidates in the Republican primaries of Michigan and Arizona are spending their last full day of campaigning before voting tomorrow. Rick Santorum has squandered his earlier big lead in the Michigan polls: Public Policy Polling has Romney regaining the advantage, putting him at 39%, compared to 37% for Santorum, 13% for Ron Paul and 9% for Newt Gingrich. While only 16% of Michigan voters have cast their ballots early, those who have overwhelmingly supported Romney. |
| • Arizona is also holding its primary on Tuesday and PPP is predicting a massive Romney victory. PPP has Romney with 43% to just 26% for Santorum, 18% for Gingrich and 11% for Paul. Nearly half of Arizona's expected voters have already cast their ballots and Romney has a 48%-25% lead over Santorum among that group. | • Arizona is also holding its primary on Tuesday and PPP is predicting a massive Romney victory. PPP has Romney with 43% to just 26% for Santorum, 18% for Gingrich and 11% for Paul. Nearly half of Arizona's expected voters have already cast their ballots and Romney has a 48%-25% lead over Santorum among that group. |
| • The ongoing race for the Republican presidential nomination appears to have bolstered President Obama's popularity, according to recent polling. A new George Washington University/Politico poll finds Obama's approval has climbed to 53%, an increase of nine percentage point in the last four months. Obama is ahead against his potential rivals: against Mitt Romney, Obama leads 53%-43% and against Rick Santorum, the president leads by an almost identical 53%-42%. | • The ongoing race for the Republican presidential nomination appears to have bolstered President Obama's popularity, according to recent polling. A new George Washington University/Politico poll finds Obama's approval has climbed to 53%, an increase of nine percentage point in the last four months. Obama is ahead against his potential rivals: against Mitt Romney, Obama leads 53%-43% and against Rick Santorum, the president leads by an almost identical 53%-42%. |
| • New Jersey governor Chris Christie has taken issue with Santorum's suggestion that President Obama is a "snob" for encouraging young people to go to college. Appearing on Face the Nation, Christie – an influential GOP figure – said: "I think that's probably over the line ... I don't think the president is a snob for saying that." Of Santorum's position on higher education, Christie said it "doesn't make any sense." | • New Jersey governor Chris Christie has taken issue with Santorum's suggestion that President Obama is a "snob" for encouraging young people to go to college. Appearing on Face the Nation, Christie – an influential GOP figure – said: "I think that's probably over the line ... I don't think the president is a snob for saying that." Of Santorum's position on higher education, Christie said it "doesn't make any sense." |
| • In his latest effort to appear down to earth, Romney has attempted to demonstrate an appreciation for Nascar. The former governor visited the Daytona International Speedway on Sunday and when asked if he follows the sport, the multi-millionaire responded, "Not as closely as some of the most ardent fans. But I have some great friends that are Nascar team owners." | • In his latest effort to appear down to earth, Romney has attempted to demonstrate an appreciation for Nascar. The former governor visited the Daytona International Speedway on Sunday and when asked if he follows the sport, the multi-millionaire responded, "Not as closely as some of the most ardent fans. But I have some great friends that are Nascar team owners." |
| • Santorum said the president shouldn't have apologized for US troops burning Korans in Afghanistan. Speaking to NBC, he said: "I don't think the president should apologise for something that was clearly inadvertent... There was no act that needed an apology." Santorum went on to say "the response should be apologised for by [President Hamid] Karzai and the Afghan people of attacking and killing our men and women in uniform and overreacting to this inadvertent mistake. That is the real crime here, not what our soldiers did." | • Santorum said the president shouldn't have apologized for US troops burning Korans in Afghanistan. Speaking to NBC, he said: "I don't think the president should apologise for something that was clearly inadvertent... There was no act that needed an apology." Santorum went on to say "the response should be apologised for by [President Hamid] Karzai and the Afghan people of attacking and killing our men and women in uniform and overreacting to this inadvertent mistake. That is the real crime here, not what our soldiers did." |