- Congressional leaders have reached a tentative deal to extend the payroll tax cut without offsets along with a paid-for renewal of unemployment benefits and the annual Medicare reimbursement fix.
- Ohio opens with a seven-point lead for Santorum.
- He will run a negative ad about negative ads in Michigan.
Must Reads
Morning Must Reads: Even
- Santorum catches Romney in the national polls, opens up a 15-point lead in Michigan.
- Romney hits the auto-bailout in the Detroit News.
- His super PAC sinks half a million dollars into Detroit and expands air campaign nationally.
- The GOP tax cut maneuver is either a concession or a feint.
Morning Must Reads: Severe
- Obama unveils his re-election year budget today, which will include $4 billion in deficit reduction over 10 years, tax hikes on top income, and new education grants.
- The GOP race turns to Michigan.
- Romney makes his conservative case to National Review.
- Why “severely conservative” was not a good phrase for Romney.
Morning Must Reads: Accommodation
- Obama expected to announce minor “accommodation” on contraception ruling.
- Behind the scenes of the White House debate.
- James Fallows considers the Obama presidency at length.
- Romney does some conservative whispering at CPAC.
Morning Must Reads: Energy
- $26 billion mortgage fraud deal nears finalization with New York and California reportedly on board.
- Obama looks to the states for ways to salve contraception controversy.
- Top Hill Republicans impugn Romney’s performance–on the record.
Morning Must Reads: Hat Trick
- After Santorum’s Tuesday hat trick, Nate Silver sees a long race.
- This week’s Conservative Political Action Conference could be a mine field for Romney.
- Bill Kristol sounds the alarm.
Morning Must Reads: Donation
- In a reversal, Obama signals donors to start funding the super PAC started by his former aide.
- Democrats return $200k in donations from the family of a fugitive seeking a pardon.
- Geoffrey Stone on why money is speech.
- Obama swing voters: young, female and secular.
Morning Must Reads: Halftime
- Romney’s victory in Nevada was attended by lackluster turnout. (The count was also a debacle.)
- His remaining challenge may be Santorum and the Midwest, not Gingrich and the South.
- Gingrich is $600,000 in debt.
- The New Yorker profiles the Romney super PAC’s ad man.
Morning Must Reads: Steep
- The economy adds a robust 243,000 jobs in January, unemployment rate falls to 8.3%, broader U-6 measure at 15.1%.
- Romney says he “misspoke” on the very poor.
- Which class is struggling.
- What we don’t know about super PACs.
Morning Must Reads: Unnerved
- Jon Ralston previews the Nevada caucuses.
- Romney heads in 15 or 20 points up.
- How much does Romney’s ad advantage matter?
- Trump will back Newt.
Morning Must Reads: Service
- Romney inevitable again.
- Next up: Minnesota and a possible Bachmann endorsement.
- He’ll get Secret Service protection.
- The Sunlight Foundation digs in on brand new super PAC disclosures.
Morning Must Reads: Trustee
- Expectations are set for double-digit Romney win in Florida. Silver has his margin at 15.
- Gingrich predicts “decisive victory” nonetheless.
- Eight counties to watch in today’s voting.
- Meet Mitt’s trustee.
Morning Must Reads: Rich
- Florida moves out of sight for Gingrich, who’s down 10 or 15 points in the latest polls.
- His campaign is spinning the loss and Newt might just fight out the rest of the race on bile alone.
- He is promising Administration posts left and right.
- How Romney’s team scrambled to sink Gingrich–again. (For one, they outspent him by $12 million.)