Granite Slate

Tea Party KO's T-Paw

    After a disappointing third place finish in the Iowa Straw Poll, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty has quit the race for the Republican nomination for president. Here are a few story links:

Tim Pawlenty Quits

Pawlenty drops out of GOP race

    Pawlenty's decision comes as Texas Gov. Rick Perry entered the race.

'Tax-free NH'

Gov. John Lynch has again delivered a sales pitch to Bay Staters that NH has no sales tax ... 365 days a year.

Said Lynch, "In New Hampshire, we believe you should be able to shop on your own time, not on the schedule of state government. Because in New Hampshire, every day is a sales tax holiday."

Ron Paul, again, targets Mitt Romney

    Ron Paul is again targeting Mitt Romney. This time by name. And Michele Bachmann. Again, by name.

    In a letter to likely New Hampshire voters this week, the congressman begins: "They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."

    Paul then goes on to write that what the Republican presidential candidates are saying in 2012 is similar to what he was saying in 2008. Some snippets of his letter:

    "Governor Romney provided the model for ObamaCare when he passed state-run health care in Massachusetts, including an individual mandate just like the one being challenged in federal court right now."

    And then, the next graph,

    "Michele Bachmann is a friend of mine in Congress, but she's keeping an important item in her resume from you: She was a cosponsor of a bill to forcibly unionize government workers across the country by federal mandate."

    And then, a graph later,

    "Other candidates have little or no record."

    Before signing off, Ron Paul writes: "It's time to take our country back. And it begins in New Hampshire."

Presidential Range

Back from a couple vacation days on the range. Here is a snap of Lakes of Clouds on the way to the summit of Mount Washington.

Ron Paul has a new letter to New Hampshire independents today professing he is "the one candidate who is a lifelong constitutional conservative." In it, the congressman takes aim at his rivals, singling out Mitt Romney and Michele Bachmann - by name.

Paul Targets Romney in NH

    Dear Patriot, begins the six-page letter from U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, as the Kentucky Republican reaches out to conservatives in New Hampshire.

    "Either get behind an establishment politician who isn't always with them - or stand with Ron Paul in truly taking back Washington." The letter sent to New Hampshire mailboxes last week from Paul, on behalf of his father's presidential campaign, takes a big swipe at former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt  Romney, the poll front-runner for the  GOP nomination. After a shout-out to the Tea Party, Rand Paul sharpens focus:

    "It also isn't time to elect people who wake up every day wondering what they believe. And it surely isn't time to elect someone who passed the blueprint for ObamaCare while Governor of Massachusetts."

    It will be interesting if the Romney campaign has any response, as he and his campaign have ignored other criticis so far. They say they've a laser focus on President Obama. In other words, it's part of being a front-runner.

    The campaign mailer includes a sheet on which people can pledge support for Ron Paul for President or make a generous donation ... $5,000, $2,500, $500, and so on.

Giffords: A Profile in Courage

    U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., made a surprise return to the House yesterday to cast a vote for the plan to raise the debt ceiling and avert a possible economic crisis. It is just seven months since she survived a shooting attack in her home district.

    Colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, cheered her and hugged her as she entered the House floor. Her office tweeted:

@Rep_Giffords: Gabrielle has returned to Washington to support bipartisan bill to prevent economic crisis. Turn on C-SPAN now to see this historic moment.

@Rep_Giffords: The #Capitol looks beautiful and I am honored to be at work tonight.