I’m running a bit behind today, but hope you didn’t hold lunch for me. It’s still breakfast time out here on the Left Coast.

* Sign of the times: Rick Santorum introduced at CPAC by his primary Super-PAC donor. My, the perks pols hand out these days!

* A Rasmussen tracking poll shows Obama up ten points over Mitt. That’s Rasmussen, folks.

* John Nichols thinks Paul Ryan’s CPAC speech yesterday was intended to wave a hankie at GOPers still pining for a late presidential entry.

* Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-AL) making impressive audition for role of poster-boy for the brewing congressional “inside trading” scandal.

* Feckless bootstrapping: Craig James endorses Santorum for president.

* Mexican army seizes 15 tons of meth. Could be inspiration for a future narcocorrido.

Back soon.

Our ideas can save democracy... But we need your help! Donate Now!

Ed Kilgore is a political columnist for New York and managing editor at the Democratic Strategist website. He was a contributing writer at the Washington Monthly from January 2012 until November 2015, and was the principal contributor to the Political Animal blog.