Get the very latest updates on tonight’s debate at TPMLiveWire — the quotes, the video, everything.
9:02 PM: Fight Club.
9:04 PM: About as good an answer as Newt could give to that question. In fairness to Newt, that was at least the trigger for Newt leaving the Speakership — he took the hit for losing the 1998 mid-term election.
9:06 PM: “resigned in disgrace” … “influence peddler” … Now we’re talking.
9:08 PM: Okay, don’t think this debate is going to disappoint.
9:10 PM: Can’t believe Newt’s going with the historian line. That said, Mitt give Newt an opening by conflating the ethics thing and Gingrich’s resignation a couple years later. Not actually related.
9:13 PM: I haven’t seen it that much remarked about how Santorum is now running consistently to the left of the other candidates on economic issues. Not really in substance in policy terms. And it doesn’t take much with this set of candidates. But still, clearly a considered decision.
Tonight is the 18th GOP presidential debate of the 2012 cycle, and first in which Mitt Romney is likely to go ont he attack against Newt Gingrich. Watch live.
Newt Gingrich’s South Carolina win probably wouldn’t have been possible without the $5 million his benefactor Sheldon Adelson ponied up on January 7th. That allowed Newt to at least compete in Super PAC terms in South Carolina. As we noted at the time, that mattered more than $5 million because Adelson’s almost limitless personal resources (8th wealthiest man in the US) meant that he could, if he chose, continue funding Newt almost without limit. And tonight we have news that Adelson has ponied up another $5 million for the pro-Newt Super PAC to level the playing field (slaughter field?) in Florida.
Two new polls show that Mitt Romney has already lost his lead in Florida since the South Carolina drubbing. Now Gallup shows his lead has evaporated nationwide too.
Scott Walker backer releases “Stand with Governor Walker” ballad for recall campaign.
Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) says the impasses over tax policy and health care reform are going to be decided on election day.
Sen. Rand Paul managed to get himself ‘detained’ today by the TSA after refusing a pat-down at the airport after setting off some scanner. Then Paul accused the TSA of rigging the scanners to justify random searches of people like Rand Paul. The TSA says, No true.
I keep hearing that people are claiming it’s a problem that Mitt Romney is rich. Only no one actually seems to be saying that. I understand why Mitt Romney is claiming that, which he continually does. He’s changing the subject and trying to fight with a straw-man. But there’s abundant evidence — both negative and positive — that voters really don’t begrudge politicians their wealth. John Kerry, because of his marriage, was and is fabulously wealthy. Mike Bloomberg, not a problem. Bushes, Kennedys. It’s always a part of their public profile; but seldom an issue that cuts against them. So let’s cut the crap. It’s not an issue for Romney now. Everybody knows he’s worth somewhere between $150 and $250 million. He actually talks about it constantly, in as much as most of the premise of his campaign is his very real record of success as a businessman. Read More