The New York Times: Spitzer Resigns, Citing Personal Failings – Lt. Gov. David A. Paterson Set to Succeed Him Gov. Eliot Spitzer, reeling from revelations that he had been a client of a prostitution ring, announced his resignation today at his headquarters in Manhattan.

msnbc.com BREAKING NEWS: Dow Jones Industrial average closes up more than 400 points Well, they credit it to other things.

This just in from investigative reporter Andy Borowitz: Spitzer Resigns From Emperors VIP Club Client Number Ten to Succeed New York Guv Amid calls for him to resign, embattled New York Governor Eliot Spitzer held a hastily-scheduled press conference in Albany today. “After much deliberation, I have decided to resign my membership in the Emperors VIP Club, effective immediately,” Mr. Spitzer said. “I hope that in doing so, I will allow the healing to begin.” Mr. Spitzer expressed his regret...

According to the New York Times, it is likely that Gov. Spitzer will resign: Top aides to Gov. Eliot Spitzer said Tuesday morning that they expect the governor to resign his office, although the timing of the resignation remains uncertain. Lt. Gov. David A. Paterson and his staff have begun laying the groundwork for him to take over as governor and are reaching out to members of the Legislature, the aides said. MSNBC: As Gov. Eliot Spitzer faced mounting calls to resign, Republican legislators indicated...

Since a blizzard has dropped a foot of snow on SW Ohio and I’m not going anywhere, I’ll treat you to a photo of my cat being cute. Here is Samuel on my bed:

Haaretz: In his eulogy to the eight students gunned down Thursday in a shooting attack at the Mercaz Harav yeshiva in Jerusalem, the religious school’s head rabbi Ya’akov Shapira declared the attack “a continuation of the 1929 massacre” of the Jewish community in Hebron. He said the gunman had targeted “everyone living in the holy city of Jerusalem.” The eight victims were buried Friday afternoon, each with Torah scrolls stained with their blood, in accordance...

Ynet: Terrorists kill 8 in Jerusalem Two terrorists infiltrate rabbinical seminary in Kiryat Moshe quarter, open fire at dozens of students. At least eight people reported killed. Police still in pursuit of second gunman. Celebrations already underway in Gaza This is why Egypt should take over Gaza and Jordan should take over most Arab portions of the West Bank. Neither country needs encouragement to rule with an iron hand. This is why Israeli Arabs (who are Israeli citizens) should swear a loyalty...

Guest columnist Alan Abramowitz of Emory University steps up to the Crystal Ball to say that “Disgruntled GOP moderates could impact party unity“ Both Virginia and Wisconsin are likely to be battleground states in the November election. The fact that one seventh of Republican voters in Virginia and one fourth of Republican voters in Wisconsin chose to participate in the Democratic primary should be a clear warning signal to the McCain campaign, especially if Barack Obama is the Democratic...

MSNBC BREAKING NEWS: Hillary Clinton wins Ohio Democratic primary, NBC projects CNN: We project Sen. Hillary Clinton wins the Democratic race in Ohio as well as Rhode Island. Texas still too close. Why? Ohio News Network/WBNS 10TV: With 52 percent (5,809 OF 11,238 PRECINCTS) in, Sen. Hillary Clinton has 57% (649,950 VOTES) and Sen. Barack Obama has 41% (464,351 VOTES). Former Sen. John Edwards (who has withdrawn from the race) has 2% (21,547 VOTES). UPDATE 12:30 am With 79 percent (8,872 OF 11,238...

Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post: Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) has won the Rhode Island primary, a win that breaks Sen. Barack Obama’s (Ill.) 12-contest win streak and leaves Ohio and Texas as tiebreakers in the battle for the Democratic presidential nomination. With 13 percent of precincts in Rhode Island counted, Clinton led, 53 percent to 46 percent, but the Associated Press had already called the contest in her favor. Ohio and Texas remained too close to call based on exit polling....

MSNBC: BREAKING NEWS: Huckabee concedes defeat: ‘I fought the good fight’

As I posted yesterday, I put up a couple of Clinton signs at a major intersection. When I returned to the intersection today to hold up a Clinton sign during the lunch rush, my signs were gone. It is windy but I don’t think that both signs “just blew away.” Since I did not see who took my signs, I cannot prove that the Obama campaign is responsible. Reportedly, sign-stealing is occurring elsewhere as well. Obama signs are in no danger from me, but I’m sorry to see that Sen....

AP via CBS News: “I’m just getting warmed up,” Clinton told reporters, looking ahead to a busy day of campaign events in Ohio and Texas where polls show a close race ahead of Tuesday’s primaries. Famous Revolutionary War Naval Hero John Paul Jones: On September 23, 1779, Jones fought one of the bloodiest engagements in naval history. Jones struggled with the 44-gun Royal Navy frigate Serapis, and although his own vessel was burning and sinking, Jones would not accept the...

It turns out that the local Hillary Clinton HQ is about a five-minute drive from my apartment, so I went over there this morning. Since I cannot phone-bank (I’m HOH) I took some yard signs to put up in likely places. Here is my handiwork at the busy intersection of Galbraith Rd. & Vine St: Being a responsible citizen, I will remove the signs after the election and properly dispose of them.

MSNBC: President Hugo Chavez orders 10 battalions to Venezuela’s border with Colombia Let’s see what happens. BBC: Venezuela sends tanks to border

I have discussed the candidates with several friends, mostly lifelong Democrats, college-educated women in their 40s and 50s. We just cannot buy what Barack Obama is selling. Many of us are facing the possibility of, for the very first time, voting for the Republican nominee in November. Sen. Obama does not charm me (the more I watch and listen to him, the less I like him) and is clearly not qualified to be president at this time. He needs many more years of experience and a long track record which...

The McCain Possibilities Almost a year ago, the Crystal Ball took a first crack at listing the vice presidential possibilities in both parties (LINK). The list has held up surprisingly well. But the justifications for various candidacies have changed, and now that we know John McCain will make the choice, it’s time for reconsideration. (We’ll await the unofficial crowning of the Democratic nominee to play this game on the Democratic side, unless Democrats keep the game tied through the...

Our Very Own TMV Co-Blogger JMZ at Writes Like She Talks (Pre- & Post-Debate) http://www.writeslikeshetalks.com/ ABC Political Radar http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/02/live-blogging-f.html Cleveland Plain Dealer http://blog.cleveland.com/openers/presidential_candidates/

Popular Vote? It’s in the eye of the beholder As the closely fought Democratic presidential contest between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama moves deeper and deeper into the primary season, there is a growing sentiment that the nomination should go to the candidate that ultimately wins the popular vote. Fair enough. Ever since the current primary-dominated era of nominations began in the 1970s, every Democratic and Republican nomination has gone to the candidate who received the most votes...

Some people are beginning to listen to what Sen. Obama says rather than how he says it: While some bloggers (including our own T-Steel) discuss whether Obama’s statement: I understand that Senator Clinton, periodically when she’s feeling down, launches attacks as a way of trying to boost her appeal is sexist or not, others say he’s plagiarizing from Mass. Gov. Deval Patrick: The New York Times: An Obama Refrain Bears Echoes of a Governor’s Speeches

I may not love Barack Obama but Virginia’s Democrats apparently do. Polls in Virginia have closed but polls in Maryland and D.C will be open for awhile yet. Washington Post: Sen. Barack Obama scored a convincing victory over Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in Virginia’s Democratic presidential primary, an early indicator of a strong showing for the Illinois senator in today’s Potomac Primary. I have less enthusiasm for Obama than I did for John Kerry in 2004.

Z.L. (usually lowercase) stands for Zachor Livracha (may his memory be for a blessing). Washington Post: Rep. Tom Lantos, 80, a California Democrat whose experience during the Holocaust shaped his concern for human rights and his staunch view in favor of U.S. military intervention abroad, died early this morning, a spokeswoman told the Associated Press. He had esophageal cancer and died at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda. Lantos, born in Budapest to Hungarian Jews, served 14 terms in...

McCain rises, Democrats deadlocked Now be honest. Wasn’t Tuesday evening one of the most exciting nights ever in American politics? It had more drama and twists than many presidential general elections. The onrush of results and exit polls in twenty-four states–and let’s not forget about American Samoa–was dizzying and exhilarating. Our readers, mainly political junkies, already know the basics. To refresh your memory, in case you are in the same kind of sleepless fog and...

I am (and many other Democrats are) disgusted with the way the Democratic Party has treated (and continues to treat) Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and other liberal hawks. Howard Dean, are you listening? Do you really want to lose votes, volunteers and donations?

Political Wire: Mitt Romney is expected to end his presidential bid during a speech this afternoon. Apparently he agrees with Charlie Black’s math. AND The Caucus Blog of The New York Times: Mitt Romney is quitting his campaign for president, having made the final decision last night, according to a campaign source who asked to remain anonymous. He made the final decision last night, as he was preparing his speech for Thursday at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington,...