Murdoch vs. Romney, Christie Insults Reporter, and More

Murdoch Disses Romney — Then (Kind of) Supports Him:

If Twitter is any indication, Rupert Murdoch is not a huge fan of Mitt Romney, but he’ll still take him over Barack Obama any day. Over the weekend, Murdoch took to Twitter to criticize the presumed Republican presidential nominee (and it is not the first time he’s done so, either). By Monday, however, Murdoch changed his tune slightly, probably because Romney’s people weren’t thrilled with what the News Corp. chairman tweeted. Murdoch’s latest tweet Monday: “Romney people upset at me! Of course I want him to win, save us from socialism, etc but should listen to good advice and get stuck in!” Sounds like a ringing endorsement. (Read more)

Romney the Flip-Flopper: Mitt Romney’s campaign broke ranks with the Republican Party when an aide to the candidate said his boss disagreed with the GOP that the individual mandate from Obama’s health care plan is a tax. That would be fine and dandy, except for the fact that Romney called the mandate in the health care plan he passed as Massachusetts governor — drumroll please! — a tax. (Read more)

DeMint to Launch Super PAC: Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., a favorite of the tea party, is severing ties with his political action committee (Senate Conservatives Fund) so it can become a super PAC and raise unlimited amounts of money. The money would help fund Republican Senate candidates. By law, DeMint would not be allowed to have any ties with the organization once it becomes a super PAC. (Read more)

Mississippi Abortion Clinic Remains Open: Mississippi’s lone abortion clinic remains open, thanks to a federal judge who temporarily blocked enforcement of a state law that would require any physician performing abortions to have admitting privileges at a hospital. U.S District Judge Daniel Jordan issued the restraining order Sunday. Without it, the clinic would have shut down. (Read more)

Video of the Day: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie pulls no punches when it comes to dealing with people at his news conferences — even those covering them. When a reporter at a news conference over the weekend asked the governor an off-topic question, Christie asked him whether he was “stupid” and called him an “idiot.” Naturally, the cameras were rolling.

— Posted by Tracy Bloom