Meghan McCain's New BFF: Donald Trump

Maybe it's time for Chris Christie or Paul Ryan to take another look: Nate Silver

(NEWSER) - Attention Chris Christie, or maybe Paul Ryan? Donald Trump's strong showing in recent polls illustrates just how shaky the GOP's 2012 field is, writes Nate Silver at the New York Times . He breaks the candidates into three groups: The Fairfax Five (think establishment candidates) of Romney, Pawlenty, Huntsman, Barbour, and Daniels; the Factional Five of Trump, Palin, Bachmann, Gingrich, and Ron Paul; and a few "uncategorized" ones such as Huckabee, Giuliani, and Santorum. More»

He's still considering a run, calls the US a 'laughingstock'

(NEWSER) - Donald Trump made the most of his surprise invitation to address the Republicans' CPAC convention today, focusing on a subject near and dear to his own heart—his own excellence. "I'm well acquainted with winning," declared Trump, who said he'll decide by June whether to run for president. "That's what this country needs now." More»

(NEWSER) - Meghan McCain talks to Out.com about her campaign for gay marriage and her role as pseudo-spokeswoman for a new generation of Republicans, and one line is sure to catch a lot of attention: "Joe the Plumber—you can quote me—is a dumbass," she says of the man who gained fame during her dad's campaign and once said he wouldn't want "queers" near his kids. "He should stick to plumbing.” More»

40% say they'll change their vote over gay nuptials

(NEWSER) - President Obama's stand in favor of gay marriage is no game-changer for six out of ten US voters, a new Gallup poll says. For those who may change their vote over it, 26% are less likely to vote for Obama, and 13% more likely. The numbers among all-important independents echo the national results, with 23% less likely and 11% more likely to vote for Obama now. More»

US is in for a long-range cultural shift: Michael Gerson

(NEWSER) - The gay-marriage debate prompts Michael Gerson at the Washington Post to remind Republicans that the nation "is in the midst of a large, consequential shift" in attitudes thanks to the rising generation of 20-something millennials. Generally speaking, they're more socially liberal, not big fans of organized religion, and don't want government butting into their private lives. Sure, many of them will become more conservative as they age, but "the baseline of social liberalism is starting higher than in previous generations." And the GOP better take heed, he warns. More»