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| Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum battle for Ohio ahead of Super Tuesday – live | Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum battle for Ohio ahead of Super Tuesday – live |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| 12.30pm: Shirley Sherrod, the department of agriculture employee who was harshly treated by Andrew Brietbart via a selectively-edited video clip, has released a gracious statement on hearing of the journalist's death: | |
| The news of Mr Breitbart's death came as a surprise to me when I was informed of it this morning. My prayers go out to Mr Breitbart's family as they cope through this very difficult time. | |
| 12.22pm: The US Senate has blocked the so-called Blunt amendment that would grant employers the right to exclude services such as contraception from workplace health insurance. | |
| A few Democrats voted for the amendment, including Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, while Olympia Snowe, the retiring Republican of of Maine, voted against it. | |
| 12.13pm: Ah, another Mitt Romney blooper, a remark from Romney's Nascar trip on the weekend that netted the "some of my best friends are Nascar team owners" remark. | |
| This one passed me by but luckily Fox News's Bill O'Reilly picked it up and asked Romney about it, as reported by Felicia Sonmez: | |
| At the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Romney had made two statements that Democrats quickly seized on. He joked to a group of NASCAR fans who were wearing plastic ponchos in the rain, "I like those fancy raincoats you bought – really sprung for the big bucks." | |
| Again with the money remarks likely to endear him to regular folk. Romney told O'Reilly: "Look, I have worn a garbage bag for rain gear myself. And we're out there in the rain; the rain was getting us soaked; I didn't have a rain coat myself. I would have liked one of those. So, you know, it's just the nature of the process." | |
| What? That makes no sense. | |
| 11.57am: The latest person to discover that emailing a racist joke to a few friends can come back and bite you is US District Judge Richard Cebull. | |
| Cebull, nominated by President Bush and chief judge for the District of Montana since 2008, is surprised that somehow this managed to finds itself in the hands of the Great Falls Tribune in Helena, Montana: | |
| The subject line of the email, which Cebull sent from his official courthouse email address at 3:42 p.m. Feb. 20, reads: "A MOM'S MEMORY." | |
| The forwarded text reads as follows: | |
| "Normally I don't send or forward a lot of these, but even by my standards, it was a bit touching. I want all of my friends to feel what I felt when I read this. Hope it touches your heart like it did mine. | |
| "A little boy said to his mother; 'Mommy, how come I'm black and you're white?' | |
| "His mother replied, 'Don't even go there Barack! From what I can remember about that party, you're lucky you don't bark!'" | |
| Cebull said Wednesday that he sent the email to seven recipients, including his personal email address. | |
| Admitting that the joke was racist, Cebull told the Great Falls Tribune: "t was not intended by me in any way to become public. I apologize to anybody who is offended by it, and I can obviously understand why people would be offended." | |
| Ah the old "I apologise to anybody who is offended by it" line. Taxi for Judge Cebull? | |
| 11.35am: The Republican presidential race continues to veer wildly about like a Washington DC taxi driver: no idea of the final destination and plenty of sharp turns while the meter runs. | 11.35am: The Republican presidential race continues to veer wildly about like a Washington DC taxi driver: no idea of the final destination and plenty of sharp turns while the meter runs. |
| A new survey of national Republican opinion shows that Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum have flipped places: | A new survey of national Republican opinion shows that Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum have flipped places: |
| The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Republican Primary Voters shows Romney with 40% support to 24% for the former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania. This is Romney's biggest lead to date and the highest level of support any GOP candidate has earned in regular surveying of the race. Two weeks ago, it was Santorum 39%, Romney 27%. | The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Republican Primary Voters shows Romney with 40% support to 24% for the former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania. This is Romney's biggest lead to date and the highest level of support any GOP candidate has earned in regular surveying of the race. Two weeks ago, it was Santorum 39%, Romney 27%. |
| That's in the space of just two weeks. | That's in the space of just two weeks. |
| 11.10am: The tributes – not all of them laudatory – are flowing for Andrew Breitbart, who died at the age of 43 in the early hours of this morning. | 11.10am: The tributes – not all of them laudatory – are flowing for Andrew Breitbart, who died at the age of 43 in the early hours of this morning. |
| RedState's Erick Erickson: | RedState's Erick Erickson: |
| What I admired most about Andrew was his willingness to be the lightening rod despite criticism from both the left and the right. He was the lightening rod and when lightening struck, Andrew used the brilliant flash of light to direct everyone's attention to precisely what he wanted them to see. He was a master at it. The attention he garnered was never about getting attention for himself, but using the attention to tell the story and share the news he wanted told and shared. | What I admired most about Andrew was his willingness to be the lightening rod despite criticism from both the left and the right. He was the lightening rod and when lightening struck, Andrew used the brilliant flash of light to direct everyone's attention to precisely what he wanted them to see. He was a master at it. The attention he garnered was never about getting attention for himself, but using the attention to tell the story and share the news he wanted told and shared. |
| Ricochet's Ben Domenech: | Ricochet's Ben Domenech: |
| He delighted in the rush of confrontation with the left, because he recognized them for their true nature, and had no patience for false politeness about their intentions for the nation. His enemies painted him as a wild-eyed blustering clown - but oh, how he confounded them, and they learned, again and again, that he would laugh last. | He delighted in the rush of confrontation with the left, because he recognized them for their true nature, and had no patience for false politeness about their intentions for the nation. His enemies painted him as a wild-eyed blustering clown - but oh, how he confounded them, and they learned, again and again, that he would laugh last. |
| Breitbart believed intensely in the value of hard work and the essential worth and sanity of the American people. He was confident that if only the people knew the truth, if only they had something other than the New York Times to give it to them, they would choose the right path. So he had many enemies, and many more friends. | Breitbart believed intensely in the value of hard work and the essential worth and sanity of the American people. He was confident that if only the people knew the truth, if only they had something other than the New York Times to give it to them, they would choose the right path. So he had many enemies, and many more friends. |
| The satirical website Wonkette: | The satirical website Wonkette: |
| American blog owner Andrew Breitbart is dead. He was 43 years old, and reportedly died of "natural causes" in Los Angeles early this morning. We knew Breitbart – "we" meaning many of us who have written for Wonkette – and he was a pleasant enough goofball in person, and a talented writer of headlines who worked anonymously for many years as Matt Drudge's assistant on the West Coast. What he is known for today is the vile collection of websites that includes "Big Government" and his rambling, slurring appearances on broadcast media. | American blog owner Andrew Breitbart is dead. He was 43 years old, and reportedly died of "natural causes" in Los Angeles early this morning. We knew Breitbart – "we" meaning many of us who have written for Wonkette – and he was a pleasant enough goofball in person, and a talented writer of headlines who worked anonymously for many years as Matt Drudge's assistant on the West Coast. What he is known for today is the vile collection of websites that includes "Big Government" and his rambling, slurring appearances on broadcast media. |
| Breitbart leaves behind a wife and four children, along with hundreds of idiotic half-literate bloggers for his various websites who share his zeal for mindlessly attacking every non-wingnut aspect of life on Earth but lack his amiable personality. | Breitbart leaves behind a wife and four children, along with hundreds of idiotic half-literate bloggers for his various websites who share his zeal for mindlessly attacking every non-wingnut aspect of life on Earth but lack his amiable personality. |
| 10.49am: Mitt Romney's big mouth – or small ears – got him into trouble with Republican activists again last night, when he said he opposed a move to give employers the right to exclude contraception from health insurance coverage for their employees, saying he would not support a controversial amendment backed by Senate Republicans: | 10.49am: Mitt Romney's big mouth – or small ears – got him into trouble with Republican activists again last night, when he said he opposed a move to give employers the right to exclude contraception from health insurance coverage for their employees, saying he would not support a controversial amendment backed by Senate Republicans: |
| I'm not for the bill," Romney told ONN-TV, when asked if he had a position on the legislation. "But look, the idea of presidential candidates getting into questions about contraception within a relationship between a man and a women, husband and wife, I'm not going there. | I'm not for the bill," Romney told ONN-TV, when asked if he had a position on the legislation. "But look, the idea of presidential candidates getting into questions about contraception within a relationship between a man and a women, husband and wife, I'm not going there. |
| But it was all a terrible mistake, the Romney campaign quickly clarified, saying: "The way the question was asked was confusing." Mmm. Romney's answer doesn't seem to leave much room for confusion: "I'm not going there". Until he did. So much for not "setting my hair on fire," eh? | But it was all a terrible mistake, the Romney campaign quickly clarified, saying: "The way the question was asked was confusing." Mmm. Romney's answer doesn't seem to leave much room for confusion: "I'm not going there". Until he did. So much for not "setting my hair on fire," eh? |
| Quick off the mark is the Obama campaign with this mocking artwork envisaging what an employer's opt-out on contraception might look like. Chilling stuff. | Quick off the mark is the Obama campaign with this mocking artwork envisaging what an employer's opt-out on contraception might look like. Chilling stuff. |
| 10.33am: Writing in the Wall Street Journal today, Karl Rove argues that Mitt Romney is in pole position to win the Republican nomination – although that's what everyone has been saying since this contest began. Eventually it will be right. | 10.33am: Writing in the Wall Street Journal today, Karl Rove argues that Mitt Romney is in pole position to win the Republican nomination – although that's what everyone has been saying since this contest began. Eventually it will be right. |
| Ever the reductionist, Rove boils the contest down to Georgia and Ohio: | Ever the reductionist, Rove boils the contest down to Georgia and Ohio: |
| If Mr Gingrich fails to take Georgia (76 delegates) – which he represented in Congress for two decades – he's done. Even if he wins a plurality, he must carry one or both of the other Southern states voting that day – Oklahoma (43 delegates) and Tennessee (58), since he failed to qualify for the Virginia primary – or risk being marginalized. Even with other Southern victories, he could look like a regional candidate. | If Mr Gingrich fails to take Georgia (76 delegates) – which he represented in Congress for two decades – he's done. Even if he wins a plurality, he must carry one or both of the other Southern states voting that day – Oklahoma (43 delegates) and Tennessee (58), since he failed to qualify for the Virginia primary – or risk being marginalized. Even with other Southern victories, he could look like a regional candidate. |
| Mr Santorum is focused on Ohio, Tuesday's key battleground with 66 delegates. Mr Romney can afford a narrow loss there as long as he wins a solid plurality of all the Super Tuesday delegates. Mr Santorum's candidacy will realistically be at an end if he loses the Buckeye State, though he could linger for weeks. Even a win leaves him on life support unless he can also best Mr Romney in Tuesday's Southern contests, coming in first or second with Mr Romney trailing in second or third place. | Mr Santorum is focused on Ohio, Tuesday's key battleground with 66 delegates. Mr Romney can afford a narrow loss there as long as he wins a solid plurality of all the Super Tuesday delegates. Mr Santorum's candidacy will realistically be at an end if he loses the Buckeye State, though he could linger for weeks. Even a win leaves him on life support unless he can also best Mr Romney in Tuesday's Southern contests, coming in first or second with Mr Romney trailing in second or third place. |
| Karl Rove doesn't like contested primaries. Bad for morale. | Karl Rove doesn't like contested primaries. Bad for morale. |
| 10.05am: The media-right is understandably in shock at the news of the sudden death of Andrew Breitbart, a Harlequin figure who if nothing else was a pioneer of political coverage on the internet. | 10.05am: The media-right is understandably in shock at the news of the sudden death of Andrew Breitbart, a Harlequin figure who if nothing else was a pioneer of political coverage on the internet. |
| Apologize for WHAT? @KRAUSEEE | Apologize for WHAT? @KRAUSEEE |
| One of Breitbart's last tweets – sent only a few hours before his death in Los Angeles – is a fitting tribute to someone who didn't apologise for much. | One of Breitbart's last tweets – sent only a few hours before his death in Los Angeles – is a fitting tribute to someone who didn't apologise for much. |
| 9.45am: Good morning and welcome to today's daily dose of campaign politics, as the Republican candidates make a big push ahead of Super Tuesday. | 9.45am: Good morning and welcome to today's daily dose of campaign politics, as the Republican candidates make a big push ahead of Super Tuesday. |
| Here's a summary of news on and off the trail with Ryan Deveraux. | Here's a summary of news on and off the trail with Ryan Deveraux. |
| • With Super Tuesday less than a week away, the frontrunners have set their sights on Ohio. Rick Santorum hopes to gain traction with white working class and Christian conservative voters in order to stage a comeback after his losses to Mitt Romney in Arizona and Michigan earlier this week. Polls taken before those primaries indicated Santorum had the advantage over Romney in Ohio. Santorum was also boosted by news that he tied with Romney for the delegate count in Michigan. | • With Super Tuesday less than a week away, the frontrunners have set their sights on Ohio. Rick Santorum hopes to gain traction with white working class and Christian conservative voters in order to stage a comeback after his losses to Mitt Romney in Arizona and Michigan earlier this week. Polls taken before those primaries indicated Santorum had the advantage over Romney in Ohio. Santorum was also boosted by news that he tied with Romney for the delegate count in Michigan. |
| • Mitt Romney is clearly not going to give up Ohio without a serious fight. On Wednesday the former Massachusetts governor traveled to Ohio to campaign in Columbus and Toledo, where he warned that China is "taking away our jobs" and called Santorum an "economic lightweight". | • Mitt Romney is clearly not going to give up Ohio without a serious fight. On Wednesday the former Massachusetts governor traveled to Ohio to campaign in Columbus and Toledo, where he warned that China is "taking away our jobs" and called Santorum an "economic lightweight". |
| • The conservative journalist Andrew Breitbart has died. This morning Breitbart's website Big Government reported that the 43 year-old unexpectedly died of natural causes in Los Angeles shortly after midnight. Breitbart was a former editor on the Drudge Report website and was a co-founder of the Huffington Post. | • The conservative journalist Andrew Breitbart has died. This morning Breitbart's website Big Government reported that the 43 year-old unexpectedly died of natural causes in Los Angeles shortly after midnight. Breitbart was a former editor on the Drudge Report website and was a co-founder of the Huffington Post. |
| • Barack Obama's Super Pac, Priorities USA, has launched a new ad in Ohio attacking Romney for his position on the auto bailout. Romney opposed the bailout while the White House has touted the effort as a major success. Like Michigan, workers in Ohio were directly impacted by the auto industry's struggles. The president's strategists reportedly see the issue as an opportunity to wound Romney in the general election if he gets the nomination. | • Barack Obama's Super Pac, Priorities USA, has launched a new ad in Ohio attacking Romney for his position on the auto bailout. Romney opposed the bailout while the White House has touted the effort as a major success. Like Michigan, workers in Ohio were directly impacted by the auto industry's struggles. The president's strategists reportedly see the issue as an opportunity to wound Romney in the general election if he gets the nomination. |
| • Romney caused controversy within the GOP Wednesday when said he opposed a Senate amendment allowing employers and insurers to limit contraceptive coverage if they had moral or religious objections. The amendment has conservative support and was being debated in Congress yesterday. Romney told an Ohio news station he was "not for the bill" and added: "the idea of presidential candidates getting into questions about contraception within a relationship between a man and a women, husband and wife, I'm not going there." The comment was quickly chalked up to a misunderstanding of the question, and Romney and his aides said he strongly supports the amendment. | • Romney caused controversy within the GOP Wednesday when said he opposed a Senate amendment allowing employers and insurers to limit contraceptive coverage if they had moral or religious objections. The amendment has conservative support and was being debated in Congress yesterday. Romney told an Ohio news station he was "not for the bill" and added: "the idea of presidential candidates getting into questions about contraception within a relationship between a man and a women, husband and wife, I'm not going there." The comment was quickly chalked up to a misunderstanding of the question, and Romney and his aides said he strongly supports the amendment. |
| • The president will be in New York City today for a major round of fund raising. Obama will visit the home of two major New York donors, Sarah and Viktor Kovner. He will then head to a dinner at ABC Kitchen, followed by a reception at ABC Carpet and Home (with 900 guests expected to attend) and he will wrap up with a dessert reception hosted by Michael Smith and James Costos. The Obama team reportedly expects to bring in $4m to $5m for the re-election efforts. | • The president will be in New York City today for a major round of fund raising. Obama will visit the home of two major New York donors, Sarah and Viktor Kovner. He will then head to a dinner at ABC Kitchen, followed by a reception at ABC Carpet and Home (with 900 guests expected to attend) and he will wrap up with a dessert reception hosted by Michael Smith and James Costos. The Obama team reportedly expects to bring in $4m to $5m for the re-election efforts. |