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1.) Tea Party Pooper — Every party has a pooper; that’s why the Tea Party invited Mark Meckler. TheDC’s Alex Pappas reports on trouble in Tea Party-land:
“Tea Party Patriots co-founder Mark Meckler told The Daily Caller that he resigned his leadership position with the grassroots organization last week out of frustration with how money is being spent and how closely the group has aligned itself with Republicans … In an interview, Meckler — a well-known figure in the movement — cited, as an example, how Tea Party Patriots spent $250,000 to sponsor the Southern Republican Leadership Conference presidential debate in South Carolina this year.”
What!? Tea partiers aligning themselves Republicans? You don’t say.
2.) Detroit Rock Mitty — The son of Detroit pulled off a win in what the media deemed a must win state for him, though it probably wasn’t quite that. But it was a significant victory for Mitt Romney nonetheless, not least because the state really does have perfect sized trees. TheDC’s Alexis Levinson reports:
“Michigan native Mitt Romney breathed a huge sigh of relief Tuesday night when he pulled off a crucial win in his birth state, beating out former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum. In the weeks leading up to Tuesday’s primary, polls showed the former Massachusetts governor trailing Santorum by as many as 10 percentage points. Despite several tone-deaf moments on the campaign trail, Romney managed to close the gap in recent days.”
Rebound Romney also picked up Arizona Tuesday night.
3.) The Ritz Carlton of jails just got a major upgrade — Despite all the lousy press Gitmo gets, there probably isn’t a jail outside of the ones where they put Norwegian mass murders that compares to its opulence and amenities. And now TheDC’s Caroline May reports that it is getting a major upgrade:
“The U.S. military is putting the finishing touches on a new soccer field for detainees at Camp 6 in Guantanamo Bay. The project has set taxpayers back $750,000, the Fox News Channel reported Tuesday.”
Condé Nast Traveler’s Gold List of the world’s finest hotels may have to add a prison to its next edition.
4.) Now presenting: A Funny Thing Happened with the Budget on the Way to the Senate Floor — The funny thing is the Democrats didn’t bring it. But they are having hearings over it. TheDC’s Jamie Weinstein (ME!) opines on a theater of the absurd:
“So important figures will be dragged before Conrad’s committee to testify about the president’s budget — which we basically know won’t pass and may again get zero votes — and possibly about the budget Conrad will mark up as well, which we know from the outset isn’t even going to get a floor vote. There’s a term for this: a charade. But then again, what could the secretary of defense and other top officials have to do that is more important than participating in a Potemkin budget hearing?”
On a completely unrelated vote, how is it that Congress’ approval rating hovers around 10 percent?
5.) Poll of the day — United Technologies/National Journal Congressional Connection Poll asked, “Looking back, do you think the federal government should have provided financial help to U.S. automakers who were in financial trouble, or should these companies have been allowed to succeed or fail on their own?”: “Should Not Have Helped” 55%, “Should Have Helped” 36%, “Unsure/Refused” 9%.
6.) BIRTHDAYS — Sixth Duke of Leuchtenberg George Maximilianovich turns 160; Brazilian cartoonist Jaguar turns 80; Motivational speaker Tony Robbins turns 52; Law professor Eugene Volokh turns 44.
VIDEO: Ron Paul and Chris Matthews have a foreign policy hero in common