Afternoon Fix: Gingrich caught off-guard at AIPAC

If you have difficulty viewing this newsletter, click here to view as a Web page. Click here to view in plain text. Tuesday, March 6, 2012 EARLIER ON THE FIX The 2012 Republican presidential campaign — in tweets. Oklahoma primary: Rick Santorum seems set to win Why Angus King is the most important Senate candidate in the country Tennessee primary: Mitt Romney could upset Rick Santorum The other Ohio primary: Kaptur v. Kucinich Obama invokes daughters in Rush Limbaugh response Obama press conference: Above all, do no (message) harm Georgia primary polls find Newt Gingrich still a favorite son Super Tuesday: Five storylines to watch Ohio polls show Mitt Romney gaining, Rick Santorum volatile The Super Tuesday stakes — in three minutes! (VIDEO) Ann Romney on wealth: What did she really mean? Super Tuesday playlist: A Fix List Voters to GOP candidates: We don't like any of you WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED * Former House speaker Newt Gingrich was caught napping (or at least, resting his eyes) at the start of his livestreamed remarks to the American Israel Political Action Conference. He also mistakenly announced that "I understand you have a panel. I look forward to any questions." Twelve seconds of silence followed before an AIPAC staffer explained that Gingrich was supposed to give a speech, not answer questions. (He quickly recovered.) * Rep. Donald Payne (D-N.J.), the first African-American elected to Congress from his state, has passed away after a battle with colon cancer. He was 77. Gov. Chris Christie (R) will set a special election date for his seat; Garden State history suggests it will remain vacant until the November general election. * Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) will be the special guest of Hawaii Senate candidate Linda Lingle at a fundraiser tonight — just a few days after his controversial health-care amendment died in the Senate. Meanwhile, Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R) says she regrets voting for the measure, which would have allowed employers to refuse to fund health-care expenses for moral reasons. WHAT YOU SHOULDN'T MISS * Advertisers are continuing to cut ties with radio host Rush Limbaugh over his attacks on a Georgetown law student who advocated for birth control coverage at a Capitol Hill panel. President Obama declined to comment on pressure campaigns against Limbaugh sponsors today, saying "I'm not going to comment on either the economics or the politics of it." * The Club for Growth has endorsed Nebraska Treasurer Don Stenberg in the state's March 15 GOP Senate primary over Attorney General Jon Bruning — joining Sens. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) in snubbing the frontrunner. Internal Bruning polling out today shows him leading Stenberg in the primary 52 percent to 19 percent. * Democratic National Committee executive director Patrick Gaspard knocked Romney in a memo today, pointing to a Monday NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll showing the former Massachusetts governor as increasingly unpopular. "It's very bad news for Mitt Romney, whose standing among voters is now worse than virtually all other recent presidential candidates who went on to capture their party's nomination," he wrote. THE FIX MIX Is this show still happening? With Rachel Weiner and Aaron Blake. Get The Washington Post, your way. Want to stay on top of the latest news, features, commentary and more? Here's how: Mobile: Alerts: Social Media: Applications Web site E-mail SMS RSS Feeds Facebook Twitter SEND TO A FRIEND UNSUBSCRIBE E-NEWSLETTER CENTER GET HELP Washington Post Digital E-mail Customer Care 1150 15th Street NW Washington, D.C. 20071 © 2012 The Washington Post Privacy Policy