Limbaugh Blasts 'Whining' Over Negative Campaigns

Focus on social issues hurts GOP: strategists

(NEWSER) - A day before Super Tuesday, the GOP name getting the most play may be ... Rush Limbaugh. Social issues like contraception are taking center stage in the Republican presidential campaign—though birth control is a matter that's "nowhere near the top of what most Americans are most focused on right now," a GOP strategist tells the AP . Limbaugh is at the center of that debate after he called a birth control advocate a "slut" (then apologized ). Republicans are finally panning his comments , though the candidates are largely trying to skirt the issue. More»

Also, will Eric Cantor or Rand Paul be vice president nominee?

(NEWSER) - Today's talk show theme: Pile on Rush Limbaugh. The conservative talk show host took a bipartisan drubbing worthy of a gold-stuffed piñata, reports Politico , as both sides lambasted his slut comment and subsequent apology . A sampling:

• Debbie Wasserman Schultz: "I know he apologized, but forgive me if I doubt his sincerity, given that he lost at least six advertisers. Rush Limbaugh said he was trying to be humorous. I don’t know any woman in America … that thinks that being called a slut is funny.”
• Ron Paul : “I don’t think he’s very apologetic, I think he’s doing it because people were taking their advertisements off his program."
• Newt Gingrich: "He made a mistake, and I think he did the right thing," in apologizing.
• Eric Cantor: “I don’t condone that type of language in any arena, including the political arena. It was insulting, and Rush has said as much."

Politico says he's become adept at going on offense

(NEWSER) - Heavy opposition research and 'gotcha' moments—never have they been used by a front-runner as much as Mitt Romney has used them this political season, writes Politico . (The article even dubs him the "gotcha candidate.") Throughout 20 Republican debates, Romney has been the most consistently ready to attack his opponents' weaknesses, hitting Rick Perry on immigration, Newt Gingrich on individual mandates for health care, and, in Wednesday night's debate, Rick Santorum on federal funding for family planning programs and his support of Arlen Specter. More»

Says he and Gingrich are just Washington insiders

(NEWSER) - That triple bogey must have stung: Mitt Romney made a point to call out Rick Santorum by name today. Speaking to reporters in Atlanta, Romney said Santorum and Newt Gingrich were part of the Republican party that "lost its way" by spending too much federal money while in office, reports CNN . "In this race, I'm the only guy that hasn't spent time in Washington," he said. "And Senator Santorum and Speaker Gingrich, they are the very Republicans who acted like Democrats." More»

'Anybody but Obama' not enough for crucial independents in swing states

(NEWSER) - The bruising, highly negative Republican presidential nomination fight appears to be creating a new casualty as the race moves into swing states like Colorado—independent voters, reports the Los Angeles Times . President Obama may have disappointed many voters over the past three years, but the GOP candidates' continuing bashing of each other is turning off a lot of voters even more. Independent voters "want to vote for a Republican, but they've got to like the one we nominate," said a former GOP state chairman. "It's not 'anybody but Obama.'" Independent voters are the dominant political force in Colorado—and other swing states—and appear to be warming to Obama. More»