Palin Pulls in Big Bucks —for Democrats

No need for Pelosi, Reid to panic—at least not yet

(NEWSER) - Democrats didn’t get the bump in the polls they were hoping for after health care reform passed. Are they doomed in November? Maybe. But they have reasons for optimism, writes Jay Newton-Small for Time , including:

• Michael Steele: He’s “the gift that keeps on giving,” and his gaffes are killing the GOP’s momentum.
• Tea Party candidates: In many states, fringe candidates are sucking up money and threatening to derail theoretically more electable establishment candidates.

Pols in her crosshairs twist it to their advantage

(NEWSER) - House Democrats in Sarah Palin's crosshairs are using the controversial Alaskan to raise cash. At least four of the 20 lawmakers targeted by Palin because of their votes on health care reform have sent out fundraising appeals naming the former governor. Palin "has literally put my congressional district in the bullseye, attempting to kill our momentum," Rep. Suzanne Kosmas, who faces a tight race in Florida, writes to supporters. More»

Health care reform law opposition becomes Republican litmus test

(NEWSER) - The push to repeal health care reform has become a rallying cry for GOP candidates pushing for big congressional victories this year and eager to show their willingness to take on the Democratic agenda. In Florida, Gov. Charlie Crist and conservative upstart Marco Rubio agreed on little else in a weekend debate, during which Crist used the issue to appear just as ready as Rubio to fight President Obama. John McCain and Sarah Palin delivered a similar message while stumping for his re-election. More»

Says Dems need to 'do better' at selling health care reform

(NEWSER) - Why is Tom Daschle taking money to advise an insurer that’s against the creation of a public health care option—a measure he supports? Pish-posh, the former Senate majority leader tells Deborah Solomon in the New York Times. Who would doubters on the left “advise these insurance companies talk to? They can talk to Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin or they can talk to me,” he tells the New York Times Magazine in its weekly Q&A. More»

Reince Priebus blasts media with 'war on caterpillars' analogy

(NEWSER) - Enter the caterpillar. Republican National Committee chief Reince Priebus is generating headlines today with an insect analogy. In an interview with Bloomberg TV's Al Hunt , Priebus rejected charges that Republicans have a woman problem. “If the Democrats said we had a war on caterpillars and every mainstream media outlet talked about the fact that Republicans have a war on caterpillars, then we’d have problems with caterpillars,” he said. “It’s a fiction.” More»