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Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images
Feb 8 2010, 5:31PM
Why Murtha Mattered
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Kris Connor/Getty Images
Feb 8 2010, 5:27PM
Pence Endorses Rubio
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Flickr user J
Feb 8 2010, 5:09PM
The Invisible Primary, 2/8
Sarah Palin delivered the keynote address at the Tea Party Nation convention in Nashville over the weekend, delivering some campaign-style lines and aided by some crib notes on her hand; Kathryn Jean Lopez wonders if Rick Santorum could be the Tea Party candidate for president; Mike Pence endorsed Marco Rubio; Eric Cantor likes President Obama's idea for a health care summit but doubts Nancy Pelosi will go along with GOP ideas; and Tim Pawlenty spoke to the annual Emerging Issues Forum in Raleigh, NC.
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Jobs Bill Could Contain Card Check
Jobs Stalled By Weather, Republicans
Sarah Palin Needs Help
The Six Republican Ideas Already In The Health Care Reform Bill
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Urbanworld Film Festival/Flickr
Feb 8 2010, 4:29PM
Bill Clinton Likes Queen Latifah
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ajagendorf25
Feb 8 2010, 1:56PM
Tea Partier For Congress
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quinn.anya/Flickr
Feb 8 2010, 12:53PM
Will Obama's Summit Work?
So will it work? The Atlantic Wire's Max Fisher runs through analysis on the topic, and commentators are divided: some see it as a good move, allowing Obama to highlight GOP obstructionism, while others point out that it will give Republicans a platform to sell their ideas.
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teamstickergiant/Flickr
Feb 8 2010, 12:17PM
A Very Speculative Matchup: Obama Crushes Palin, Bloomberg In 2012
Marist's results: Obama 44%, Palin 29%, Bloomberg 15%, with 12% unsure of how they'd vote. The question was asked of 910 registered voters nationwide Feb. 1-3, margin of error +/-3.5%.
Obama is helped by Bloomberg's independent run, which collects votes from 20% of Republicans while only taking 4% of Democrats.
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Mario Tama/Getty Images
Feb 8 2010, 11:38AM
Independents Disapprove Of Obama
Compare that to Marist's last poll, taken in the first week of December, when 44% of independents disapproved, 41% approved, and 15% were unsure. Obama's disapproval rating among independents has climbed 13% among independents over the past two months, according to Marist's data.
It's the first time, in Marist's polling, that a majority of independents have disapproved of Obama as president.
Marist polled 910 voters (Democrat, Republican, and independent) Feb. 1-3 for the survey; margin of error was +/-3.5%.
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YouTube screengrab
Feb 8 2010, 10:46AM
The Other Political Super Bowl Ad
The Super Bowl was no different: to the surprise of anyone consumed by anticipation of the Tim Tebow abortion ad, CBS's DC feed carried a political ad criticizing U.S. debt, featuring American children pledging allegiance to the Chinese government.
If the Tebow ad was demurely apolitical, this ad was anything but.
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tinkerbrad/Flickr
Feb 8 2010, 10:07AM
Economic Anxiety Is Bipartisan
Conventional wisdom says that an improved, or improving, economy is good for President Obama and Democrats, while economic anxiety is bad for the president's party. Of the 10 states with the highest confidence ratings, five voted for Obama in '08 and five voted for John McCain; of the 10 states with the least confidence in the economy, six voted for Obama and four for McCain.