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| Wisconsin, Maryland and DC polling day - live | Wisconsin, Maryland and DC polling day - live |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| 1.30pm: Asked a question about the Supreme Court and the healthcare reform case, President Obama is careful to suggest that "the Supreme Court has the final say and we all have to respect it" – a more polite tone than Obama's comments when asked the same question yesterday. | |
| Certainly, there was no repeat of the "unelected group of people" we heard in the the Rose Garden press conference yesterday. | |
| Instead, Obama does point out that the Supreme Court has not overturned a major economic law passed by Congress since the New Deal and noting: "The burden is on those who would overturn a law like this." | |
| 1.19pm: Yikes. Obama just said that Ronald Reagan "couldn't get through the Republican primary" in today's political climate. | |
| That will go down like a cup of cold sick with the GOP, even if it's true. Personally, I think he probably could get nominated today – even though he's actually dead. | |
| On the other hand: the GOP is about to nominate Mitt Romney, so what would the objection to Reagan actually be? | |
| 1.14pm: As you'd expect, the Associated Press is covering Obama's speech to Associated Press executives: | |
| Speaking to publishers and editors, Obama said: "I believe deeply that the free market is the greatest force for economic progress in human history." | |
| Obama went into a lengthy, point-by-point critique of the Ryan budget, showing what he said would be a perilous future for senior citizens, college students, people with disabilities and many other Americans. He condemned the GOP plan as a "prescription for decline." | |
| "It's antithetical to our entire history as a land of opportunity and upward mobility for everybody who's willing to work for it, a place where prosperity doesn't trickle down from the top but grows outward from the heart of the middle class," he said. | |
| 1.01pm: There's no question that Obama is making a heavily political, election year speech – surprise, it's election year! | |
| After praising his Republican predecessors, Obama lays into their current party members, with a zinger that the Republicans running Congress have "doubled down" and proposed a budget so far to the right it makes the 1994 "Contract With America" look like the New Deal: | |
| What drags down our entire economy is when there is an ultra-wide chasm between the ultra-rich and everyone else. | |
| 12.45pm: More rebuttal to the GOP from Obama, with the president stressing: "I know the true engine of job creation is the private sector, not Washington." | |
| He then goes on to praise some of his Republican predecessors for their adoption of government programmes, saying: "I also share the belief of our first Republican president, Abraham Lincoln," as well as Eisenhower, Nixon, Reagan and even George W Bush, for passing Medicare Part D (which blew out the federal budget, but never mind). | |
| Shorter Obama speech: I am the moderate Republican in this presidential race! | |
| The Atlantic's Molly Ball sums up. | |
| 12.39pm: This is a very political and punchy speech by Obama, starting out with a joke about his recent "hot mike" moment when he told the assembled newspaper executives: "Feel free to transmit any of this to Vladimir if you can see him." | |
| Obama then briefly outlines his personal philosophy – "What can we do if anything to restore a sense of security to people who are willing to work hard?" before he launches into the Republican party and the up-coming election, saying "This is not a run of the mill political debate. I believe this is a make or break moment for the middle class." | |
| 12.22pm: President Obama is about to start speaking at an Associated Press lunch in Washington DC – and it sounds like he's going in with guns blazing – metaphorically – based on excerpts released by the White House. | |
| Obama calls the Republican budget backed by Paul Ryan "a Trojan horse": | |
| Disguised as deficit reduction plan, it's really an attempt to impose a radical vision on our country. It's nothing but thinly-veiled Social Darwinism. It's antithetical to our entire history as a land of opportunity and upward mobility for everyone who's willing to work for it.... And by gutting the very things we need to grow an economy that's built to last – education and training; research and development – it's a prescription for decline. | |
| 11.40am: More on the Rick Santorum death watch, via the excellent Jonathan Bernstein. When and where Santorum ends his candidacy depends on what Santorum wants: | 11.40am: More on the Rick Santorum death watch, via the excellent Jonathan Bernstein. When and where Santorum ends his candidacy depends on what Santorum wants: |
| Suppose that Santorum's main goal at this point is either a Cabinet position or, if he's lucky, the VP slot. In that case, the main constituency he cares about is very narrow: He wants to keep Mitt Romney happy. The best path, obviously, is to drop out and endorse the nominee. | Suppose that Santorum's main goal at this point is either a Cabinet position or, if he's lucky, the VP slot. In that case, the main constituency he cares about is very narrow: He wants to keep Mitt Romney happy. The best path, obviously, is to drop out and endorse the nominee. |
| On the other hand, what if Santorum wants a good slot on Fox News, or a syndicated national radio talk show, or big book sales? In that case, the additional exposure of staying in the race as long as possible is the way to go — unless the pressure to drop out begins to threaten those goals. Note that we have no idea (as far as I know) how this works: If Republican Party actors are unhappy with someone, can they cut off those kinds of opportunities? | On the other hand, what if Santorum wants a good slot on Fox News, or a syndicated national radio talk show, or big book sales? In that case, the additional exposure of staying in the race as long as possible is the way to go — unless the pressure to drop out begins to threaten those goals. Note that we have no idea (as far as I know) how this works: If Republican Party actors are unhappy with someone, can they cut off those kinds of opportunities? |
| What if Santorum is, at this point, running for 2016 (or 2020)? I'm not sure it matters. | What if Santorum is, at this point, running for 2016 (or 2020)? I'm not sure it matters. |
| 11.10am: Will the Republican nomination be all over after tonight? Maybe – given the latest polling data coming out of Rick Santorum's home state of Pennsylvania. | 11.10am: Will the Republican nomination be all over after tonight? Maybe – given the latest polling data coming out of Rick Santorum's home state of Pennsylvania. |
| According to a Quinnipiac University survey released today, Mitt Romney is just six points behind Santorum, with 35% to Santorum's 41%. That's very grim news for Santorum since the last poll by Quinnipiac had Santorum leading 36% to 22%. | According to a Quinnipiac University survey released today, Mitt Romney is just six points behind Santorum, with 35% to Santorum's 41%. That's very grim news for Santorum since the last poll by Quinnipiac had Santorum leading 36% to 22%. |
| If Romney grabs a little momentum after tonight's results, the Pennsylvania primary might not look like winnable for Santorum. In that case: lights out, it's all over. | If Romney grabs a little momentum after tonight's results, the Pennsylvania primary might not look like winnable for Santorum. In that case: lights out, it's all over. |
| 11am: Where are the candidates today? According to Newt Gingrich's schedule, he is "in North Carolina". Ron Paul is in Chico, California. So let's guess that means that aren't expecting a shock upset victory anytime tonight. | 11am: Where are the candidates today? According to Newt Gingrich's schedule, he is "in North Carolina". Ron Paul is in Chico, California. So let's guess that means that aren't expecting a shock upset victory anytime tonight. |
| Rick Santorum is in Mars today. Literally. Mars, Pennsylvania, in fact, although most of the time he's orbiting Pluto. | Rick Santorum is in Mars today. Literally. Mars, Pennsylvania, in fact, although most of the time he's orbiting Pluto. |
| Mitt Romney – who will win everything – is actually in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, tonight for his victory romp, whereupon he will ascend into the heavens, borne aloft by cherubs taking the form of Paul Ryan. | Mitt Romney – who will win everything – is actually in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, tonight for his victory romp, whereupon he will ascend into the heavens, borne aloft by cherubs taking the form of Paul Ryan. |
| 10.45am: They say the Republican nomination race is all over ... it is now: | 10.45am: They say the Republican nomination race is all over ... it is now: |
| Kiss frontman Gene Simmons appeared on Fox News Channel's Fox & Friends to discuss the 2012 race and President Obama, as well as promote his new chain of restaurants Rock & Brews. On the program, Simmons offered his support for former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney in his bid to replace President Obama in the White House. | Kiss frontman Gene Simmons appeared on Fox News Channel's Fox & Friends to discuss the 2012 race and President Obama, as well as promote his new chain of restaurants Rock & Brews. On the program, Simmons offered his support for former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney in his bid to replace President Obama in the White House. |
| Yeah, that's what America really needs: a new chain of restaurants called Rock & Brews. | Yeah, that's what America really needs: a new chain of restaurants called Rock & Brews. |
| 10.30am: It's primary voting day in Wisconsin, Maryland and the District of Columbia – can you feel the excitement? Possibly you can in Wisconsin, where there's a lot going on. But even there, only the size of Mitt Romney's win is at issue. | 10.30am: It's primary voting day in Wisconsin, Maryland and the District of Columbia – can you feel the excitement? Possibly you can in Wisconsin, where there's a lot going on. But even there, only the size of Mitt Romney's win is at issue. |
| Unless Rick Santorum can completely upend the dynamics of the race. But that we won't find out until after the polls close in Wisconsin at 8pm central time (9pm ET; 2am UK time). | Unless Rick Santorum can completely upend the dynamics of the race. But that we won't find out until after the polls close in Wisconsin at 8pm central time (9pm ET; 2am UK time). |
| Here's a brief summary of events from Ryan Devereaux: | Here's a brief summary of events from Ryan Devereaux: |
| • The GOP's remaining candidates are facing off in Wisconsin, Maryland and DC today, with Mitt Romney occupying the front-runner position. Romney currently has 572 Republican National Convention delegates, exactly half of the 1,144 needed to win the nomination. With 95 delegates at stake today, including 42 in Wisconsin, Romney is on track to secure the nomination by the end of the primary season in June. Santorum, who has 272 delegates, is looking best in Wisconsin. | • The GOP's remaining candidates are facing off in Wisconsin, Maryland and DC today, with Mitt Romney occupying the front-runner position. Romney currently has 572 Republican National Convention delegates, exactly half of the 1,144 needed to win the nomination. With 95 delegates at stake today, including 42 in Wisconsin, Romney is on track to secure the nomination by the end of the primary season in June. Santorum, who has 272 delegates, is looking best in Wisconsin. |
| • The Obama administration appears to be treating Romney as if he's already clinched the nomination. The president's campaign has launched a new ad in five swing states that, for the first time, attacks Romney by name. The ad argues that the former Massachusetts governor is in bed with the oil industry. | • The Obama administration appears to be treating Romney as if he's already clinched the nomination. The president's campaign has launched a new ad in five swing states that, for the first time, attacks Romney by name. The ad argues that the former Massachusetts governor is in bed with the oil industry. |
| • Rick Santorum has painted Romney as a candidate whose success in the race so far has been bought. Discussing Romney in Wisconsin, Santorum said: "The only way he's been successful in winning the primaries is by just bludgeoning his opponents by an overwhelming money advantage – something he's not going to have in the general election." There is some truth to Santorum's analysis. By the end of February, the president reported $84.7m in his campaign account while Romney reported $7.3m. In terms of paid help, Obama has more than 5320 staffers, while Romney has roughly 100. | • Rick Santorum has painted Romney as a candidate whose success in the race so far has been bought. Discussing Romney in Wisconsin, Santorum said: "The only way he's been successful in winning the primaries is by just bludgeoning his opponents by an overwhelming money advantage – something he's not going to have in the general election." There is some truth to Santorum's analysis. By the end of February, the president reported $84.7m in his campaign account while Romney reported $7.3m. In terms of paid help, Obama has more than 5320 staffers, while Romney has roughly 100. |
| • President Obama's top advisor, David Axelrod, believes Romney is trapped in a "time warp". Appearing on CBS This Morning, Axelrod said Romney is "oblivious to the experiences of everyday people." Axelrod added, "I think he must watch Mad Men and think it's the evening news. He is just in a time warp." According to excerpts of an upcoming speech the president is going to give, the GOP will be attacked for their "radical" fiscal philosophy, a "Trojan horse" that will lead to economic decline. | • President Obama's top advisor, David Axelrod, believes Romney is trapped in a "time warp". Appearing on CBS This Morning, Axelrod said Romney is "oblivious to the experiences of everyday people." Axelrod added, "I think he must watch Mad Men and think it's the evening news. He is just in a time warp." According to excerpts of an upcoming speech the president is going to give, the GOP will be attacked for their "radical" fiscal philosophy, a "Trojan horse" that will lead to economic decline. |