Dear Mr. President,

Here is a warning that I would give to any president under these circumstances, and I think you may want to listen. Do not take this challenge from the opposition too lightly.

In case you have missed it, despite a little sturm and drang, Mitt Romney continues to steadily crawl toward the Republican nomination. He may not get it, but he is still leading the pack as of this weekend. And while many of your fellow Dems are hooting about disarray and infighting among the GOPers, you had better not bet your job on the notion that they won't get it together.

In a way, Hillary Clinton made a version of that mistake when she allowed you to swoop in from nowhere and grab the Dem nomination. By the time she realized it was happening, it was too late for her to stop it.

It can happen again. Make no mistake about that, or it could be the last mistake you'll make in office.

On other fronts, I at at my alma mater, Troy University, to help kick off their 125th anniversary. You should give them a call!

Regards,
Tom

On the campaign trail this year, Callista Gingrich has been mostly seen, not heard. Newt Gingrich's second wife, Marianne, famously broke her years-long silence last month with a splashy, tell-all interview, but his current spouse kept mostly mum - a silent, supportive, perfectly-coiffed presence just behind the candidate.

Today, she spoke up. Her remarks may have been low-key - a simple introduction speech for her husband - but the venue wasn't: the high-profile Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, packed with the Republican activists her husband desperately needs to rally to his side to keep his campaign afloat.

And we're going to hear a lot more from her in the days to come: the Gingrich campaign said today she'll be taking on a more high-profile role on the trail, relaying her husband's "softer side" - and providing a sorely-needed assist in his battle to win over women voters.

As Mrs. Gingrich weighed embracing a more public persona, we spoke with her best friend about the challenges she's faced on the trail and off it: from her childhood in a blue-collar family in a small Wisconsin town to her struggle to deal with the controversy that accompanied the early days of her relationship with the former Speaker of the House. Tonight, as Callista Gingrich begins to find her voice, we'll take a closer look at her roots, including exclusive family photos, new video of her life on the trail and off, and a firsthand account from one of the few who know her best.

Dear Mr. President,

So I see that some sort of deal has been struck in that whole dustup with the Catholic church over insurance for employees. Nice to hear that it ended without fisticuffs.

Compromise is necessary in so much of life. For example, sometimes I am driving along and some idiot wants to barge into my lane. I would like to slam my fender into his and send him into a crazy Grand Theft Auto spin into the ditch, but that would be unreasonable. So I compromise and simply scream at him through the car window and make insulting gestures.

Sometimes colleagues do things at work that make me doubt their competence at best, their sanity at worst. I would like to call the state authorities to come cart them off, but instead I smile, explain the issue I have with their latest efforts, and then quietly spread malicious gossip about them.

See how great compromise can be?

Anyway, glad to hear that you reached a deal. Call if you can.

Regards,
Tom

Memo to the Republican Establishment, Part II.

First of all, let me apologize for not getting back to you sooner. I realize it's been 15 days since I've penned (as the Mittster would say) my last memo to you. But you know, with the Super Bowl I have gotten behind and wanted to catch up with you before theMardi Gras season gets in full swing. Good manners dictate that I convey my most heartfelt congratulations to you for what you did to old Newt in your aggressive ad campaign. I mean, you guys really did him in. As we say in Louisiana, you made minced meat out of that boy.

You rounded up a bunch of Wall Street money and turned it over to the Willie Horton ad guy to destroy one of your own. You boys really crack me up (and I say boys because no females have openly expressed their membership - as soon as someone steps forward I will be sure to address you appropriately). I don't think we Democrats could come up with something quite so clever. You have accomplished quite a feat.

Read more...

After Rick Sanatorum’s three-state sweep on Tuesday in Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri, the GOP presidential candidate told CNN: “We definitely are the campaign right now with the momentum" and have the "enthusiasm on the ground.” Santorum’s wins meant a big loss for Mitt Romney. Our political producer Rebecca Sinderbrand breaks down his bad night on Tuesday, and explains why he wasn’t the biggest loser.

Also in election news, President Obama seems to be flip-flopping when it comes to his opposition of Super PACs. The president who once said the organizations are “a threat to our democracy,” is now encouraging donations to a super PAC supporting his re-election. We’re Keeping him Honest.

A federal appeals court in California ruled against Prop 8, California’s voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage. And a little further north in Washington state, legislators voted 55-43 in the House and 38-21 in the Senate (last week) in favor of a bill that legalizes same-sex marriage. Dem. Governor Chris Gregoire commented: “With today's vote, we tell the nation that Washington state will no longer deny our citizens the opportunity to marry the person they love...We tell every child of same-sex couples that their family is every bit as equal and important as all other families in our state.” The law will go into effect in June, unless it’s put on the November 2012 ballot.

Today’s Scoop:

The bloodshed continues in Syria. An opposition group reports at least 137 people were killed on Thursday. We’ve been covering this story all week and have been trying our best to speak with people inside Syria, even though lines of communications are hard to come by. We spoke with BBC Correspondent Paul Wood who snuck out of Homs on Wednesday and sums the situation up in one word: “despair.” His words are echoed by Zaidoun, a Syrian activist, who said “it’s too much” and that children are hungry. We also talked to Abu Abdo, a Syrian activist in Homs, who said: “We will all die in Syria.” Anderson will speak with Abu Abdo tonight as he’s trying to smuggle medical supplies into Homs from Aleppo.  Tune in at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. ET.

The Mississippi Supreme Court heard arguments today about the legality of former Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour’s pardons. Attorney General Jim Hood challenged Barbour’s pardons, saying they are unconstitutional because a majority of the individuals didn’t give the required notice to the public. Tune in tonight for details about the case. Anderson is talking again with a victim’s family members; they are outraged that the pardons freed convicted murderers.

A look ahead:

For real-time coverage of the Maine caucus on Saturday, watch the political team on CNN.

Buzz-winning story:

Valentine’s Day is coming up next week, and what better way to romance the object of your affection than with three of the weirdest Valentine’s apps?

Follow Deena Sami on Twitter.

Dear Mr. President,

I’ve been following the First Lady’s campaign against childhood obesity; her efforts to urge youngsters to get out and exercise, eat healthier foods, and generally shed a few pounds. You and I both know that, of the two of you, she is the more popular resident of the White House. No surprise. First Ladies often are. After all, they get to talk about warm, fuzzy topics, while presidents must tackle nasty issues like gasoline prices and foreign dictators. All that said, however, I have a bone to pick over this whole campaign.

As you know, I’m into running and a great believer in personal fitness. I would wager, that I could beat you and the First Lady in a marathon, even if you two made a relay out of it. And, like most Americans who struggle to get into shape, I’ve done it on my own. No trainer.

Now, let me make my position clear. I have nothing against personal trainers. I think they are great. I have nothing against people using them, and I recognize that plenty of who can afford such help get it. That’s great too. But when you are the leader of a nation, and your wife is the First Lady, and you’re urging regular Americans to get into shape, I think you set a much better example by showing that you can exercise the same way most of them do…on your own.

Look, I realize that you are very busy, but so are we. Our jobs are also demanding. We’re also contacted by email at all hours of the day. And, oh btw, you don’t have to cook meals, make beds, vacuum the house, pay bill, and take the dog to the vet. Perhaps you’re getting my point. When you try to set an example for people getting into shape, and that example relies on tools that most Americans can not afford, it really isn’t much of an example. Nor are those tools necessary. Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and the 2nd George Bush all had active exercise regimens, and yet I don’t think any of them relied on private trainers on a regular basis.

I remember a super model, long ago, who said one of the most honest things I’ve ever heard from the celebrity on this topic. She told an interviewer, to paraphrase, “I don’t have any business telling average people how to be healthy. I have professional trainers who work with me every day. I have stylists to do my hair and makeup, and to pick out my clothing, while housekeepers take care of my home, and nannies take care of my children. Looking like this is my job, and it would be completely unfair to suggest that a normal person can attain this look without all that help hiding in the wings.”

All I’m saying is, if you really want to have impact, stop acting like rich people. Do it on your own like an average American must. If you succeed that way, then you’ll have a message that matters…and will be a lot more inspirational and honest than the way you are doing it now.

Regards,
Tom