Sunday, February 5, 2012
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Actors and Celebrities Who Have Sought the Oval Office (ContributorNetwork)

Posted by Yahoo! News: Politics News On February - 4 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
ContributorNetwork - Comedian and actor Rosanne Barr recently announced she would seek the Green Party's presidential nomination to run against President Barack Obama and whoever becomes the Republican Party's nominee this fall. As unorthodox as it might seem, Barr is hardly the first celebrity to seek the nation's highest office.

Vegas GOP chief: Caucus count to go all night (AP)

Posted by Yahoo! News: Politics News On February - 4 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
AP - The Republican party official in charge of counting Nevada caucus ballots in Las Vegas says the process is expected to take all night.

Romney rolls to easy win in Nevada GOP caucuses (AP)

Posted by Yahoo! News: Politics News On February - 4 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney greets supporters after speaking at a caucus night watch party, Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012, in Las Vegas.  (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)AP - Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney cruised to a decisive victory in the Nevada caucuses Saturday night, notching a second straight triumph over a field of rivals suddenly struggling to keep pace.


Gingrich says he’s staying in GOP race (AP)

Posted by Yahoo! News: Politics News On February - 4 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS

Jared Bresee shows his support for Republican presidential candidate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, by wearing a Gingrich mask at a Nevada Republican Caucus meeting, Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012, in Genoa, Nev. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)AP - Newt Gingrich says he's staying in the Republican presidential nominating contest.


Winners And Losers Of The Nevada Caucus

Posted by Nick Wing On February - 4 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS

GOP voters in Nevada congregated around the state on Saturday to caucus and play their part in deciding the Republican presidential primary.

As expected, Mitt Romney ran away with the contest, leading throughout the day and eventually winning by more than 10 points. The real competition played out between Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul, who jockeyed for the runner-up spot hoping to come away with much-needed delegates. Nevada allocates its 28 delegates proportionally, meaning that Romney extended his lead over the rest of the pack, while Gingrich and Paul also made modest pick-ups.

The caucusing process didn't go over as smoothly as state GOP officials might have hoped, as caucus-goers at some precincts were turned away after showing up late due to confusion about the schedule. This doesn't reflect well on the Nevada GOP, especially considering ongoing calls for the to return to a primary system like it used before a switch in the 2000 election. In primaries, voters cast ballots without the preliminary discussion period used in caucuses.

Despite some hiccups, many of Nevada's 500,000-plus registered Republicans showed up to vote, around 25 percent of them Mormons who overwhelmingly supported Romney -- who is also Mormon -- over his rivals.

All of this took place in a state that leads the nation in unemployment, foreclosure filings and homes with underwater mortgages. While candidates campaigned on their typical pro-jobs platforms, they managed to largely skip over the housing crisis all together.

Below is a list of winners and losers from the Nevada caucuses. Make your pick for the biggest in each category.

A look at key moments in the NV caucuses (AP)

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Republican presidential candidate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich speaks during a campaign stop at the International Church of Las Vegas on Friday, Feb. 3, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nev.  (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)AP - Some notable moments from Saturday's Nevada presidential caucuses:


Mormons, conservatives help Romney win Nevada (AP)

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Jerry Robin, left, and Gary Reed continue to debate the candidates after a Republican caucus meeting at Del Sol High School, Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012, in Las Vegas.  (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)AP - Mitt Romney rode overwhelming backing from Mormons and his best performance yet among conservatives to his emphatic victory Saturday in Nevada's Republican presidential contest, according to preliminary results of a poll of voters entering the caucuses.


Republican Romney sails to easy win in Nevada (Reuters)

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Reuters - Republican front-runner Mitt Romney cruised to an easy victory in Nevada on Saturday, crushing his three remaining rivals and taking firm command of the party's volatile presidential nominating race.

Rick Santorum’s Key State

Posted by Amanda Terkel On February - 4 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS

Rick Santorum came in last in the Nevada caucuses on Tuesday evening. He brushed off the loss in an interview with Fox News, saying that his campaign didn't focus on and actively campaign in the state.

"I think you'll see very different numbers coming forth on Tuesday, where we've spent a little bit more time and a little bit more money. ... In fact, I'm the person who's best able to win this election," he said.

Santorum was more optimistic about Tuesday, when there will be caucuses in Minnesota and Colorado and a non-binding primary in Missouri. (That state will also hold a caucus on March 17.) The former senator said that Missouri, in particular, was a key state for him because it would show whether he can go head to head with frontrunner Mitt Romney:

On Tuesday, I think we are going to do very well in Missouri. It's going to be interesting because it's a head-to-head between Gov. Romney myself. Speaker Gingrich is not on the ballot. Ron Paul is. We'll wait and see whether the idea that the one conservative who can actually go up against Mitt Romney head to head and win.

Speaker Gingrich had his shot in Florida, by and large. We didn't play in Florida. He had his chance to go head to head and didn't do well. We're going to go head to head in Missouri, and we'll see what happens.

I think we'll also do pretty well in Minnesota and here in Colorado. I am not predicting wins, but I think we'll do well. We'll do certainly better than we did in Nevada.

Romney declares victory in Nevada (AP)

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Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, greets campaign volunteers at a phone banking center in Las Vegas, Nev., Friday, Feb. 3, 2012. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)AP - Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney has declared victory in Nevada's caucuses.


Santorum, Paul look past Nevada caucuses (AP)

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Republican presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum answers question from local residents while campaigning in Hannibal, Mo., Friday, Feb. 3, 2012. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)AP - Rick Santorum said Saturday he wants to "endanger" rival Newt Gingrich while presidential rival Ron Paul claimed to have "reason to be optimistic" heading into Tuesday's contests as both Republican hopefuls peered ahead past the Nevada caucuses that handed both defeat.


Twitter Reacts To Nevada Caucus Results

Posted by Max J. Rosenthal On February - 4 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS

After a major win in Tuesday's Florida primary, Mitt Romney scored another victory in the Nevada caucuses. Romney rode his momentum and financial advantage to a huge lead in the polls over the week, and entrance polls tonight showed him leading among nearly every group of Nevada caucus-goers.

The drama of the night is focused on second place, where a fading Newt Gingrich may be eclipsed by Ron Paul. Gingrich's plans for a press conference tonight prompted speculation that the former House Speaker would exit the race, but he has vowed to continue despite falling poll numbers and doubts about the future of his financial support from major backer Sheldon Adelson.

Paul, along with apparent fourth-place finisher Rick Santorum, is not even in the state tonight. The Texas congressman addressed supporters from Bethel College in Minnesota, while Santorum sported a bolo tie at an appearance in Greeley, Colorado.

As the results come in, experts and voters are buzzing on the Twittersphere. We're putting together a snapshot of what people are talking about on Twitter, and we'll update it throughout the night.

Watch as the reactions roll in:

Romney wins Nevada caucuses (AP)

Posted by Yahoo! News: Politics News On February - 4 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
AP - Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has won Nevada's Republican presidential caucuses. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Texas Rep. Ron Paul remain in a tight race for second, with former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum finishing last.

Nevada Caucus Results: Live Updates

Posted by Elyse Siegel On February - 4 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS

Going into the 2012 Nevada caucus, Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is favored to come out on top of the results. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul and former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum are nevertheless looking to make a splash with their respective performances.

(Click here to check out HuffPost's Nevada caucus results map, which will update with real-time data as the numbers come in.)

HuffPost's Ryan Grim and Sam Stein report:

The state's contest comes at an ideal time for the former Massachusetts governor. Knocked off balance by Newt Gingrich in South Carolina, Romney picked up the must-win Florida primary. Nevada is a chance to deal Gingrich a quick second blow, and it's home turf for Romney. The state's outsized Mormon population came out big to Friday's rally, came out big in 2008 for him, and will come out big again Saturday. That leaves Gingrich battling for second place with Ron Paul, whose large and energized organization here threatens to put him past both Gingrich and Rick Santorum.

Check out the live blog below for the latest developments out of the Silver State.

Stomping Lawsuit Leveled At Newt

Posted by AP On February - 4 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A central Florida man is suing Newt Gingrich, claiming a security officer for the Republican presidential candidate stomped on his foot "like he was stomping out a cigarette."

Edward Dillard claims his foot was fractured by the security team after voting Tuesday in the Orlando suburb of Windermere.

Dillard was wearing a Ron Paul T-shirt and holding a sign when Gingrich arrived. The lawsuit claims a "swarm" of security guards from Patriot Group International surrounded Dillard and one stomped on his foot while he was wearing open sandals, causing a fracture.

Ron Paul's campaign called for Gingrich to apologize. Messages left Saturday with Gingrich's campaign and Patriot Group were not immediately returned.

The lawsuit seeks damages in excess of $75,000.

Ron Paul Poised To Finish Surprisingly Strong In Nevada

Posted by Ryan Grim On February - 4 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS

LAS VEGAS -- Ron Paul looked to have re-energized his presidential campaign and the movement propelling it Saturday with a solid showing in the Nevada caucuses. Early results and preliminary exit polls had Paul, a Texas House Republican with libertarian leanings, running neck-and-neck with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich for second place.

Paul's campaign has focused on smaller states -- particularly those holding caucuses, rather than primaries -- where his followers' enthusiasm can be leveraged into an efficient organization. After the extremely well-funded campaign being run in Nevada by former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the likely caucus winner, Paul's organization is the most robust and effective in the state, said Michael Roberson, a Republican state senator representing Clark County.

Nevada, with its large Mormon population, was long considered an easy lay-up for Romney. But that lack of suspense may have helped depress voter turnout among Romney's supporters, which had the effect of boosting Paul Saturday night.

Paul was campaigning Saturday in Minnesota, another caucus state, which votes Tuesday, the same day Colorado holds its caucus. Paul's strategy aims to rack up enough delegates so that he can head to the GOP convention as a power player, able to influence the party platform or win other concessions.

"The one thing that is on our side is the American people are waking up," Paul told a packed school auditorium in Rochester, Minn. on Saturday.

For the other three GOP candidates, blame for the state of the economy and other national ills rests squarely with President Barack Obama. Paul's campaign rejects that standard.

"Our problems are a lot longer than 3 years old. They’ve been going on for a long time," he said.

Instead, Paul presents a much broader critique, challenging America's aggressive foreign policy, abuse of civil liberties and relentless war on drugs -- issues on which he overlaps with more liberal voters. He parts ways with them, though, in his opposition to government programs such as Medicare and Social Security and his insistence on dramatically cutting federal spending on social policy.

Santorum Spanked In Nevada

Posted by Ryan Grim On February - 4 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS

LAS VEGAS -- Rick Santorum is headed for a crushing loss in the Nevada caucuses Saturday, despite picking up the endorsement of Tea Party darling Sharron Angle, who in 2010 barely lost a high-profile and expensive senate bid to Majority Leader Harry Reid. Early exit polls show Santorum coming in a distant fourth, placing in the single digits.

Santorum, a former senator from Pennsylvania, spent very little time campaigning in the state, assured that Nevada's large Mormon population would make it a difficult place for him to compete. Still, his last place finish puts him in a tough spot as he works to claim the mantle of the conservative alternative to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who was set to finish first in the caucuses.

On Friday night, Angle publicly appeared on Santorum's behalf for the first time in Nevada. The event can only be categorized as a disaster.

"Twenty-eight people showed up, including Angle's handlers, Santorum’s local staff, and one attendee’s two kids," the Las Vegas Sun reported. "Stepping up to a microphone and smiling, Angle tried to make the best of an obviously bad situation."

Santorum's landslide loss in Nevada comes a day after Indiana officials announced that he had failed to qualify for that state's ballot in May. Santorum vowed to challenge the decision, but it put a dent in the campaign, making it look disorganized.

Santorum hopes to turn his fortunes around with a strong showing in Colorado and Minnesota, which caucus on Tuesday. But, increasingly, it's looking as if his in Iowa, perfectly timed as it was to coincide with the caucus there, was a burst similar to those experienced by Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Godfather's Pizza CEO Herman Cain and other candidates who vaulted briefly to the top, only to come tumbling back down.

Romney is cruising to victory in Nevada, with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) battling for second.

Obama Administration Approved Oil Sands Pipeline in 2009 (ContributorNetwork)

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ContributorNetwork - Before there was much talk of the Keystone XL pipeline, there was the Alberta Clipper -- a pipeline that received approval from the State Department and was praised for its positive economic benefits. Here are the details.

Romney Takes Strong Lead In Early Nevada Returns

Posted by Politics On February - 4 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS

Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney jumped to a strong lead in the Nevada caucuses Saturday night, reaching for a second straight campaign victory over a field of rivals suddenly struggling to keep pace.

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ContributorNetwork - COMMENTARY | In a video presentation, Scott Rasmussen of the Rasmussen Poll had some terrible news for Barack Obama and some puzzling news for Mitt Romney. The news concerned the attitude of currently uncommitted voters, 12 percent of the population.

In Nevada, Gingrich fumbles but moves forward (AP)

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Republican presidential candidate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich speaks during a campaign stop at the International Church of Las Vegas on Friday, Feb. 3, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nev.  (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)AP - Newt Gingrich is struggling to regain his footing following a campaign in Nevada beset by glitches as the race for the Republican presidential nomination moves to the next phase.


Conservatives dominate in Nevada GOP caucuses (AP)

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Jerry Robin, left, and Gary Reed continue to debate the candidates after a Republican caucus meeting at Del Sol High School, Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012, in Las Vegas.  (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)AP - Conservatives accounted for around 4 in 5 voters Saturday as Nevada Republicans chose their presidential candidates, a poll of people entering the caucuses showed, tying Iowa as the most conservative group of GOP voters so far this year.


Poll shows age, ideology divide NV GOP priorities (AP)

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AP - Preliminary results of an entrance poll shows Nevadans participating in today's caucuses were focused on the economy and which candidate could best defeat Obama. The deeply conservative electorate included the largest share of tea party backers and the highest number of Mormons of any state to cast ballots thus far in the nomination contest.

Lawsuit: Gingrich security stomped on man’s foot (AP)

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AP - A central Florida man is suing Newt Gingrich, claiming a security officer for the Republican presidential candidate stomped on his foot "like he was stomping out a cigarette."

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