The Romney-Cain Ticket

Reliapundit and I were talking about it last week: "COULTER ENDORSES ROMNEY-CAIN."

And now Coulter is putting that pitch into overdrive, on Sean Hannity's, for example. At Lonely Conservative, "Ann Coulter: How About a Romney/Cain Ticket?"

Frankly, I'm still pulling for Michele Bachmann, but time's running out, and money. At Time Magazine, "New Hampshire Staff Exodus Augurs End Times for Bachmann Campaign." Also, from Allah, "Iowa: Cain 37, Romney 27, Paul 12, Gingrich 8."

Folks know I respect Mitt Romney, and I do think a Romney-Cain ticket would be attractive. So, let's see how things play out. The consensus is that Romney's the one. See LAT, "Mitt Romney may win the GOP presidential nomination by default."

Republicans Increasingly See Mitt Romney As the 'Inevitable Candidate'

It does seem that way, but Herman Cain sure is coming on strong.

Besides, Democrats though Hillary Clinton was the inevitable candidate in 2008.

At WaPo:

NASHUA, N.H. — Buoyed by a series of strong debate performances, Mitt Romney is suddenly attracting new support from major donors and elected officials, some of whom had resisted his previous entreaties, as people across the GOP grow more accepting of the presidential contender as the party’s standard-bearer.

“He’s viewed as an almost inevitable candidate,” said longtime strategist Ed Rollins, who until last month managed the campaign of Rep. Michele Bachmann (Minn.), one of Romney’s opponents. “He’s the heavy favorite.”

The party establishment seems to be moving Romney’s way, even as a new national poll highlighted the volatility of the race. A Wall Street Journal-NBC News poll showed the surging businessman Herman Cain numerically ahead of Romney for the first time, 27 percent to 23 percent, with Texas Gov. Rick Perry third, at 16 percent.

On Wednesday, Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and former House speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) became the latest in a string of current and former elected officials who have announced their support for Romney over the past week. Former Republican National Committee chairman Jim Nicholson, hedge fund manager Paul Singer and Home Depot co-founder Ken Langone are among the major Republican fundraisers supporting the candidate.

“It’s all coming together for him,” said Cochran, who formally endorsed Romney on Wednesday. “People are beginning to be impressed with him and his thoughtful comments about the issues.”

Neoconservatives Still Dominate GOP

From Robert Merry and Robert Golan-Vilella, at National Interest, "The Neocon GOP: By Design or Default?" (via GSGF). And this doesn't sound fully accurate, considering Romney's statements in his foreign policy speech the other day:

The presumed frontrunner, Mitt Romney, seems particularly lacking in any coherent philosophical framework. He attacks Obama for the speed of his Afghanistan drawdown, for example, without offering a timetable of his own. (He says he would go with the recommendations of his generals.) He supported America’s role in the NATO intervention in Libya but criticized the way it was handled. His website calls for U.S. leadership in creating a “global military alliance of democracies dedicated to ensuring security and protecting freedom.” This scheme, expropriated from Senator John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign and the writings of polemicist Robert Kagan (also a Romney adviser), would be a recipe for an expanded American role in the world in the name of humanitarian principles—pure Wilsonism.

But Romney is relentless in his hostility toward China. He says that on his first day in office he would unilaterally slap trade sanctions against that Asian nation in retaliation for its currency policies (likely result: a devastating trade war), and he says Obama “caved” to Beijing by not selling the most sophisticated U.S. fighter jets to Taiwan. In his more general foreign-policy pronouncements, extolling “American greatness” and calling for a new “American Century,” Romney sounds rather like George W. Bush.

And frankly, I like Michele Bachmann's foreign policy:

Representative Michele Bachmann of Minnesota is an interesting case. She advocated aggressive action against al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan, saying, “We must defeat them in their backyard.” And she wants no cuts in the defense budget. But she seems cautious on questions of where and when America should intervene in the world. She says she would confine such interventions to instances when the country’s vital interests were at stake. Hence, she opposed the Libyan intervention as having no relation to the country’s well-being. And she is wary of democracy promotion in general. Indeed, she criticized Obama not for abandoning Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak too soon but for abandoning him at all. “We saw President Mubarak fall while President Obama sat on his hands,” she said. She later suggested the Arab Spring (which she, interestingly, sees as a disaster rather than a trend to be applauded and encouraged) emerged in part because Obama had demonstrated weakness in not being sufficiently supportive of Israel in the ongoing maneuvering between that country and the Palestinians.

I should have update on developments with GrEaT sAtAn"S gIrLfRiEnD. I'm waiting to hear back from Courtney.

Herman Cain Surges Ahead in New Wall Street Journal Poll!

This is amazing, at WSJ, "Cain Vaults to Lead in Poll" (at Google):

CONCORD, N.H. — Former restaurant-industry executive Herman Cain has catapulted to the lead in the race for the Republican presidential nomination, as GOP voters grow disenchanted with Texas Gov. Rick Perry and remain wary of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll finds.

Drawn by Mr. Cain's blunt, folksy style in recent debates, 27% of Republican primary voters picked him as their first choice for the nomination, a jump of 22 percentage points from six weeks ago.

Mr. Romney held firm in second place at 23%, his same share as in a Journal poll in late August, while Mr. Perry plummeted to 16%, from 38% in August.

The poll of 1,000 adults, conducted from Oct. 6-10, comes as many Republican donors and officials have begun to rally around Mr. Romney as the party's likely nominee, despite a continued lack of enthusiasm for him documented in the new poll.

For Mr. Cain, the question is whether his newfound prominence, driven in part by his signature "9-9-9" plan to overhaul the tax code, will be a lasting phenomenon in a campaign that has seen many others surge and then fade. Since the spring, conservatives have given short-lived bursts of support for a string of contenders, including Donald Trump, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and Mr. Perry.

"Will I be the flavor of the week?'' Mr. Cain said Wednesday in New Hampshire, where reporters followed him as he addressed the state legislature. "Well, the answer is an emphatic, 'No,' because Häagen-Dazs black walnut tastes good all the time."

Mr. Cain in many ways isn't operating a traditional campaign. He was on tour promoting his new book in recent weeks, and he will make stops between Memphis and Nashville on Friday and Saturday, though Tennessee is unlikely to factor in the Republican nomination. He doesn't plan to return to Iowa, site of the first nominating contest, for weeks, his aides say.

Also at Public Policy Polling, "Cain leads nationally" (via Memeorandum).

Cain discusses the Wall Street protests around 10 minutes at the video.

See also The Other McCain, "Pundette Likes Herman Cain."

Rick Perry at Just 4 Percent in New Harvard/Saint Anselm Poll

The most startling thing is how drastically Rick Perry has faded from the top-tier. No wonder's he's out with these heavy hitting ads against Mitt Romney:

It's a good line of attack, as I noted this morning here.

But see: "NEW POLL FROM INSTITUTES OF POLITICS AT HARVARD, SAINT ANSELM FINDS ROMNEY LEADING NH PRIMARY FIELD BY 18 POINTS" (via Memeorandum).

And also Lynn Sweet, "Romney 18 point NH lead: Harvard, St. Anselm Institutes of Politics poll."

Mitt Romney .................................................................. 38%
Herman Cain ................................................................. 20%
Ron Paul ....................................................................... 13%
Newt Gingrich................................................................ 5%
Jon Huntsman ............................................................... 4%
Rick Perry...................................................................... 4%
Michelle Bachmann ....................................................... 3%
Gary Johnson................................................................ 1
Rick Santorum............................................................... 1%
Don't know .................................................................... 11%

Michele Bachmann started fading after getting into hot water with her comments on HPV vaccines. She's betting on a big win in Iowa to carry her trough. Maybe a win in the Hawkeye State (or a place in the top three) will help her with these drastic numbers in New Hampshire. Beyond that, keep an eye on Herman Cain. I'm pleased to see him doing well in the polls, and it's a national trend in the surveys.

RELATED: From The Other McCain, "'Mr. Cain, Who Is Lawrence O'Donnell to Tell You How to Be a Black Man?'"

Six Weeks After Breakout Entry into GOP Race, Rick Perry Under Pressure to Step Up His Game

At LAT, "Perry under pressure after debate stumbles."

This section on immigration is especially telling:

Perry's stance on immigration is prompting fresh doubts, in some GOP quarters, about his ability to translate his electoral success in Texas to the national level.

Perry has "a surprisingly tin ear" on the immigration issue, said Tony Fabrizio, a Republican strategist who is unaligned in the presidential contest.

To most Republicans, denying tuition subsidies to illegal immigrants "is a question of fairness," said Fabrizio. He added that Perry, in portraying his critics as heartless, is making Republican voters wonder whether he shares their values.

The issue also has particular salience in Florida, the biggest early state on the GOP calendar, where Republican Rick Scott's victory in last year's gubernatorial election turned in part on his advocacy of an Arizona-style policy. Al Cardenas, a prominent Florida Republican with close ties to former Gov. Jeb Bush, was booed at a recent tea party event in Tampa when he spoke favorably about immigration.

The issue also strikes a chord with primary voters in key states such as Iowa, South Carolina and Wisconsin, Fabrizio said.

In interviews, Perry supporters in Florida, including those who disagree with his immigration stance, said the issue wasn't enough to make them abandon him.

State Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera of Miami, the Republican leader of the Florida House, stopped short of endorsing a Texas-style tuition plan but said immigration wouldn't be "a decisive factor" in the primary.

"The most important issue in the primary is jobs and the economy," said Lopez-Cantera, a Perry supporter who represents Little Havana.

But Charlie Gerow, a Republican consultant from Harrisburg, Pa., said initial excitement over Perry's entry into the 2012 race had entered a new phase.

"People were looking for something different," he said. "Now it's a question of what [Perry's candidacy] is going to look like when it's examined under the microscope."

Perry's going to continue to get hammered on immigraton, and yeah, we're in a new phase alright. See the St. Petersburg Times, "Herman Cain wins Presidency 5 straw poll" (at Memorandum). Also at The Other McCain, "ORLANDO GOP STRAW POLL RESULTS UPDATE: Herman Cain Beats Rick Perry."

Straws polls aren't terribly significant, although in the case of Rick Perry, his entry into the race in August wiped out Michele Bachmann's bounce coming out of Ames. So, there's considerable insider interest on how these events shake up expectations and shift loyalties among supporters and potential delegates. And kudos to Herman Cain. The guy's a no nonsense candidate. Perhaps the results of the Orlando straw poll will help him expand his support heading into the Florida primary, which is scheduled for ... well, it's still unscheduled, but is normally held early, and is one of the initial make-or-break contests. John McCain pretty much sealed the nomination by winning Florida in 2008.

Michele Bachmann Predicts Republican Victory in California Presidential Vote

I'm still not convinced, but Obama's losing his base even in the Golden State, so we'll see.

At LAT: "Bachmann predicts a GOP win in California in 2012."

Michele Bachmann Slams HPV Vaccine Mandate at GOP Debate

She did fine in the debate: "Rick Perry's HPV mandate returns to haunt him."

It's the post-debate comments that weren't Bachmann's best moments. Ed Morrissey's got the main story, "Bachmann: Gardasil causes “mental retardation”." (Via Memeorandum.) And Los Angeles Times has a medical report, "GOP debates HPV vaccine, but medical community gives it OK."

I'll bet Bachmann recovers on this sooner than Perry. The mandate calls into question his bona fides as a small-government conservative. And the debate got heated today among right bloggers and on the Twittersphere.

AoSHQ has this: "Bachmann: I'm A-Goin' to Go Ahead and Push This Lunatic Vaccines=Autism Lie":

Michelle Bachmann is desperate. She's an ambitious, egotistical woman who started running for President just two short years after she first ran for Congress. In the past two months her support went from 13% and rising to 4% and falling.

So she needs something, doesn't she, and Rush Limbaugh warned her off her planned Social Security demagoguery.

So, instead, this bullshit.

And Dan Riehl's got this: "Perry Doesn't Look Ready to Lead America," and "So Much For NRO Being Conservative."

And Tabitha Hale on Twitter: "I think maybe I should abandon Twitter until primary season is over so I still have friends."

It's gonna get heavy like this on the right for a while. Folks are starting to really dig in behind their favorites.

Erick Erickson: Dude Picks Fight With Sarah Palin Supporters, Loses Badly

Erick Erickson goes after Sarah Palin by attacking her supporters as "The Palin Fan Cult," and tops it off with a few juicy digs against the Governor herself. To bolster his case he cites Ann Coulter's comments with Laura Ingraham on Fox News.

The Fox hotties are not my concern, as they're supposed to be critiquing the candidates and pumping the ratings. Erick Erickson's purportedly about building a movement. And it seems to me the last person you'd want to bash in that regard is Sarah Palin. Has she held out too long? Probably. I wish she would've announced early this year so she could've been amassing a war chest to rival Barack Obama's expected $1 billion haul. And that's not counting the possibility that Palin could lose the nomination despite being the ultimate conservative rock star. Fact is, Palin's more in tune with the values of more conservatives than anyone else out there. Frankly, it doesn't matter when she announces, except as a matter of strategy. No doubt the waiting is hard, but it'd still be worth it if she came out in November or December with a major policy speech declaring her candidacy. I'd be behind her in a second. I've said all along that as much as I like and support Michele Bachmann, I throw my support to Palin without batting an eye. (Now, thinking about it, a Palin/Bachmann dream team would put me over the top.) But at this point we don't know, so faulting her for "teasing" only arms Palin's divisions of enemies on the progressive left. And Erick Erickson should know better, but then again, he's obviously not too bright.

In any case, see William Jacobson, "Erick Erickson: “moving on from Sarah Palin is like leaving Scientology”, and Linkmaster Smith, "Not Enough." And more commentary at Memeorandum.

Oh, and don't forget Dan Riehl, "Erick Erickson All Wee Weed Up Over Palin," and "For All The Brave Whiners On Palin."

Tea Party Zombies Must Die

Verum Serum has the story: "New Tone Video Game: Kill Fox News “Zombies”…Who Paid for This?" Seriously. The "Koch Whore Lobbyist Zombie"? These people are beyond the pale. But check that link to watch the clip.

At Linkmaster Smith, at The Other McCain, "Raaaaacist Tea Parties: The Frankenstein Vampire Werewolf Zombie Argument."

BONUS: From Daniel Foster, at National Review, "Tea Party Zombies Must Die":

Hey kids, hear about the latest rage? It’s “Tea Party Zombies Must Die” an exciting new first-person shooter “Advergame.” Here’s how it’s described:

DON’T GET TEA-BAGGED! The Tea Party zombies are walking the streets of America. Grab your weapons and bash their rotten brains to bits! Destroy zombie Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann, Glenn Beck, the Koch Brothers, and many more!

Don’t believe the hype? I took the game for a whirl and managed to snag some choice screenshots...

Via Memeorandum.

Bachmann Campaign Shake-Up

Ed Rollins is out. (Good thing too.)

See Los Angeles Times, "Michele Bachmann's campaign sees major shake-up."

And from Chris Cillizza, at Washington Post, "Michele Bachmann’s rise and fall in the 2012 Republican primary":

In politics, things change fast.

Less than a month ago, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann sat atop the political world fresh off her win at the Ames Straw Poll.

Today, two new polls show Bachmann’s support badly eroding — a finding that when coupled with a Labor Day staff shakeup raise serious questions about her ability to recapture the momentum that shot her into the top tier over the summer.

In a new Washington Post/ABC News poll, Bachmann now stands at six percent in a hypothetical 2012 Republican primary ballot, well short of the 13 percent she took in a mid-July Post/ABC survey of registered voters

The latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll shows a similar decline with Bachmann now winning 8 percent — half of the 16 percent she received in July.

There appear to be a few reasons for Bachmann’s slippage.

Keep reading.

Rick Perry's surge came primarily at Michele Bachmann's expense. That said, Cillizza sounds a bit too bearish on Bachmann. She needs to stay focused on Iowa. Obviously her Ames victory got buried in the sensation of Rick Perry, but we've got a debate tomorrow and lots more retail politics before Iowa, where Bachmann remains the favorite daughter.

Their Optimism Rising, Republican Voters Look For a Winner

At New York Times, "G.O.P. Voters Seek a Winner":

MANCHESTER, N.H. — Roy Barbuto is on the hunt. For the past few months, he has been searching for the perfect Republican candidate, and he shows no signs of flagging.

Mr. Barbuto, 61, a service technician here, had already seen Representative Michele Bachmann of Minnesota (“She was excellent”), the former pizza executive Herman Cain (“He intrigues me, because here is a man who clearly knows what to do businesswise”) and former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts (“If he was elected, he could certainly do the job”). Now, he was finishing up dinner at a house party in Chichester, N.H., waiting to take a measure of Gov. Rick Perry of Texas.

“I’m not just looking for a candidate to beat the president,” he explained. “For me, the purpose of the next president is to restore the pride that this country has always had.”

In interviews with more than two dozen people in New Hampshire and Iowa over the Labor Day weekend, voters said they sensed a new vulnerability to President Obama.

But while they expressed a strong sense of optimism in the prospect of winning the White House, they were looking for a candidate who could not only prevail in a general election, but be a forceful conservative leader for a tumultuous time.

RTWT.

Folks are looking for "someone who can create jobs."

Video Hat Tip: Da Tech Guy, "Voices of the Tea Party: A Sarah Palin supporter."

Happy Labor Day to Opus #6!

That's my friend Opus #6 of MAinfo. We met at the Michele Bachmann rally at Knotts Berry Farm in early 2009. Opus left a wonderful comment at the blog yesterday, at my essay, "Housing Downsizing!":

This housing downsizing post has to be my favorite American Power post of all time. Probably because I downsized in June. And the kids and I, though a little cramped in our 3-br rented condo, are enjoying the community pool with lots of friends to play with, way less stress worrying about bills and repairs, and extra money in the checking account. I also loved seeing your mom. You and I are in the same generation and our parents are on the same track. She looks lovely. And a sweet nurturing woman is a blessing to any family.

I pray that you and your family enjoy the new digs. That you have many happy days in your new place, lots less stress and building character as your kids observe you handing the changing nature of our society and economy not with bitterness but with courage.

I responded at the post.

It means a lot. I've met many wonderful people through blogging. We share our lives online and we meet in person as well. Have a great Labor Day, Opus!

Obama's Really Bad Day in Public Opinion Polling

Checking over at Memeorandum this morning, I noticed at least three new public opinion surveys that show President Obama continuing down the road to ignominious defeat in November 2012. This warms me to no end, as you can imagine.

At Quinnipiac University, for example, "Obama Approval Hits All-Time Low, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Economy Is Getting Worse, More Voters Say." And at CNN, "New CNN Poll: 65% give Obama thumbs down on economy." And then of course, Rasmussen had this, "Perry 44% Obama 41%; President Leads Other GOP Hopefuls."

Actually, Quinnipiac has Romney leading Obama in a head-to-head, so I doubt there's a bright side for the president. Whoever wins the GOP nomination will harness a hurricane-force of opposition to this disastrous administration. It's only four more months to the Iowa caucuses. I expect Rick Perry to peak anytime now (but would remain a top contender). Michele Bachmann will keep chugging along and could very well take Iowa by continuing her aggressive retail stump-style in the Hawkeye State. Mitt Romney can't blow off Iowa at this point. Things are tightening up and he's no longer the "inevitable" nominee, if he ever was. I actually like Romney best over Obama in the general election, although I'm hoping for Bachmann to become the nominee (as she best represents my politics). Unlike most people, I personally think she'll destroy Obama in the general. She'll bring "hope and change" to America with a vengeance. She's performed well in debates so far and the media attacks on her have backfired by creating a sympathy effect for the Minnesota congresswoman. Of course, she's not the "anointed one," which is generally how Republicans elect their nominees, and I think she'd be better off with executive experience. But economic crisis continues to grip the nation, and each day leaves me more convinced that the Democrats are toast.

More on this forthcoming.

Added: Scared Monkeys links: "Rasmussen Poll Has TX Gov. Rick Perry Ahead of President Barack Obama 44% – 41%."

Video Rip-Off 'Who Likes White People?' Continues Viral Distribution Despite Debunking

I haven't posted on this yet. Robert Stacy McCain has some copyright issues he's been dealing with, over a video clip of Michele Bachmann he made weeks ago in Iowa. Some idiot progressive thief stole the video and edited to make it appear that Congresswoman Bachmann had made racist comments. Just tonight Robert reports that gay rights extremist Perez Hilton posted the clip, and this is after the smear's been widely debunked. See: "No Honor Among Thieves, No Curiosity Among Journalists: Perez Hilton Re-Pirates Video, CBS News Repeats Smear."

CBS News also picked the purloined video as the top viral video of the week. Read all about it The Other McCain.

Rick Perry's Surge May Force Mitt Romney to Shift Gears

At LAT:

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney may be forced to shake up his strategy to win the Republican presidential nomination now that Texas Gov. Rick Perry has seized the top spot in the latest Gallup poll.

Among Romney's likely shifts: softening his focus on New Hampshire, the first primary state, and starting a more aggressive campaign in Iowa, where the race actually begins.

Romney invested heavily there in 2008 and fell short. But this time, a battle between Perry and Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota for supremacy among Iowa's social conservatives could create an opening for his more moderate brand of conservatism.

Also up for discussion inside the Romney camp: an accelerated advertising push, including attack ads against Perry.

"This nomination fight will not be a coronation," said Scott Reed, a GOP strategist who is neutral in the race. "He's got to show that he's willing to fight for it."

Romney's been campaigning as the inevitable nominee, but that's obviously not going to cut it.

Elvis Presley's Birthday

It wasn't yesterday.

Elvis was born January 8, 1935.

Michele Bachmann botched it. See: "Bachmann’s Elvis Tribute, Slightly Off." You're gonna have these (just ask Barack "57 states" Obama), but Bachmann can ill afford the little gaffes at this point in the race. Rick Perry's coming on strong.

Rick Perry Touts Downhome Résumé

Barely 48-hours into the race and virtually the entire Democrat-Media-Complex has the hit in for Governor Rick Perry. For example, from Paul Krugman, "The Texas Unmiracle." And more at NYT, "In Texas Jobs Boom, Crediting a Leader, or Luck." Los Angeles Times piles on, "Rick Perry's big donors have fared well in Texas." Then there's all kinds of gotcha reports at Memeorandum. Perry questioned Obama's patriotism? OOH!! Wouldn't want to do that now, would we?

In any case, for a less antagonistic piece, see Wall Street Journal, "Touting a Downhome Résumé."

DES MOINES, Iowa—Rick Perry became an Eagle Scout and Air Force pilot after growing up as the son of a cotton farmer "from a little place called Paint Creek, Texas," whose house had no indoor plumbing. As Texas's longest-serving governor, he says he cut taxes and red tape and helped boost job growth.

Mr. Perry is betting heavily on that biography and his charm as he introduces himself to voters in the early-voting states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

With the GOP race suddenly shaping up as a contest pitting him and fellow conservative Michele Bachmann against the front-runner, Mitt Romney, Mr. Perry hopes to distinguish himself as the humble farmer who now runs the state with the country's briskest job-creation results ...

Sounds pretty good. More at the link.

Michele Bachmann: 'Ready For Prime Time'

An excellent essay at Althouse, comparing Michele Bachmann to Sarah Palin, "A Palin-Bachmann feud?":

By the way, Bachmann was great on "Meet the Press" today. She is excellent at not letting the interviewer control her. She interrupts appropriately and stands her ground. She has planned, neat responses to the stuff that they will use to try to mess her up — like her statements about gay people — and she resists pressure to restate or elaborate those responses. She is ready for prime time.

After Iowa, Republicans Face a New Landscape

At New York Times, "After Iowa, Republicans Face a New Landscape."

WATERLOO, Iowa — The leading Republican presidential candidates scrambled to take command of a new landscape on Sunday after Tim Pawlenty abruptly ended his campaign and a three-way race began taking shape to find a nominee who can emerge as the strongest challenger to President Obama.

While Gov. Rick Perry of Texas had hoped to turn the contest into a two-man duel with Mitt Romney, he starts by facing Representative Michele Bachmann, whose weekend victory in the Iowa straw poll reordered the top tier of candidates. On the second day of his announcement tour, Mr. Perry sent a subtle message: making his first Iowa appearance in her hometown, but not taking her on directly.

While Mrs. Bachmann, Mr. Perry and Mr. Romney each have emphasized cutting attacks on Mr. Obama, they now face the need to begin drawing distinctions with one another and set up what could be a long and hard-edged campaign for the party’s nomination.

More at that top link.

Plus, I suspect Los Angeles Times is straining a bit here, trying to spin a different angle: "Perry overshadows Bachmann's Iowa victory."