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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) | |
| 11.22am: The Washington Times – the unloved conservative Tweedledee to the Washington Post's Tweedledum of DC print media – lines up a couple of broadsides against Mitt Romney. | |
| The first is a real cracker: an investigation into the links between the Romney campaign and the legally-unrelated pro-Romney Super Pac, Restore Our Future, which one expert describes as "a deliberate effort to mask the actual recipient of the money and therefore circumvent disclosure laws". | |
| Following what there is of a paper trail linking the two organisation, the Washington Times finds a connection in the person of a former top Romney aide, Steve Roche, who now works for the Super Pac: | |
| Though Mr Roche was regional finance director for the Romney campaign through the summer, in April a cryptically named limited liability company, Podium Capital Group LLC, was established in Delaware taking steps that hide its creator's identity, incorporation records show. The super Pac disclosed paying $1m for "fundraising services" to Podium on August 4, listing as its address a post office box in Beverly, Massachusetts. | |
| The super PAC, Restore Our Future, acknowledged to The Times that Podium is "Roche's company." | |
| The Romney campaign says it is careful to follow the law; but a review of the records shows that its interpretation relies on a remarkably strict and hard-to-demonstrate definition of coordination. | |
| The other Washington Times article hits Romney on his boasts of being a job-creating governor of Massachusetts during his term in office: | |
| In fact, Massachusetts had the weakest employment growth of any state from 2002 to 2006 except for Mississippi and Louisiana, which suffered the brunt of Hurricane Katrina, and Michigan itself, which was buffeted by the auto industry's woes. | |
| 11am: With only a day to go until voting opens in Michigan, three of the four GOP candidates are criss-crossing the state, while Newt Gingrich is preparing for next week's Super Tuesday primaries in Tennessee: | |
| Rick Santorum • 3pm: Holds a Rally for Rick. Lexington Lansing Hotel, Lansing • 7.30pm: Holds a Rally for Rick, Heritage Christian Academy, Kalamazoo | |
| Mitt Romney • 1.05pm: Holds a rally, Caster Concepts, Albion, Michigan • 6.45pm: With Michigan governor Rick Snyder, holds a rally in Royal Oak | |
| Ron Paul • 11am: Speaks at a town hall on Solving Detroit's Crises, Detroit • 4pm: Speaks at a Youth for Ron Paul rally, Michigan State University • 7pm: Speaks at a Doctors for Dr Ron Paul rally, Dearborn's Ford Community and Performing Arts Centre, Dearborn | |
| Newt Gingrich • 10am CT: Holds a healthcare roundtable, Nashville, Tennessee • Noon CT: Speaks at a First Tuesday Luncheon, Nashville • 3pm CT: Holds a rally, Tennessee State Capitol, Nashville | |
| 10.37am: Republican civil war update: conservative firebrand Ann Coulter – a big Mitt Romney supporter – laid into former Florida governor Jeb Bush, highlighting the rifts within the party. | |
| Last week Bush described the tone of the Republican presidential contest as "troubling". | |
| Coulter hit back on Fox News yesterday, accusing Bush of aping Sarah Palin and harbouring presidential ambitions: | |
| I don't think it's helpful to have the primaries going on this long with the candidates who are actually in the race attacking one another. We certainly don't need the peanut gallery throwing shots as well. And, I think on closer examination, Jeb Bush would be the worst of all candidates to run. For one thing, we don't need another Bush. That would just be embarrassing to the Republican Party. But also he's more pro-amnesty for illegals than his brother was, more than Rick Perry was — and it certainly didn't help Rick Perry. Again, showing the problem of this idea of a brokered or a contested convention where some mystery candidate will emerge. Well, all it means is a candidate who hasn't been vetted, like Jeb Bush. | |
| So Jeb Bush – a respected figure inside the GOP who remains a popular figure in Florida – is a member of "the peanut gallery"? | |
| Dear Ann Coulter: Jeb Bush is many things, but "the peanut gallery" he is not. vlt.tc/5pq | |
| Ben Domenech is among those who is unimpressed with Coulter's remarks. | |
| 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: | 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. | 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. | 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: | 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. | 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. | 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? | 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." |