Christie Takes NJ for GOP

Chrysler ad a political football

(NEWSER) - God bless America ... and the Chrysler bailout ... seemed to be the message that left football fans misty-eyed after Clint Eastwood's Super Bowl Chrysler ad. It's "halftime" in America, and we're all pulling together for a brighter economic future, says the gravelly-voiced star. But Eastwood was opposed to the bailout that made the Chrysler turnaround possible, and now the ad has become a political football as Dems score points with it and the GOP tackles it, notes ABC News . “Saving the American Auto Industry: Something Eminem and Clint Eastwood can agree on," crowed White House spokesman Dan Pfeiffer on Twitter, referring to Eminem’s Chrysler ad during last year's Super Bowl. "Powerful spot," chimed in Obama re-election strategist David Axelrod. But George Bush's political maven Karl Rove snapped that he was "offended" by the ad, which he argued was orchestrated by the administration to paint a rosy future. More»

Some say Robert Menendez holding grudge

(NEWSER) - President Obama is facing a battle over a judicial nominee—and his opponent is a fellow Democrat. New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez is delaying the confirmation of a judge to a federal Court of Appeals, and he hasn't given the New York Times a reason. But insiders think it may be a personal matter: Judge Patty Shwartz is in a long-term relationship with an official who investigated Menendez during an election year, and Menendez holds that the investigation was driven by politics. More»

The public doesn't like either, but they get election wins anyway

(NEWSER) - Back in 1951, a political analyst came up with the theory that at any time in America there’s a Sun Party, which drives the agenda, and a minority Moon Party that shines by reflecting its rays. But these days, “we are living in the era of two moons and no sun,” writes David Brooks of the New York Times . “Neither party has been able to rally the country behind its vision of government.” More»

Rick Perry has one you probably never heard of

(NEWSER) - Who needs debates? The Washington Times rounds up the GOP candidates' favorite movies:

• Herman Cain: The Godfather. (Yes, the former CEO of Godfather's Pizza winked when he answered.)
• Newt Gingrich: "Probably Casablanca."
• Michele Bachmann: "Braveheart, or maybe Saving Private Ryan."
• Rick Perry: Immortal Beloved. The most offbeat choice comes from the Texas guv, who favors this 1994 biopic of Beethoven.
• Mitt Romney: O Brother Where Art Thou, he told the New York Times.
• Rick Santorum: Field of Dreams, he said when pressed to pick just one. (It's in Iowa after all.)

Louisiana governor faced little Democrat opposition

(AP) - Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal easily coasted to a second term today, winning in a landslide election after failing to attract any well-known or deep-pocketed opposition. The 40-year-old Republican overwhelmed nine competitors in the open primary, where a candidate wins the race outright if he or she receives more than 50% of the vote. With 99% of precincts reporting, Jindal had received about 66% of the total vote. More»