Police called to Missouri caucus site.

Missouri's confusing, multi-stage caucuses will have no declared winner on Saturday since they're only the first step of a long, winding process before the state will choose their final delegates. But the byzantine rules led to a confusing and embittered day for voters. According to the AP, one caucus site was ajourned without finishing its vote because police had to be called in to settle a dispute between Ron Paul supporters and other candidates' backers.

The day's proceedings add yet another chapter to a long book of caucus day disasters for state GOPs around the country this year.

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entries/chaos-at-missouri-gop-caucuses

Today's Missouri caucuses are a total disaster.

I'm reading through tweets about today's Republican caucuses in Missouri and it looks like a statewide clusterfuck. Here are samples of today's chaos.

stlouis4ronpaul ? @stlouis4ronpaul Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
St.Charles county #MOcaucus was shut down because their chair would not follow parliamentary procedures. Video to come.

Lucas Case ? @lucascase Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
Hahaha!!OMG RT: @RachelHassani: Cries for recount and overthrow of chairman! Yelling across the room from all sides.

Rachel Hassani ? @RachelHassani Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
The rules as written have PASSED by half of a vote. Seriously. 1/2 of a vote. 128.5 required to reconsider the rules. #MoCaucus

cyndeZu ? @cyndeZu Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
RT @stlouis4ronpaul: The Maryland Heights township refuses to follow Roberts Rules of Order. All motions are ignored #MOcaucus

Kris Ketz ? @KrisKetz Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
RT @JAKlindt: The winner of the clay county caucus is confusion.


http://twitter.com/#!/search/realtime/%23mocaucus

Democrats recruiting former GOP lawmaker to run in Michigan primary

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is recruiting former Rep. Joe Schwarz (R-Mich.) to run against Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.), Schwarz told The Hill on Tuesday afternoon.

“We talked and have had very pleasant conversations about it,” Schwarz said. “The DCCC is correctly looking for a candidate to run in the 7th district because there certainly would be a stark contrast between Congressman Walberg and a viable, credible Democratic candidate.”

Schwarz is likely Democrats’ best chance of beating Walberg, especially because former Rep. Mark Schauer (D-Mich.) said he won’t run in the newly redrawn Republican-leaning district. Schauer defeated Walberg in 2008, and then lost to him in a 2010 rematch.

“I do think I would be the strongest candidate to take him on,” Schwarz said.


http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/house-races/215801-dems-recruiting-former-gop-rep-to-run-in-michigan

The Road We've Traveled (Obama Documentary)

Romney Bails on Another Debate

Oregon Republican Chairman Allen Alley announced a few minutes ago that sponsors were forced to cancel the planned GOP presidential debate in Portland next week.

Alley's Tuesday morning announcement was not unexpected given that the GOP front-runner, Mitt Romney, earlier in the week made it clear he would not attend the debate.

Alley said on Oregon Public Broadcasting's "Think Out Loud" that he and the other sponsors of the debate came up with different options in hopes of persuading the candidates to attend.

This included offering to shift the debate from next Monday to Wednesday -- and even suggesting moving the debate from OPB's studios in Portland to a venue in Chicago. The Illinois primary will be held on Tuesday.



http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/03/republican_presidential_debate_1.html

Utah's Hatch battles Tea Party in Republican caucus

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (Reuters) - Veteran U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch faces what may prove to be the toughest re-election bid of his 36-year tenure, as he battles a challenge on Thursday by two younger Tea Party candidates in Utah's Republican caucus.

Heavily Republican Utah last elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate more than four decades ago, so the victor in the state's Republican party contest is usually considered the presumptive winner of the general election in November.

For a senior stalwart of the Republican mainstream like Hatch, the ranking Republican on the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee, an incumbent seat in the U.S. Senate has long been seen as his to lose. He was first elected in 1976, turns 78 next week, and says this next term will be his last.

But he is fighting to avoid the fate of his former Senate colleague, Utah's Bob Bennett, whose 2010 run for a fourth term foundered over conservative outrage at the healthcare overhaul pushed by President Barack Obama, leading to a revolt against the Republican establishment by state Tea Party activists.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/sns-rt-us-usa-politics-utahbre82e1a3-20120315,0,1080641.story

Southern Mississippi band members to be discipline for racist chants.

"We deeply regret the remarks made by a few students at today's game. The words of these individuals do not represent the sentiments of our pep band, athletic department or university. We apologize to Mr. Rodriquez and will take quick and appropriate disciplinary action against the students involved in this isolated incident."

Southern Miss interim athletic director Jeff Hammond met with Kansas State athletic director John Currie Tuesday afternoon to express the university's regret over the matter.

Hammond said that he planned on taking the band director to meet with Rodriguez and possibly Kansas State coach Frank Martin.

"I want to reach out to Conference USA and anyone else who is impacted by this and take full responsibility for this," Hammond said. "This does not represent the state or university. This is not acceptable."




http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2012/03/southern-miss-band-chants-wheres-your-green-card/1#.T2Jzsn30NJc

The Southern Miss Band Chanted "Where’s Your Green Card?" At Kansas State’s Angel Rodriguez (VIDEO)

Kansas State guard Angel Rodriguez was born in Puerto Rico, but don't tell the Southern Miss band that. (Maybe they don't know Puerto Rico is in the United States either, anyway.) Here's what it sounded like on the court late in the first half of their matchup today in Pittsburgh. [TruTV]

http://deadspin.com/5893667/the-southern-miss-band-chanted-wheres-your-green-card-at-kansas-states-angel-rodriguez

Richard Lugar Ruled Ineligible To Vote For His Own Reelection

Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN) has been facing a lot of questions about his residency status ever since he decided to seek another term in the Senate. Both Democrats and tea party conservatives who'd like to replace the moderate Lugar have accused him of abandoning his home state in favor of a life in the DC area full-time.

Now they've got a new data point. The Indianapolis Star reports a local elections board "has voted 2-1 along party lines to find Sen. Richard Lugar, a Republican, and his wife ineligible to vote in their former home precinct" because their primary residence is in Virginia.


http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entries/richard-lugar-ruled-ineligible-to-vote-for-his

Former brothel owner makes Olympic team

It ain't cheap to get yourself Olympic-ready. New Zealand taekwondo athlete Logan Campbell spent $150,000 getting ready for the 2008 Olympics only to get tossed in the first round of the event. He really wanted to get back to the Games, but didn't have the bucks. So naturally, he opened a brothel in 2009 to fund his way. (Talk about faster, higher, stronger!) Now the 25-year-old has made the team, according to the New Zealand Herald. Campbell did sell the "high-class gentleman's club" back in 2010, after the media attention prompted sponsors to get involved. Now there's an inspiration for today's youth.


http://now.msn.com/now-plus/0314-brothel-olympics.aspx