Outside the Beltway

Is it appropriate for news organizations to decide that the people don’t need to hear from certain political candidates?

Sarah Palin will be heading to yet another important primary state while insisting she isn’t running for President yet. And the press follows her like a lonely puppy.

Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani tops the latest CNN poll of Republican presidential contenders.

Herman Cain: candidate du jour or something more permanent?

Newt Gingrich and his wife had a quarter million dollar line of credit at Tiffany’s. A story, a scandal, or much ado about nothing? I’ll take Door Number Three.

The GOP doesn’t have a charismatic superstar waiting in the wings. That’s okay.

With the customary hand-wringing over the low quality of the presidential field well underway, the corollary pining for other candidates to join the race is starting.

The Republican candidates of 2012 are so weak because of GOP losses in 2004 and 2006 Senate and gubernatorial races.

Jon Huntsman made his first stop in New Hampshire as he explores a presidential bid. So far, so good.

Newt is looking a bit toasty to me (not that that is a surprising position to take).

With the 2012 GOP field looking very underwhelming, GOP insiders are looking toward Indianapolis for a savior.

It’s Campaign Fact of Life No. 1: If you aren’t a factor in the race, you aren’t going to get free media.

Mike Huckabee’s decision not to run has shaken up the GOP field for 2012.

Texas Congressman Ron Paul, who will enter the Presidential race tomorrow, says he wouldn’t have tried to have Osama bin Laden killed.

Why are many of the top Republicans are sitting out the race despite a seemingly vulnerable incumbent?

What is Donald Trump up to? Only he seems to know for sure.

Nate Silver argues today’s polls “have a reasonable amount of predictive power in informing us as to the identity of the eventual nominee.”

Former New Mexico governor Gary Johnson is running for president.

With minor exceptions, all of the potential candidates for the GOP nomination in 2012 seem to have accepted the idea that defense spending, and the Bush-era interventionist foreign policy, are off the table when it comes time to talk spending cuts.

There’s still time for Sarah Palin to burnish her political reputation. But she probably won’t.

Republicans are starting to sour on Sarah Palin, meaning that they’re finally starting to catch up to the rest of the country.

Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann is beginning to more like a real candidate for President. She won’t win, but she will be entertaining.

All of the plausible Republican contenders for 2012 have significant downsides.

Mitt Romney starts his 2012 run as the frontrunner for the Republican nomination. But, in reinventing himself yet again, the “authenticity” issue that troubled many of us in 2008 looms again.

The Supreme Court rules that “offensiveness” does not trump the First Amendment. And they’re right.

Florida has again scheduled its primary ahead of the deadlines set by the Republican and Democratic parties.

Facebook has come up with new settings to meet the needs of users in same-sex relationships.