Chad’s Morning Brief: More Calls for Santorum to Drop Out, Kay Bailey Hutchison Backs Planned Parenthood & More

Here is your Morning Brief for the morning of March 23, 2012. Give us your feedback below and tune in to Lubbock’s First News with Chad Hasty for these and many more topics from 6-9 am.

1. Pressure Builds on Santorum (link)

Rick Santorum is not going to win the GOP nomination. Just about everyone knows that and I believe he does as well. More and more Republican heavy-weights are getting behind the idea that Santorum needs to drop out so the party can come together and get behind Mitt Romney. After Jeb Bush endorsed Mitt Romney, the calls started to get louder and even Senator Jim DeMint weighed in yesterday saying,

"I don't have any immediate plans to do an endorsement but I think we all need to look at this presidential primary and encourage the candidates to do a little self-reflection here - what's good for our country," he said. "The sooner we can make a decision, I think the sooner we can focus on the real problem which is Obama."

The writing is on the wall and for Santorum, timing matters. Santorum is young enough that he could run again. He could be one of the king makers of the party if he handles this situation the right way. Otherwise, it may not be pretty for him. I don't agree with Santorum on everything, but I think he brings some great ideas to the table. He should learn from Mike Huckabee and know when to bow out. Who knows, FOX News might even give him a show with Herman Cain.

2. Obama Goes After Romney (link)

President Obama went after Mitt Romney of health-care, saying that Romney is just pretending.

"We designed a program that actually previously had support of Republicans, including the person who may end up being the Republican standard bearer and is now pretending like he came up with something different," the president said.

It will be interesting to see how Mitt Romney responds to Obama on this. In many ways, Obama is right. This will be the big test for Mitt Romney. If he can stay away from looking like a hypocrite then he might have a slight advantage over the President. Romney has to be careful here though. More than 60% of American's disapprove of ObamaCare. Romney needs to win many of those people over.

3. KBH Backs Planned Parenthood (link)

Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison is on her way out, and instead of defending Texas, she backs Planned Parenthood.

We cannot afford to lose the Medicaid funding for low income women to have health care services. We cannot. We keep turning back federal funds that every state gets and then try to find money in our budget, which is already being cut in key areas like education. I do think that the governor needs to sit down with the federal government and work it out so we can have our share — our fair share not more — of money for Medicaid to help low-income women have their health care services.

Hutchison went on to say that she believes Planned Parenthood does mammograms and preventative health care. Of course, Planned Parenthood also performs abortions which was never mentioned in her interview on MSNBC.

4. Bush: Rubio for VP  (link)

It seems like the only thing Republican's can agree on is Marco Rubio. In an interview yesterday, Jeb Bush said that Marco Rubio should be the VP choice.

 

In an email to Fox News Latino,  Jeb Bush Jr. said he is “a Mitt man,” and said that Rubio would be the ideal running mate.

“He would be a great VP!” Bush Jr. said. “He's a substantive person who would fire up the base!”

I like Rubio and think he'd be a great fit on the ticket. He would fire up the base and has great communication skills. Romney/Rubio sounds like a winning ticket to me.

5. Dumb story of the morning (link)

NJ school bans... hugging.

The new policy at Matawan Aberdeen Middle School has many parents scratching their heads.

Last week, excessive hugging and physical contact by sixth and eighth graders prompted the principal to come on the loud speaker and declare a ban on hugging, according to published reports.

Just silly.

6. Good Brews Good News of the Day (link)

Instead of putting down the dog, the U.S. military is letting a Marine bring her dog home.

“Leavey survived a road-side bomb with her loyal canine Sgt. Rex and was devastated when it was announced that the German shepherd was to be put down by the Marine Corps. Leavey, 28, completed over 100 missions during two six-month tours in Iraq with the military service dog Rex. [After serving, Leavey] strove to cut through what she saw as bureaucratic red tape that she said was preventing her from adopting the dog with whom she was injured with in Iraq.”

Everyday, Good Brews Coffee & Tea Lounge brings you the Good News of the Day!

Other Top Stories:

Santorum: Might as Well Stay With Obama Than Romney

Interactive Map on Abortion and Teen Pregnancy in Texas

Santorum Vows Fight for Texas

8th Graders Assigned Opposition Research on the GOP

Perry SuperPAC Approved

Too Much Religion in Politics?

Guests Appearing on LFN Today:

Frank Morrison, candidate for Precinct 1 County Commissioner at 7:37am

These and many more topics coming up on today’s edition of Lubbock’s First News with Chad Hasty. Tune in mornings 6-9am on News/Talk 790 KFYO, streaming online at kfyo.com, and now on your iPhone and Android device with the radioPup App. All guest interviews can be heard online in our podcast section after the show at kfyo.com.