Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel was none too pleased. “The Mayor was livid when he read that the Ricketts were going to launch a $10 million campaign against President Obama — with the type of racially motivated ads that are insulting to the president and the presidential campaign,” an Emanuel aide said. “He is also livid with their blatant hypocrisy.” It is not clear if this will jeopardize the Wrigley makeover, but Chicago taxpayers should nonetheless take notice and let their voices be heard. Let the Ricketts family pay for renovations on their own.

Lugar’s popularity was so immense that six years ago Democrats did not even bother fielding a challenger in a wave election where the party won control of the U.S. House and Senate. Three of those House seats that Democrats won came from Indiana. Among them was Representative Joe Donnelly, who today won the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate in November against the man that defeated Lugar, State Treasurer Richard Mourdock.

The blowout loss of a high-profile man like Lugar without so much as a scandal – essentially the face of the Republican Party in Indiana for three decades – signifies a remarkable shift to the right among Indiana Republican voters. Lugar is a man of principle, not ideology. Republicans have said today loud and clear that they prefer purity over conviction. It is a rejection of civility and compromise. Mourdock has said that there is “too much” bipartisanship in Washington and has proudly embraced out-of-state special interests. His entire campaign has been vaulted by super PACs that can receive unlimited amounts of money from corporations.

Mourdock’s victory sends a signal to other Republicans in Congress – who are already intransigent enough – that working with the other party on anything is an offense worthy of a primary challenge. This follows a pattern that developed in 2010 where far-right Tea Party candidates defeated more mainstream Republican candidates in Alaska, Colorado, Delaware and Nevada. General election voters punished the GOP for lurching too far to the right. They lost each of those races in 2010. Indiana could be the latest state where the Tea Party costs the GOP a Senate seat.

Operation Bald Eagle is the story of Agent Ethan Clark, who faces one of the most challenging missions in his thirty year career working for The Agency. A Chinese businessman attempts to acquire a highly valued American technology company with sensitive U.S. government contracts. Intelligence suggests a possible cyber attack is in the works, but all is not as it seems. A thrilling adventure across the globe awaits in this novel.

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We accept your apology for denying that climate change is a real, serious threat to the planet. We realize that science isn’t your strong suit. Now let’s work together to find a solution that will ensure a future for our children and grandchildren. The longer we wait, the harder it will be to undo the damage that has already been done.

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With Newt Gingrich’s second place finishes in Alabama and Mississippi – states that he recently said that he must win – his campaign’s path forward it unclear at best. Indeed it would take an act of God for Gingrich to become the Republican nominee. The same cannot be said of Santorum, though, who despite trailing Romney by roughly 200 delegates could quickly catch up to him at the convention. Consider this scenario:

The Republicans enter their convention in Tampa without a candidate holding a clear majority of delegates – a requirement for winning the nomination. The first round of ballots is indecisive. After this point delegates bound to Romney or any other candidate could vote for whomever they please.

Now imagine that Gingrich drops out of the race. Where do his delegates go? Will these conservative, largely Southern delegates go with a former moderate governor from Massachusetts? Highly doubtful, unless Gingrich is enticed by another prize: a slot on the ticket.

This is where Santorum can find a path without entering the convention with a majority of delegates. He wins Gingrich’s endorsement early on, ensuring that his supporters will carry Santorum to victory in places like Texas. Then Santorum cuts a deal with Gingrich giving him a VP slot in exchange for his hundred plus delegates. Adding the delegates won so far by Gingrich and Santorum puts him within striking distance of Romney. Hardly an act of God.

President Obama commended Senator Snowe for her service. “For nearly four decades, Olympia Snowe has served the people of the great state of Maine. Elected to the state House in 1973, Olympia went on to be the first woman in American history to serve in both houses of a state legislature and both houses of Congress. From her unwavering support for our troops, to her efforts to reform Wall Street, to fighting for Maine’s small businesses, Senator Snowe’s career demonstrates how much can be accomplished when leaders from both parties come together to do the right thing for the American people.”

Snowe is one of the few Republicans that have been willing to cross the aisle and join Democrats on legislation during the Obama years. She supported the stimulus package as well as the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. She joined her Republican cohorts in killing the DREAM Act, as well as voting against health care reform, despite indicating that she would vote for it if it didn’t have a public option in the bill – which eventually was removed.

The senator was a decided favorite for re-election, especially in the general election, although Tea Party challengers were biting at her heels in the primary. With Snowe’s departure this seat now has to be considered favored for the Democratic candidate. However, only two weeks are left until the filing deadline for both parties. We’ll have to see who throws their hat into the ring. That being said, the Democrats were largely on defense so far this cycle in places like Nebraska, North Dakota and Montana. Having Maine as a new pick-up, as well as Massachusetts with Scott Brown, makes it much more likely that Democrats will hold onto the Senate.

Mitt Romney’s campaign could learn a thing or two from Hollywood: his campaign would be better off if he just kept his mouth shut.

While that speech left people scratching their heads, oddly enough it wasn’t the first time that Romney spoke about his fondness for the height of trees in Michigan. “This feels good, being back in Michigan. You know, the trees are the right height,” Romney said on Friday during his speech to a nearly empty Ford Field.

Back in November 2011 he said almost the exact same thing: “I love being in Michigan. Everything seems right here. You know, I come back to Michigan; the trees are the right height. The grass is the right color for this time of year, kind of a brownish-greenish sort of thing. It just feels right.” Apparently it doesn’t feel right enough for Romney to own a home in the state, though, despite owning properties in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and California.