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President Obama and Nixon threaten journalist Bob Woodward

These are my news headlines and comments for February 27th through February 28th:

• Exclusive: The Woodward, Sperling emails revealed

• Noonan: A Message for Wall Street – One of the major reasons why the GOP performed so poorly with Mitt Romney.
• Republicans need to go negative – If Republicans want a chance at resurgence, they must take a page or two out of President Obama’s worn playbook and veer sharply negative.But only a page or two. Republicans should not lower themselves to the level of a president who routinely lobs ad hominem political epithets their way, castigating them as intolerant, heartless and petty ogres who live only to serve their masters in the top income tax bracket.
• ‘3 Amigos’ make life difficult for Mitch McConnell – John McCain and Lindsey Graham just need to shut their mouths. They have deeply ruined the GOP brand.
• Video: Woodward: White House Warned Me “You Will Regret Doing This” – Woodward needs to disclose who in the Obama White House threatened him.
• Republican leaders’ ‘meeting’ with Obama: Seven minutes – Never let it be said that President Obama has failed to spend time with Republican leaders in seeking an alternative to automatic budget cuts that are due to hit most federal departments Friday. On Wednesday, for example, the president gave GOP lawmakers as much as seven minutes, a rare face-to-face encounter that the White House described as a “meeting.”The White House’s characterization of this momentary huddle at the Capitol as a meeting illuminates Mr. Obama’s strategy in dealing with Republicans on the budget cuts and other fiscal deadlines.
• Republican group readies immigration blitz – The GOP big corporate business pander to Hispanic voters and for immigration amnesty begins.
• Flap’s California Blog @ Flap Twitter Digest for 2013-02-27 – Flap’s California Blog – Flap’s California Blog @ Flap Twitter Digest for 2013-02-27
• Flap’s Blog @ Flap Twitter Daily Digest for 2013-02-27 – Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Flap’s Blog @ Flap Twitter Daily Digest for 2013-02-27 #tcot
• Print bloodbath: Human Events kills newspaper, dumps staff | WashingtonExaminer.com – RT @SecretsBedard: Print bloodbath: Human Events kills newspaper, dumps staff via @DCExaminer
• DHS official resigns after immigrants are freed – The Associated Press has learned that the Homeland Security Department official in charge of the agency’s immigration enforcement and removal operations has resigned after hundreds of illegal immigrants were released from jails because of government spending cuts.In an email obtained Wednesday by the AP, Gary Mead told coworkers that he was leaving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the end of April. Mead is the head of enforcement and removal operations at ICE.Mead had told co-workers of his resignation in the email sent Tuesday, hours after U.S. officials had confirmed that a few hundred illegal immigrants facing deportation had been released from immigration jails due to budget cuts.President Barack Obama’s spokesman said Wednesday the White House was never consulted but described the immigrants as “low-risk, non-criminal detainees.”
• Teacher pink slips claim by Duncan not backed by evidence – The Washington Post – RT @conncarroll oops. @arneduncan caught lying about sequester caused teacher layoffs
• White House: ICE to blame for release of illegals – Washington Times – Don’t think the release of illegal immigrants by Obama Admin will do too much for comprehensive immigration reform
• White House was not involved in ICE’s decision to release detainees – The White House and the Department of Homeland Security were unaware of Immigration Customs and Enforcement’s decision to release detainees until the agency announced it, administration officials said Wednesday.”This was a decision made by a career officials at ICE without any input from the White House, as a result of fiscal uncertainty over the continuing resolution, as well as possible sequestration,” White House press secretary Jay Carney said Wednesday.Personnel at Department of Homeland Security headquarters in Washington were also unaware of the decision until the announcement was made, a department official told POLITICO.
• California In Crisis: California’s expensive education failure | WashingtonExaminer.com – California In Crisis: California’s expensive education failure | #tcot
• ‘Everyone is moving out of California’ | CalWatchDog – ‘Everyone is moving out of California’
• California Girds for Electricity Woes – WSJ.com – California Girds for Electricity Woes – Reliance on Wind and Solar Power
• California In Crisis: California’s expensive education failure | WashingtonExaminer.com – California Education in Crisis
• Pro-Immigration Congressional Republicans Do Not Perform Better Among Latino Voters – The Democratic Party enjoys a sizable advantage among Latino voters. It is largely taken for granted that Republicans can earn a greater share of the Latino vote if they support less restrictive immigration policies and legalization for illegal immigrants. This study examines public opinion data from 2006 to consider whether this is the case. The 2006 election is a particularly good year to examine congressional behavior on immigration and the Latino vote because House Republicans passed a strong enforcement bill that year that prompted national protests. They also turned aside efforts to legalize illegal immigrants. This study found that Latinos living in House districts represented by pro-immigration Republican incumbents were no more likely to support that incumbent than Latinos living in House districts represented by Republican incumbents with pro-enforcement records. Supporting more generous immigration policies does not appear to be a way for Republicans to increase their share of the Latino vote.
• Political Cartoons / Gary Varvel on Obama’s balanced approach to avoid sequestration The Translator – Gary Varvel on Obama’s balanced approach to avoid sequestration The Translator via @pinterest
• HuffPo Hit Job: Selective Edit Makes Pro-Fox News Guest Look Bigoted – HuffPo Hit Job: Selective Edit Makes Pro-Fox News Guest Look Bigoted #tcot
• Politicians declare sky falling; meanwhile, D.C. real estate market booms | Mobile Washington Examiner – Politicians declare sky falling; meanwhile, D.C. real estate market booms #tcot
• HuffPo Hit Job: Selective Edit Makes Pro-Fox News Guest Look Bigoted – Author and media observer Michael Wolff appeared on HuffPo Live on the Huffington Post to discuss Roger Ailes and Fox News. The moderator of the discussion was Alicia Menendez, daughter of embattled Senator Bob Menendez who has had quite a bit of air time on Fox News lately. Other panelists included Mao-loving Anita Dunn who as Communications Director for the Obama White House waged a war against Fox News that drew criticism even from the likes of Howie Kurtz, and Eliza Grey from left-wing The New Republic.
• NBC/WSJ poll: Public wary about sequester cuts, but Obama in stronger political position than GOP – First Read – The spin is heavy from the Dems and MSM on NBC/WSJ poll this am. Read the poll here:
• The Morning Flap: February 27, 2013 – Flap’s Blog – The Morning Flap: February 27, 2013 #tcot

From 270towin.com

I am an optimistic sort for the GOP and bucking the conventional wisdom believe that when all the votes are counted, Mitt Romney will be elected the 45th President of the United States. Note, my map above still has Iowa up in the air – but is irrelevant at this point.

By the time, the early Midwestern votes come in via exit polls, America should know the trend.

If Romney loses Ohio AND Wisconsin, he is probably toast.

If Obama loses any other state like Pennsylvania or Ohio, the President is done.

Others have offered their, I would say, balanced perspective.

In the final weeks of the presidential campaign, there have been two major schools of thought about who is going to win. One school points to President Obama getting reelected for a very simple reason: polls show Mitt Romney losing Ohio, and all of the states that he would need to win to make up for a loss in Ohio. The other school argues that state polls have been systematically biased against Romney by assuming that Democratic turnout will rival – or even exceed – elevated 2008 levels, when Obamamania was at its peak. Those who believe that Romney will win have pointed to polls showing him ahead among independents, predicted a late break toward the challenger, or pointed to economic fundamentals. To read the conventional wisdom pointing to an Obama win, check out Nate Silver. To read predictions of a Romney win, check out our own Michael Barone, as well as Dan McLaughlin, Ben Domenech, Jay Cost. Also read Ted Frank, who still thinks Obama will likely win, though he makes a strong devil’s advocate argument for how Romney could pull it out.

But, in the end, I think a majority of American voters are not happy with the direction of the country and will willing to vote for a change.

In any case, the majority of the House of Representatives looks safely in the hands of the GOP. The U.S. Senate majority will remain under Democratic Party control.

Balanced or split party government is what Americans desire and that is what they will have after the voting tomorrow.

Here are the latest key battleground state polls:

• Florida: Romney 52%, Obama 47% (InsiderAdvantage)
• Florida: Obama 50%, Romney 49% (Public Policy Polling)
• Florida: Romney 50%, Obama 48% (Pulse Opinion Research)
• North Carolina: Obama 49%, Romney 49% (Public Policy Polling)
• Ohio: Obama 48%, Romney 46% (Pulse Opinion Research)
• Pennsylvania: Obama 49%, Romney 46% (Pulse Opinion Research)
• Virginia: Obama 48%, Romney 47% (NBC/WSJ/Marist)
• Virginia: Obama 49%, Romney 48% (Pulse Opinion Research)
• Wisconsin: Obama 49%, Romney 48% (Pulse Opinion Research)

The Real Clear Politics average of polls and more are here.

As I have been saying for about a week now – the Presidential race is very close and we will be in for an exciting night of election returns.

If the polls are correct, then we will be in for a very late night Tuesday and early morning Wednesday.

From 270towin.com

The above graphic is how the Presidential race will turn out in the Electoral College on November the 6th. I have Mitt Romney defeating President Obama 271 Electoral Votes vs. 261 Electoral Votes.

Most notable recent changes I have made have been the loss of Ohio to the President and the pick up of Colorado for Romney.

Here is my Electoral College map I made after Mitt Romney chose Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin for his Vice President running mate.

From 270towin.com

To say the least, the race is tight.

Mitt Romney continues to make a play for Nevada and I understand as of yesterday, he made a very large television ad buy in Northern Nevada – the Reno market.

Recent polling by Rasmussen and Gallup have Ohio all tied up – well within the margins of error. Ohio could go either way. I think Obama now needs Ohio more than Romney in order to win, which goes against the maxim that GOP Presidential wins go through Ohio.

Stay tuned as more polls roll in throughout the next few days.

However, I think, my first map with a 271 Electoral College Vote win for Romney will probably be the end result.