The Politico has this top of the site story about Barack Obama stumbling out of the gate since formally announcing the beginning of his campaign three weeks ago. Are Democrats worried? Has Team Obama panicked? A good summary here on Morning Joe: Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Is there finally going to be closure? Or, rather, a semblance of closure — because how could there really ever be closure in the case of an innocent 6 year old child who vanished in 1972, was declared legally dead in 2001, helped spark the missing children’s movement, and was the first lost child displayed on a milk cartoon — developments which underscored the tragedy of young children with their lives in front of them vanishing, seemingly being whisked mysteriously away, never...

This is yet another bit of bad news for the tornado of bad news swirling American newspapers. New Orleans will soon be the largest American city without a daily newspaper since the company will cut part of its staff and go to three days a week. Three days a week is better than none. But three days a week doesn’t a daily newspaper make: Times-Picayune publisher Ashton Phelps Jr. has confirmed that the newspaper will cease daily publication, moving to three days a week in the fall: Wednesday,...

Our political Quote of the Day comes from Democratic political maven Lanny Davis, who says Newark Mayor Corey Booker got it right the first time when he criticized Camp Obama’s use and accuracy of the Bain Capital issue against Romney — but that Republicans blew it when they used Booker’s remarks and the way they quickly and transparently jumped to use them for the Romney campaign: It’s difficult to argue, even if you are a partisan Obama supporter, as I am, that this ad is not...

NBC Marist polls find President Barack Obama holds a slight lead over presumptive Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney in the key swing states of Ohio, Virginia and Florida. A earlier Quinnipiac University poll had found Romney pulling ahead in Florida and much poll trending so far shows Romney generally on the upswing and Obama in a defensive posture. Meanwhile, a new entry in political scientist Larry Sabato’s must-read Crystal Ball, written by its senior columnist Alan Abramowitz...

You have to wonder where it will end. But it just seems to continue. First there was Rush Limbaugh’s verbal assault on law student Sandra Fluke because she dared to see things differently than he does, which sparked a furor largely but not entirely on the left and from the center and from some GOPers. And now we have (WARNING ADULT CONTENT) this: GBTV host S.E. Cupp is the subject of a very explicit, admittedly doctored obscene photo in Hustler – because they don’t like her views....

A North Carolina pastor has suggested that gays and lesbians should be placed in concentration camps. Details from Newsy.com: And here’s a link to Google News that gives you more stories on this subject.

Remember what I’ve often pointed out here and in my Cagle column about the conventional wisdom: it truly “in the moment” — the assured assertions that X, Y, and Z will happen or are very likely to happen. Now there is a conventional wisdom shift, one that will likely help shape the press and analysts narratives in the weeks to come. After months of privately and publically saying they didn’t think that now-presumptive Republican nominee could win, now GOPers think he...

If someone shoots a person wearing a hoodie, could it be partially explained because it made the person look like a menacing gangster? Apparently that continues to be the view of Fox News’ fading, mustachioed news personality Geraldo Rivera, who is at it again. Rivera seems stuck in defending- racial- profiling mode as he again calls hoodies provocative “thug gear.” Rivera’s exercise in wardrobe defining is not as it seems at first glance, although if it was true, hoodie...

A new Quinnipiac University Poll in Florida reflects two overall trends: Romney is starting to pull ahead or gaining on Barack Obama in many polls and independent voters are moving towards Romney. It’s early in campaign 2012 but, nonetheless, in terms of negative political news, party cohesiveness and polling Romney and the GOP seem to be on the upswing and Obama and the Democrats on the defensive. The poll: Mitt Romney has broken into a slight lead in Florida over President Barack Obama, according...

Two new polls should Republicans smile and Democrats highly nervous. Both the Washington Post/ABC News Poll and NBC/Wall Street Journal pols are showing an ever-tightening race. Look for the conventional wisdom to now do more than lip service to the conventional wisdom that Barack Obama, in fact, may be the underdog in this race — particularly as his party now seems split over the Bain Capital issue use. Whoever would have thought that this early in the game a)the Democrats would appear to...

Our political Quote of the Day comes from CBS’s Bob Schieffer, who, as I’ve said before, was really person who should have succeeded Walter Cronkite: “But you know, I tell you something, Imus — what I find really interesting. What’s going on here, frankly, is you know, Mitt Romney, is not the robber baron that the Obama folks would have you believe any more than Obama is a European socialist as the Romney folks would have you believe.” Schieffer went on to explain that there has...

This just in! It’s a story that will bust this town wide open. Actually, it’s just one more example of meaningless, silly and credibility-destroying politics and partisanship has become. I mean, really…

Camp Obama has had a lot of bad political news recently (Corey Booker, a slew of polls, Romney catching up in funding) and this is more of it: Colin Powell is balking at endorsing Obama (understandable this early in the season since he always holds out) and says Mitt Romney is a “good man” (a phrase unhelpful to Obama’s team and a sign that Powell could indeed endorse someone who was once considered a moderate Republican): Former Secretary of State Colin Powell said Tuesday that...

NBC’s Political Director Chuck Todd has just perfectly summarized the two key arguments that will be made in the 2012 campaign election: Barack Obama will argue that Mitt Romney doesn’t have the values to be President. Mitt Romney will argue that Obama doesn’t have the skills to be President. And, yes, there will assuredly be plenty of big issues popping up, manufactured partisan issues, tiresome spinners and talking points (clearly) reciting their talking points list and hurredly...

TMV’s Info U Can Use Dept: Shucking an Oyster, a video by Pete Van de Putte: FOOTNOTE: I’ve known Pete Van de Putte of Texas for years. He has a delightful sense of humor and is owner of the famous Dixie Flag Manufacturing Company that makes superb flags and banners (I had one made years ago for my non-blogging incarnation and used it for many years at trade shows.)

I’ve done a few posts on the controversy over Newark Mayor Corey Booker’s comments about Bain Capital being a “nauseating” issue and also reviewed a DVD of the movie “Street Fight” 5 years ago about his early political career. He is one of the country’s most fascinating up and coming (but not up and coming as much due to his comments) mayors. And now I think I’ve found the perfect birthday gift for him — and it’s incredibly cheap: You...

Embattled Newark Mayor Corey Booker — seemingly doing more back steps than Ginger Rogers did with Fred Astaire — has been working mightily to undo the damage many feel he has done to Barack Obama’s campaign. Analysts differ. Were his comments defending Mitt Romney on Bain Capital’s use as an issue a political mistake? Due to his own Wall Street ties? Did it reflect his ambition? Was this a rising Democratic Party start halting his own rise by losing sight of the main prize...

Here’s a video of Barack Obama’s explanation of why the issue of Bain Capital is not a distraction but at the center of a philosophical debate at play in election 2012. The issue has now gotten enmeshed in talking points on both sides. Here’s Obama’s explanation so you can judge for yourself:

There is some good news today: Rush Limbaugh took a significant ratings hit in some key radio markets last month in the wake of the Sandra Fluke controversy. The conservative radio host’s ratings fell 27 percent in the key 25-54 demo in New York City, 31 percent in Houston-Galveston, 40 percent in Seattle-Tacoma, and 35 percent in Jacksonville, according to a selection of the March 29-April 25 Arbitron ratings provided by an industry source. Limbaugh’s detractors attribute the losses...