Compiled by Jonathan Helman
CNN Washington Bureau
NY Times: Miscalculations Dogged Romney From the Start
Mr. Romney’s advisers acknowledged Thursday an array of tactical missteps and miscalculations. Perhaps most significantly, they conceded that they had failed to overcome doubts about Mr. Romney’s authenticity as they sought to position him as the most electable conservative in the race, a jarring contrast to his more moderate record as governor of Massachusetts.
Washington Post: Clinton Focuses on Matchup vs. McCain
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, making her first appearance in Virginia yesterday before Tuesday's regional primary, matched herself up not with opponent Sen. Barack Obama, but Sen. John McCain, who is on the verge of the Republican presidential nomination.
Washington Post: Romney Out, McCain Looks Ahead
Sen. John McCain effectively sealed the Republican presidential nomination yesterday when former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney abruptly left the race. The senator from Arizona immediately turned his attention to repairing relations with disgruntled conservatives and to opening the general election campaign with a sharp critique of his Democratic rivals.
Washington Times: Huckabee On Track To Play The Spoiler
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is a tremendous long shot for winning the Republican presidential nomination, but he has the potential to undermine Sen. John McCain's general election prospects, as Pat Buchanan did to President George H.W. Bush in 1992.
NY Times: Clinton’s Fund-Raising Success Is Outshined by Obama’s
With Super Tuesday behind them, the rivals have turned some of their ferocity away from voters and toward their donors, seeking the clear-cut victory in fund-raising that neither could secure at the ballot box this week, when Mr. Obama won 13 states and Mrs. Clinton 9.
Boston Globe: Upon Leaving, Options, Obstacles
At 60, Romney is still young enough to have some future hopes in a party where the elephant has been not only a symbol of the GOP but a metaphor for its aged nominees: Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Dole, and now McCain have all aimed for the White House at a time of life when most people are looking for retirement homes.
WSJ: Mormons Dismayed by Harsh Spotlight
Mitt Romney's campaign for the presidency brought national attention to the Mormon Church. There were public attacks by critics of the faith. Now Mormons, who are taught not to argue with outsiders, are taking on their antagonists like never before.
Washington Post: Did Mormons Get A Bounce From Mitt?
After Mitt Romney suspended his presidential campaign yesterday, in a speech praising conservative values and criticizing such scourges as liberal judges and France, the question became: So, was it good for the Mormons?
Washington Post: Aggressive Obama TV Spending Prompted Clinton's Loan
When Sen. Barack Obama began to bombard Super Tuesday states with television ads late last month, top advisers to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton quickly realized they could not afford to match the effort, and first broached with her the notion of dipping into her personal bank account.
NY Times: Democratic Race: Lagging in New Mexico
They are still counting ballots in New Mexico to determine the winner of Tuesday’s Democratic caucuses. According to preliminary results posted on the party’s Web site, with all precincts reporting, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton was leading Senator Barack Obama by less than 1,100 votes. But more than 17,000 provisional ballots had yet to be counted.
USA Today: Obama, Clinton report big Internet cash influx
The Democratic money race accelerated dramatically Thursday as rivals Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama reported massive outpourings of cash in advance of four more contests this weekend.
WSJ: As Romney Quits, Right Is Still Wary of McCain
Reeling from a poor Super Tuesday showing, Mitt Romney ended his year-old campaign for the Republican presidential nomination, clearing the way for the presumptive nominee, Sen. John McCain, to reach out to skeptical conservatives.
Boston Globe: A Setback For Romney Is Seen As A Foundation For Future Role In Party
Although Mitt Romney abruptly pulled the plug on his 2008 presidential ambitions yesterday, his appearance before a national conservative gathering clearly signaled that he wants to be part of the Republican Party's future. The question is, where does he fit?
