If Wednesday’s debate in Arizona was the last 2012 Republican presidential debate, it resembled many of the previous ones.  Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney won by default because none of his challengers forcefully or effectively cut him down. In nearly every debate, the presidential candidates have failed to realize that to be the chief anti-Romney candidate, they must give voters reasons not to vote for Romney in addition to reasons to vote for them.  President Barack Obama again was a winner as the mainstream media failed to asked about the crony capitalistic disasters of the Obama administration such as Solyndra. CNN neglected to address the Operation Fast and Furious scandal even though the debate was in Ari. . .

Former House Speaker, Newt Gingrich, has released a 30 minute video highlighting his ideas on energy policy. He focuses on reducing the price of gasoline, energy independence and job creation. The video will be used heavily between now and Super Tuesday on March 6. Gingrich will need to make a splash before Super Tuesday as his poll numbers have shrunk to dangerously low numbers both nationally and in the upcoming GOP primary states. The theme of the video is unleashing the energypotential of the United States, which Gingrich says has been hampered by poor energy policies designed by Department of Energy academics who, “live on a nice campus and bicycle to their lab.” Beyond the economic ramifications of holding back Americ. . .

Only 248 of the 1,144 delegates in the Republican primary have been awarded and so here is a quick look at where the four remaining candidates stand and what their options are going forward. From now through Super Tuesday there are a total of 539 votes at stake Here is a look at what is coming up in the next month. February 28 – Arizona (29) and Michigan (30) Arizona is a winner take all state and has 29 delegates up for grabs and Michigan is a hybrid proportional state with 30 delegates in play. In Michigan 1.5 delegates are awarded to the winners of each congressional district. According to the latest PPP poll, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney leads by a slim margin in Arizona over former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santor. . .

When Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer parlayed the leverage that she had by threatening to move Arizona’s primary up and cause chaos in the primary calendar to get Arizona a nationally televised GOP debate, she ensured that all eyes would be on her state.  With Mitt Romney struggling in Michigan, Santorum challenging Romney’s front-runner status, Gingrich needing to climb back into the race and Paul being Paul, tonight’s debate will be critical in influencing not only the next three weeks in the GOP primary but perhaps being a determinative debate.  Here are the stakes for the four candidates going into the debate.  Mitt Romney If Romney loses the Michigan primary, it could be devastating for his campa. . .

This is the first in a series of one-on-one interviews with vice presidential contenders. Next week, John Gizzi profiles Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers. When I first interviewed Marco Rubio on April 14, 2009, my initial question was the obvious one for this young, long-shot candidate: Why wasn’t the Miami lawyer and former speaker of the Florida House of Representatives running for the U.S. House or a statewide office, instead of Florida’s open Senate seat? Why, especially when almost all polls showed popular Republican Gov. Charlie Crist handily winning the nomination and the general election in 2010? “Because I want to be a senator, not those other offices you’re talking about,” Rubio shot back witho. . .

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As conservatives evaluate the candidates for the Republican presidential nomination it is helpful to put each of their backgrounds in the context of past successful or unsuccessful chief executives. The author of the recently released Politically Incorrect Guide to the Presidents: From Wilson to Obama , Steven F. Hayward, described some of the attributes that are typical of great modern presidents and poor ones at a recent Heritage Foundation lecture. Hayward said that modern textbooks tend to treat the presidency “as if it was just another CEO position.” He said that there is a lack of focus on how well the president actually upholds the Constitution and too much focus placed on charisma. Hayward rated the presidents on t. . .

The national pro-life organization, Susan B Anthony List (SBA List), has officially endorsed former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum in the Republican primary. The endorsement by the SBA List is the first in the organization’s nearly twenty-year history, and it has been a constant champion against abortion and has been a leader in the pro-life-movement. SBA List president, Marjorie Dannenfelser, said, “Rick Santorum communicates the vision and has exhibited the strategic and tactical prowess the pro-life movement must have in order to succeed.  Women and children deserve his leadership, grounded as it is in affirming the dignity of every person.” While former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has stated that he is cur. . .

The Republican vice presidential choice will be critical this year especially if former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney takes the top spot. He has not been able to excite the conservative base, and he has made several verbal gaffes on the campaign trail. The vice presidential choice could even determine the fate of the GOP nominee, as the contender faces a president who is a master campaigner, buttressed by a multi-billion-dollar machine that will churn out his message and attempt to eviscerate Romney. For Team Romney, the ultimate question in the general election may be whether it needs Hispanics more than an enthusiastic evangelical base in an election that, on paper, many experts believe will be extremely close. HUMAN EVENTS editors loo. . .

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney won the Maine caucus on Saturday, with 39 percent of the vote. Texas Rep. Ron Paul received 36 percent; former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum got 18 percent, and former House speaker Newt Gingrich received 6 percent.  “I thank the voters of Maine for their support," Romney said in a statement. "I’m committed to turning around America. And I’m heartened to have the support of so many good people in this great state. “We stand for conservative principles, liberty and prosperity. All of these are under threat. I’m in this race because I believe that America can be turned around, that we don’t have to accept unemployment over 8 percent, a national debt. . .