Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Today's Top Stories

Rick Santorum turns to his wife, Karen, on Tuesday after announcing in Gettysburg, Pa., that he is suspending his run for president. Front-runner Mitt Romney said in Delaware that he will now start seriously pondering a list of vice-presidential prospects. (Associated Press)

Santorum's exit shifts GOP race

Former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania put his presidential campaign on ice Tuesday, removing the final major hurdle for Mitt Romney to win the Republican nomination and turn his full attention to a general election bid against President Obama.

It's game on, with Obama as Romney's rival

The general election campaign unofficially kicked off Tuesday with Mitt Romney continuing to sharpen his criticism of President Obama, saying a second term for the incumbent would be dangerous because he is not being upfront about the policies he plans to pursue.

Maryland faces special session or 'doomsday'

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley said Tuesday that the General Assembly's failure to pass a set of tax increases and revenue enhancements considered a cornerstone of this year's budget marked "the low point" of his five years in office.

Defenses brace for N. Korean rocket launch

The United States and its allies are deploying missile defenses on land and sea so they can, if necessary, shoot down a multistage rocket that North Korea says it will launch within a few days.

Indian Ocean tsunami watch issued for Aceh quake

A tsunami watch was issued for countries across the Indian Ocean after a massive earthquake hit waters off Indonesia on Wednesday, triggering widespread panic as residents along coastlines fled to high ground in cars and on the backs of motorcycles.

D.C. library official quits, is rehired as consultant

The D.C. Public Library system's chief business officer quietly resigned from his $164,500-a-year job last summer, but quickly won a no-bid contract that pays him the same amount of money for many of the same responsibilities — including helping to manage the library contracts office.

Obama attacks inequality while soliciting big-money donors

Pausing between $10,000-a-plate fundraisers for his re-election campaign, President Obama called on Congress in a highly partisan speech Tuesday to approve a tax increase on the wealthy to pay for programs for the middle class.

Zimmerman cuts off contact with lawyers

Attorneys for George Zimmerman announced Tuesday that their client has cut off contact with them, forcing them to withdraw as his legal counsel in the fatal shooting of an unarmed teenager in Florida.

HURT: Fire and brimstone from the Church of Do-Goodery

Two of the wisest sages of all time — Mark Twain and Jesus Christ himself — spoke memorably about the dangers of worrisome do-gooders run amok. Indeed, it is the curse of do-gooders the world over to find fault in everyone except themselves.

Excess McCain 2008 presidential funds went to charity, not 2012 race

The dormant 2008 presidential apparatus of Sen. John McCain liquidated nearly $9 million in donations by giving the money to a charity connected to the Arizona senator's family this year, filings showed Tuesday.

McDonnell calls for tweaking of Virginia's voter-ID bill

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell has proposed relaxing a high-profile voter-identification measure passed by the General Assembly this year — one of more than 100 bills he wants amended. He also issued seven vetoes.

Inside the Beltway: Apres Rick

Rick Santorum's campaign was undermined by a wave of bad press, while Mitt Romney's coverage improved over time," says a new analysis of 483 evening news broadcasts covering the Republican primaries by the Center for Media and Public Affairs at George Mason University.

Report: Health care law may grow deficit $540B

Stirring up an old fight over whether President Obama's health care overhaul will ease or exacerbate the government's deficit, a Republican expert on benefit programs said Tuesday that the law will add billions more to the debt than projected.

U.S. talks of 'strategic partnership' with Afghans

U.S. and Afghan officials met Tuesday to negotiate rules for U.S. military activity in Afghanistan after foreign combat troops leave in 2014.

Plunging birthrate of U.S. teens 'amazing'

In 16 states, teen birthrates tumbled by at least 20 percent in recent years, the federal government said in a report. Large declines such as these helped push the nation's teen birthrate to a new low in 2010.

An out-of-work lawyer fantasizes about a site for intersports fans

Toby Mergler had a choice to make. Laid off from his D.C. law firm during the spring of 2009, he could plunge back into a Great Recession job market flooded with other unemployed lawyers in hopes of latching on to something in a profession he found uninspiring.

Commentary

MILLER: Class envy campaign tactic

President Obama flew Air Force One to Florida on Tuesday, bringing along the mobile White House entourage to call for a tax bill based on class envy. The Buffett rule is the highlight of his re-election routine, but the president should have saved our money by staying home. Lawmakers aren't taking the bait.

EDITORIAL: Holder's Black Panther blind spot

What is it about the Justice Department and the Black Panthers? On March 24, Mikhail Muhammad, leader of the New Black Panther Party, offered a $10,000 bounty for the "capture" of George Zimmerman, who shot and killed Trayvon Martin. The Panthers distributed wanted posters, calling him a "child killer" and offering the bounty "dead or alive."

EDITORIAL: A streetcar named debt

The District on Friday completed the first phase of testing for its $1.5 billion streetcar project. The nation's capital joins big cities like Los Angeles in advancing the revival of a transportation option that has been obsolete for more than half a century. The Obama administration is spearheading the effort to turn back the clock.

MACKOWIAK: Republicans' secret weapon against Obama

Although we live in a post-Citizens United world of super PACs, the national party committees re- main relevant, in fact, vital, to winning national campaigns.

BLAHOUS: Health care law cripples U.S. finances

One of the motivating principles underlying the passage of comprehensive health care reform was that it would substantially improve the federal fiscal outlook. But many are skeptical of claims that the law, known as the Affordable Care Act, or ACA, will simultaneously extend the solvency of Medicare, provide subsidized health coverage to more than 30 million new people and yet somehow reduce federal deficits.

An Ignoble Experiment

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2012/04/11