A group of conservatives are pushing Indiana Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) to run for president in 2012.

America's President Committee kicks off today with a signature drive to get Pence, who's popular with social conservatives, to launch a 2012 White House bid.

Behind the group are former Kansas Congressman Jim Ryun and is coordinated by Ralph Benko, a former Reagan deputy counsel, who worked with the Bush administration's White House Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives.

“Throughout his distinguished career, Mike Pence has demonstrated the ability to enthusiastically advance the cause of conservatives and constitutional, limited government and for that reason I am encouraging him to get in the race,” Mr. Ryun said in a press release.

Benko added, “Mike Pence describes himself as ‘First a Christian, then a conservative, then a Republican.’ He unifies fiscal, social, and national security conservatives, and will energize the conservative coalition essential to winning back The White House in 2012."

The group's Web site, called "The Conservative Champion," is up with its first post, entitled, "America calling Mike Pence…. You are the Conservative Champion. We call you to Serve."

Pence is expected to make a decision by the end of January. It's also possible he runs for governor of Indiana. The response to Pence speeches has given before conservative groups is notable, especially in contrast to other Republicans who are likely to launch bids.

Could the affable former talk-radio host be the Mike Huckabee of the 2012 election?

Remember, however, no one has been directly elected from the House to the White House since James Garfield in 1881.

From NBC's Pete Williams
Pay no attention to a Washington Post story today, which says, quoting "law enforcement sources" that "federal authorities are planning to move the trial" of Jared Loughner to San Diego.

For starters, "federal authorities" can't move the trial anywhere. That decision will be made by the judge. Second, the Justice Department will OPPOSE any request to move the trial. Federal prosecutors want the trial to be conducted in Tucson.

It's highly likely that Loughner's lawyers will, at some point, seek to have the trial moved. And it's certainly possible that it could be moved to San Diego. That's where the judge is from. But the Justice Department will urge the judge to keep the trial in Arizona.

Happy Martin Luther King Day. There's no First Thoughts this morning, but here's a roundup of the latest news among potential 2012 candidates.

“Speaking on Fox News Sunday, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty offered up the tough medicine they had prescribed to rein in budget deficits in their states. Both also provided glimpses of the strengths that budget hawks with governor credentials may bring to the presidential race in 2012,” National Journal writes.

BACHMANN: “When U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann speaks Friday, Jan. 21 at an Iowans for Tax Relief fundraiser in Des Moines, her appearance will garner even more attention than usual,” Minnesota Public Radio writes of the declared possible presidential candidate.

BARBOUR: “Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour on Friday offered some advice to the man that he may seek to unseat in next year’s election, President Barack Obama,” Reuters reports. “The potential 2012 Republican presidential candidate said he doesn’t expect Obama to follow the lead of a Democratic predecessor and declare, ‘the era of big government is over.’ But Barbour said if Obama did deliver such a message, as President Bill Clinton did in 1996, ‘I think his job approval would go up.’”

CHRISTIE: House Republicans chose the New Jersey governor to headline their annual spring fundraising gala, the National Republican Congressional dinner, according to the Washington Post. The dinner is scheduled for March 30.

“Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie insisted Sunday that he was not criticizing former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin when he told the New York times that she ‘rightfully has been criticized’ for consistently following a script,” CNN writes. “’It wasn't a criticism of her. It was an observation,’ Christie said on ‘Fox News Sunday.’ ’If you avoid those unscripted moments, I don't think the American people will trust their instincts about whether you would make a good president or not.’”

GINGRICH: “Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) told House Republicans Friday there are many lessons to be learned from the showdown he had with then-President Clinton in 1995,” The Hill writes. “Gingrich did not express regret for his dealings with Clinton, which resulted in the shutdown of the federal government. He did acknowledge, however, that Democrats won the message war and Republicans took much of the blame for the impasse.”

PAWLENTY: Topping off a week of TV appearances, Pawlenty gave a glimpse of a possible 2012 primary strategy on Fox News Sunday. Minneapolis Star Tribune: “Pawlenty argued it was still early -- pointing out that the 2008 winner Mike Huckabee began at 2 percent -- but he also said: ‘For somebody like me, you have to do very well, win or do very well, in Iowa.’”

“Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a likely GOP White House hopeful, called on congressional Republicans to block an increase in the limit on federal borrowing, and he proposed legislation that he said would prevent a U.S. default on its loans,” the Wall Street Journal writes.

PENCE: “An independent campaign to draw GOP Rep. Mike Pence into the 2012 presidential race is under way, with a veteran of the Reagan White House launching a petition drive on Monday urging him to enter the primary contests,” the AP writes. “Ralph Benko, a deputy counsel to Ronald Reagan, announced the America's President Committee to encourage a Pence-for-president bid. Former Rep. Jim Ryan, R-Kan., is also helping the campaign to collect signatures from conservatives and tea party activists.”

ROMNEY: A new McClatchy Newspapers-Marist poll shows President Obama leading Mitt Romney in a hypothetical matchup, 51-38. “In their December survey, Romney was leading Obama 46-44 percent,” CNN writes.

SANTORUM: Former Sen. Rick Santorum spoke at the annual Stand Up for Life March and Rally in Columbia, South Carolina, where he “told the crowd that the debate extends not just to abortion, but to euthanasia as well.”

IOWA: Newly elected RNC Chairman Reince Priebus “gets high marks from Iowans concerned about keeping the presidential caucuses first in the nation,” the Des Moines Register writes. “He was on a RNC 2012 committee that recommended the official carve-out for Iowa, allowing the state to retain its coveted leadoff status.”

SOUTH CAROLINA: “South Carolina's reputation as a must-win state for GOP presidential primary candidates got a boost this week as the Southern Republican Leadership Conference announced it will come to Charleston in early 2012,” the Charleston Post and Courier writes.

Over the weekend, newly installed Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus fired former chairman Michael Steele’s Tampa convention liaison.

"We are committed to holding a world-class 2012 Republican National Convention that will be worthy of the next President of the United States,” Priebus said in a statement. “There are some changes that need to be made to ensure a successful convention. Those changes start today. I have discontinued the employment of the convention liaison and the employees of the Committee on Arrangements, effective immediately. I look forward to bringing on top-notch staff and planning a convention that all Republicans, especially our 2012 Presidential nominee, can be proud of."

The liaison was Belinda Cook, a former Steele assistant. She was making $15,000 a month with a $25K bonus, according to The Washington Post. Calculating that out over 12 months, equates to a yearly salary of $205,000. That’s just $20,000 less than the chairman of the RNC makes.

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The move is likely aimed as a first step to restore the faith of the committee’s major donors. Priebus is going to need them to open up their wallets for the 2012 cycle. He’s facing a debt of $21 million. He has pledged to raise $400 million over the next two years.

Steele’s six-figure deal
Unlike the 2009 RNC election, Friday’s election was mostly without drama, except for one moment: Steele’s bowing out. Most didn’t see it coming just then. Observers knew that Steele was angling for a deal, and he was seen coming out of rooms Friday between votes with other candidates.

But Hotline’s Reid Wilson has a little more on what Steele may have gotten in return for his endorsement:

“That endorsement came at a cost, according to committee insiders. As candidates jockeyed for position, Steele sat down with aides to both Cino and former RNC co-chairman Ann Wagner in search of a deal. Eventually, Cino allies offered Steele a deal that would have been more lucrative than the chairman's salary, the sources said. The RNC chairman makes $224,500 a year. Whether the deal included guarantees of contracts or of future employment was not immediately clear to sources who spoke with The Hotline.”

We’ll see where he winds up.

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro and Mark Murray
Wisconsin Party Chairman Reince Priebus was elected chairman of the Republican National Committee after seven rounds of voting and more than four hours. Priebus garnered 97 votes, a majority of the 168 RNC members.

Michigan Committeeman Saul Anuzis finished second with 43 votes, while former Bush official Maria Cino, who had the backing of House Speaker John Boehner and former Vice President Dick Cheney, finished with 28 votes.

"I want to thank God and Jesus for this moment," Priebus said. "I am so blessed. ... I am completely humbled."

He added, "We can't wait to rebuild this party" and "move on to conservative candidates. ... We have to get on track, and together we can beat Barack Obama in 2012. Together, unified. ... now is the time for the committee to unite... for the betterment of our party and our country. I will earn your trust. I'm going to start working right now as your chairman. We all recognize there's a steep hill ahead of us. The only way we can move forward is if we're all together."

He added, "The Democrats have taken this country on the wrong path."

The first step, he said, is to put a "solid business plan in place" and "restore the faith of our donors." but he acknowledged it's about more than money.

It's remarkable in one respect that Priebus was elected chairman because of his ties to former Chairman Michael Steele. Priebus, not only served as the RNC's general counsel under Steele, but also served as Steele's campaign manager two years ago.

There were some hurt feelings with Steele toward Priebus, someone who was once such a staunch supporter. It's one reason Steele didn't endorse Priebus. Steele asked his supporters to vote for Maria Cino, a former Bush official.

But Priebus made the case that he was the man for the job because of his low-key style and above all, the GOP's successes in Wisconsin, a Rust Belt state that was the closest state of the 2004 general election but won by a wide margin by Barack Obama in 2008.

Republicans picked up the governorship, ousted liberal Sen. Russ Feingold in one of the 2010 cycle's bigger surprises, and picked up two House seats.

Priebus was supported early by Mississippi Committeeman Henry Barbour, the nephew of Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, a former RNC Chairman and potential 2012 GOP candidate.

As chairman, Priebus might faces a challenge of avoiding the perception of favoritism toward Barbour if he decides to run.

"Haley really isn't an issue," said one Republican tied to the committee. "If Haley runs, the chair has to go straight down the middle. People will try and make noise of it, but he's a general counsel. He knows how to walk that line very well

From msnbc.com's Carrie Dann
The new chairman of the Republican National Committee is Reince Priebus.

Priebus won the post after seven rounds of voting at the RNC's winter meeting, besting four other candidates - including outgoing chairman Michael Steele.

Priebus, the chairman of the Wisconsin Republican Party, served as the general counsel of the RNC beginning in 2009 (he stepped down from that post to run for the committee’s top job.)

The Wisconsin native ran unsuccessfully as for state Senate in 2004.

He was considered the frontrunner going into today’s RNC votes, with the most on-the-record support of any candidate.

Below, you can watch his announcement video from December, when he formally entered the race:

From msnbc.com's Carrie Dann
Two voting rounds after outgoing chairman Michael Steele withdrew from the race, candidate Ann Wagner has dropped her bid to become the next RNC chairman

Wagner, a former ambassador to Luxembourg and Missouri Republican Party Chairwoman, has a reputation as a tough political operative. She came to the race fresh from helping to lead Roy Blunt’s Senate campaign to a 13 point landslide.

She did not endorse one of the three remaining candidates. Voting continues.

From msnbc.com's Carrie Dann
After the sixth round of voting, Reince Priebus is within five votes of the support he needs to win the chairmanship of the RNC.

The results were:

Priebus - 80
Anuzis - 37
Cino - 34
Wagner - 17

The seventh round will start in about 10 minutes.

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro and Mark Murray
Michael Steele's rocky tenure as chairman of the Republican National Committee has officially ended.

Steele dropped his bid for reelection only after four rounds of votes here at National Harbor that saw him lose votes in each subsequent round. He endorsed former Bush administration official Maria Cino. If all votes hold, and Steele's 28 combine with Cino's 29, that would put Cino in second place with 57 votes behind Wisconsin Chairman Reince Priebus, who at last tally had 58.

"How y'all doin,'" Steele said in signature Steele, as he took to the podium before fifth-round voting to announce his exit. "Two years, we had a good time. This is tough because it is what it is."

He added, "I step aside for others to lead. ... Despite the noise, despite the difficulties, we won."

He continued, "I'm a fighter, and I'm a little bit obstinate, but I am because I believe in the fight."

He went on to tout the committee's accomplishments, as he saw them -- raising $192 million -- "no asterisk"; winning 63 House seats -- "We won in places we haven't in a long time. ... It wasn't because of anything I did. ... It's what you did."

"I will step aside because I think the party is ready for something different," he said. "And now I exit, stage right."

From msnbc.com's Carrie Dann
Michael Steele has just dropped out of the race to retain his job at the helm of the RNC and endorsed Maria Cino to be the committee's next chair.

"At this time I will step aside for others to lead," he said.

"It's very clear the party wants to do something a little different and maybe a little better," Steele said in announcing his decision to withdraw his candidacy.

He received a standing ovation from committee members.

The fifth round of voting will begin now. Four candidates remain in the race.

Watch his speech below:

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From msnbc.com's Carrie Dann and Domenico Montanaro
The race remains a stalemate:

Priebus - 58
Cino - 29
Steele - 28
Wagner - 28
Anuzis - 24

There was one write in for an ineligible candidate.

As the third round of voting gets underway, all candidates remain; none have dropped out.

RESULTS: Reince Priebus gained two more votes but still not enough to win. And Michael Steele's fate seems all but assured.

Priebus stands at 54; Steele has dropped four more to 33; Ann Wagner is now in third place with 32, gaining five more votes; Maria Cino has dropped again to 28 and so has Saul Anuzis who for a second straight round is in last place, with 21 votes.

The question now is if Anuzis drops out and who he endorses. Does Cino drop out, as her trend is in the wrong direction? And does Steele see the writing on the wall? Does he get a deal he might agree to?

Priebus 54

Steele 33

Wag 32

Cino 28

Anuzis 21

After the second round of voting, Wisconsin Party Chairman Reince Priebus retains the lead, but still not enough to become chairman.

Priebus gained seven votes to go to 52, while current Chairman Michael Steele, who lost seven votes to drop to 37, appears to be fading.

Former Bush official Maria Cino lost two, and is in third place at 30; Former Missouri Party Chair Ann Wagner gained four to get to 27; and Michigan Committeeman Saul Anuzis is in last place dropping down to 22 votes

Here's how the vote broke down:

Priebus 52

Steele 37

Anuzis 22

Cino 30

Wagner 27

There will be a 20-minute break and then a re-vote. A reminder that there is no provision for the candidate with the least amount of votes to drop out.

After the first round of voting at the Republican National Committee's winter meeting, Wisconsin Party Chairman Reince Priebus leads, but not by enough to become the committee's new chairman.

Here's how the vote broke down:

Priebus - 45

Steele - 44

Cino -32

Anuzis - 24

Wagner - 23

There will be a 20-minute break and then a re-vote. A reminder that there is no provision for the candidate with the least amount of votes to drop out.

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro and Mark Murray

Michael Steele unintentionally said it best himself at a debate for chairman of the Republican National Committee: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times," he said, incorrectly attributing the line to "War and Peace," which he called his favorite book. (It's from "A Tale of Two Cities.")

Today, at a sprawling resort just outside Washington, Steele delivering a speech -- in his capacity as RNC chairman -- was essentially his last pitch to members before today's vote of the 168 committee members who, will determine his fate this afternoon.

"You shocked the world," he told the assembled members, as he delivered the chairman's report on the past two years.

Steele was deferential, crediting members with wins in 2009 in Virginia and New Jersey as well as touting the committee's efforts to take back the House and place John Boehner as speaker.

Of course, Steele once said, "I won" the Virginia and New Jersey races. Today, he said, "You won." And he once said the GOP wouldn't take back the House. "Not this year," he said.

But Steele is looking to be re-hired for this job, so he made sure to shower the members with praise.

"It does not get done without you, our state chairmen and our national committeemen and women," Steele said. He added, "You did not shrink from the challenge. You did not walk away from the opportunity. The effort of our party speaks for itself."

Sounding a bit like failed Delaware Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell (R), he said, "For the first time in a generation, we saw us. ... We drew in America. They responded to your voice; they responded to your efforts.

He touted the GOP's electoral successes in 2009 and 2010, calling the RNC "one of the best committees in a long time."

He lauded get-out-the-vote efforts, more offices in states, the RNC's new Web site, and winning even mayoral races in places like Albuquerque, NM, county offices in Upstate NY, and even in Guam.

Yes, today Guam votes, too.

"I want to thank you so much," Steele said, "so much for the chance to serve at a time when our party was changing. ... We stand proud."

Regardless of the outcome of today's vote, Steele told the RNC to "appreciate what you have done" to "establish a Republican renaissance."

In concluding his remarks, Steele exhorted the audience "to give the Democrats Hell over the next two years."

Vice President Joe Biden has tapped a former top Clinton aide to be his new chief of staff.

Bruce Reed, who most recently headed up President Barack Obama's deficit commission, was a top domestic policy advisor during the Clinton administration. The Idaho native also previously worked as the director of the Democratic Leadership Council and as an aide to Sen. Al Gore.

Reed will succeed outgoing chief of staff Ron Klain.

From the Vice President's statement:

“I’ve known and admired Bruce for over 20 years,” said Vice President Biden. “We worked closely together to pass the crime bill in the 1990s and I’ve frequently sought his advice and counsel in the years since. He brings a unique blend of experience and perspective to this position and his leadership will be a tremendous asset to my office, and to the entire White House."

Get ready for a new RNC chairman… The five candidates in today’s race: Michael Steele (who unlikely will keep his job), Reince Priebus (who’s considered the front-runner and is backed by Team Barbour), Saul Anuzis (who ran for the job two years ago and has the social network caucus), Ann Wagner (who’s viewed as being closest to the Bush world), and Maria Cino (backed by Boehner and Cheney)…. What to watch: If Priebus is in the high 60s on the first vote, he’ll probably win. If not, it’s anybody’s game… Winner is the first to get to 85 votes out of 168... Obama to deliver remarks at Richard Holbrooke’s funeral… Jeb Bush and other Republicans court the Hispanic vote in Florida…T-Paw’s good week… Gingrich and Barbour speak at House GOP retreat in Baltimore… “Meet” lineup: Gillibrand, Schumer, Coburn… And the 2012 cycle’s first retirement: Kay Bailey Hutchison.

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
*** Steele’s last day? Unless the shocking happens -- on par with Hillary beating Obama in New Hampshire, or Jesse Ventura winning the race for Minnesota governor -- the Republican National Committee will elect someone other than Michael Steele to be the party’s next chairman at the RNC’s winter meeting today. We have two questions. One, just who will that person be? And two, will that person be able to turn around the RNC’s finances (its debt is $20 million) and make the committee relevant again as we head into 2012? There are five candidates: 1) Steele, who surprised almost everyone in deciding to run for re-election after a rocky first term; 2) Wisconsin state party chairman Reince Priebus, who’s viewed as the front-runner; 3) Michigan committeeman Saul Anuzis, who ran for chair two years ago; 4) former Missouri party chair Ann Wagner; and 5) former Bush administration official Maria Cino.

*** Meet the challengers: National Journal’s Reid Wilson has noted that the four Republicans challenging Steele have their different backers. “Priebus … is seen as the candidate backed by the Republican Governors Association and, by extension, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour… Cino is getting help behind the scenes from House Speaker John Boehner… She’s also receiving aid from former Vice President Dick Cheney and former RNC Chairman Ed Gillespie… [Wagner] has scored endorsements from such conservative luminaries as John Bolton and John Ashcroft, and she is seen as the candidate closest to former President Bush’s team… Anuzis has tried to set himself up as the outsider candidate… He has close ties to former Speaker Newt Gingrich, although Gingrich is neutral in the race.”

*** What to watch: According to Hotline’s count, Priebus has public commitments from 43 of the RNC’s 168 members, Steele has 17, Wagner 15, Anuzis 14, and Cino 12. The winner is the first to obtain a majority of the RNC members (so 85 votes), and it’s likely that it will take several rounds of voting to get there. (The 2009 vote that elected Steele went six rounds.) Today’s voting begins around 12:30 pm ET, and here’s how the process works: The 168 members write down their votes on a piece of paper, walk up and put their ballots in boxes, and those votes are tallied by an independent accounting firm. If no candidate gets the necessary 85 votes, there will be a 20-minute break before another round of voting. What to watch: “I am looking to see Priebus’ first-ballot number, and then the movement after the second ballot,” a GOP strategist emails First Read. “If Reince posts 67 or 68, it could be quick. Under 60, and ballot No. 3 becomes ‘Let’s make a deal.’ That’s when it gets fun.” Bottom line: The more ballots this thing goes, the tougher it will be for Priebus.

*** Obama today: At 11:15 am ET, President Obama meets at the White House with President Zardari of Pakistan. And at 3:00 pm, Obama -- along with Vice President Biden -- attends Ambassador Richard Holbrooke’s funeral in DC, where the president will deliver remarks. This has to have been an emotionally exhausting week for the Obama White House with the tragedy in Tucson, Holbrooke’s funeral, and the death of a top aide’s wife.

*** Courting the Hispanic vote: The Republican Party’s struggles with Hispanic voters have been well documented. In 2004, Bush won approximately 40% of the Latino vote, but that percentage shrank to 30% in 2006 and 31% in 2008. Last November, it headed back up to 38% -- though still below the 40%-plus threshold that many GOP strategists say is needed to win in a presidential contest and the GOP’s performance was subpar in the West. Well, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) has helped organize the inaugural Hispanic Leadership Network conference in Coral Gables, FL, which seeks to strengthen the GOP’s bonds with the Hispanic community. Yet there’s this hitch: Only one potential GOP presidential candidate is addressing the group, Tim Pawlenty (who speaks today at 12:10 pm ET). Those who are attending include Jeb Bush (who delivers opening remarks at 9:20 am), former Bush Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez (9:55 am), Colombian President Alvaro Uribe (9:55 am), and Sen. John Cornyn (11:10 am). Politico reports that Bush’s brother, George W. Bush, will address the confab via video.

*** T-Paw’s good week: Speaking of Pawlenty, while we thought this week’s events would overshadow the beginning of the former governor’s book tour, it turns out he had a nice week -- getting plenty of coverage at the National Press Club and pick up with his TV interviews. There’s a long way to go, and he’ll be an underdog in a GOP presidential field if he runs, but T-Paw has to be feeling good right now.

*** Barbour, Gingrich to address House GOP retreat: While just one potential GOP presidential candidate is speaking at the Hispanic Leadership Network in Florida, two will be addressing today the House GOP retreat in Baltimore: former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour. Politico: "Much of what will go on in Charm City is a reflection of where the Republican Party is in 2011. It’s looking to decentralize more power to the states, and has invited Govs. Haley Barbour of Mississippi, Rick Perry of Texas and Bob McDonnell of Virginia to talk about 'Solutions for the States.' House Republican Conference Chairman Jeb Hensarling, whose group will run the retreat, invited [Phil] Gramm, his political mentor and former boss, to speak on a breakfast panel with Gingrich." http://politi.co/fVxRvI

*** Meet the Press lineup: On Sunday, “Meet the Press” will interview New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D) to get an update on Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ (D) condition. The show also will have Sens. Chuck Schumer (D) and Tom Coburn (R), and a roundtable consisting of Al Sharpton, Tim Shriver, Peggy Noonan, and David Brooks.

*** 2012’s first retirement: Finally, Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R) became the first retirement of the 2012 cycle, with her announcement yesterday that she won’t run for another term in 2012. Two things: 1) While many Republicans want her seat, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst is the 800-pound gorilla. "If Dewhurst gets in, I think he clears the field," the Cook Political Report’s Jennifer Duffy tells First Read. 2) Despite their rhetoric, Democrats don’t have a good shot at picking up this seat. Texas has gotten harder for Democrats in the last 10 years, not easier -- which is counter to the C.W. Dems like to sell about the state.

Countdown Chicago’s mayoral election: 39 days
Countdown to Election Day 2011: 298 days
Countdown to the Iowa caucuses: 388 days
* Note: When the IA caucuses take place depends on whether other states move up

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Paul Krugman’s New York Times column: “[T]he truth is that we are a deeply divided nation and are likely to remain one for a long time. By all means, let’s listen to each other more carefully; but what we’ll discover, I fear, is how far apart we are. For the great divide in our politics isn’t really about pragmatic issues, about which policies work best; it’s about differences in those very moral imaginations Mr. Obama urges us to expand, about divergent beliefs over what constitutes justice.”

David Brooks’: "President Obama gave a wonderful speech in Tucson on Wednesday night. He didn’t try to explain the rampage that occurred there. Instead, he used the occasion as a national Sabbath — as a chance to step out of the torrent of events and reflect... Of course, even a great speech won’t usher in a period of civility. Speeches about civility will be taken to heart most by those people whose good character renders them unnecessary. Meanwhile, those who are inclined to intellectual thuggery and partisan one-sidedness will temporarily resolve to do better but then slip back to old habits the next time their pride feels threatened."

National Journal’s Brownstein: “[W]hen political arguments are routinely framed as threats to America’s fundamental character, the odds rise that the most disturbed among us will be tempted to resist the governing agenda by any means necessary.”

"An ultimate fighter wishes he could take back the fighting words he flung at the President. In the aftermath of the Tucson, Ariz., shootings that left six dead and 14 injured, Jacob Volkmann said he regrets saying he would like to fight President Obama and 'knock some sense into that idiot.' 'I would never make that comment if that shooting happened first,' the 30-year-old UFC lightweight told the Huffington Post."

"President Bill Clinton will appear at a campaign rally with Rahm Emanuel in Chicago next week," Roll Call reports, adding, " The event will be held at the Chicago Cultural Center at 11 a.m. Tuesday."