Quitting Boosts Palin Among GOP Voters

Prez now ahead of all four GOP contenders

(NEWSER) - The rising economy may be enough to carry President Obama to a second term, according to the latest New York Times / CBS poll. The percentage of people feeling optimistic about the economy has surged over the last few months, the poll found, and Obama's approval rating is back above 50%, the highest since May 2010 apart from a brief bump after the killing of Osama bin Laden last year. Obama now leads all four of his potential Republican opponents, the poll found. More»

'I don't try to rig straw polls,' says candidate

(NEWSER) - Fresh off his loss to Mitt Romney at CPAC , Rick Santorum hit the talk shows this morning, and he's downplaying the victory, reports Politico : "You have to talk to the Romney campaign and how many tickets they bought—we've heard all sorts of things," Santorum told CNN. "Ron Paul has won those (straw polls) because he trucks in a lot of people, pays for their ticket, and they come in and vote. I don't try to rig straw polls." Elsewhere on the Sunday dial, as per Politico : More»

Hints at Romney problems, saying too late to 'spin it'

(NEWSER) - Sarah Palin topped off the Conservative Political Action Conference last night with a rousing speech, avoiding endorsing any candidate, but certainly hinting at Mitt Romney's weaknesses, reports the Wall Street Journal . Palin said that Republicans need a conservative whose beliefs are "instinctive," not someone molded by spin doctors and Washington consultants. "It's too late in the game to teach it or spin it at this point," said Palin, without actually mentioning Romney by name. "It's either there or it isn't." More»

More than half say he relates to average Americans

(NEWSER) - No-Drama Obama may be lying low these days, but most Americans say he relates to their problems best. A new Pew Research/Washington Post poll of 1,006 adults gives President Obama good marks on the empathy scale, Politico reports:

• 55% say he relates to the needs of average people fairly or very well. Not bad, next to 39% for Mitt Romney and 36% for Newt Gingrich.

Rubio also neutral as GOP focuses on state

(NEWSER) - Mitt Romney has been racking up endorsements in Florida but the state's two most prominent Republicans are staying silent. Sen. Marco Rubio says he won't be endorsing a candidate and Jeb Bush has failed to join the party establishment in backing Mitt Romney against Newt Gingrich. Romney has been doing his best to win the popular former governor's endorsement but an offer to make him national co-chairman of his campaign was declined, insiders tell the New York Times. More»