Yesterday the Dow Jones Industrial Average cracked the 13,000 mark, the first time since the financial crisis. But on the trail, a strange thing happened. Social issues largely supplanted talk of what the polls say is the number 1 issue: jobs and the economy. A lot of Republicans say that bringing social issues to the forefront is a mistake, and a distraction. Tonight, it's up to the debate moderators to balance the topics that will draw lines among the 4 candidates. New NBC News-Marist poll numbers show that Michigan is deadlocked. Will tonight's debate seal the fate of Mitt Romney or Rick Santorum?
Analysis from today's panel today at noon ET.
PANEL
Eric Bates, Editor, Rolling Stone
Kelefa Sanneh, The New Yorker
Maggie Haberman, POLITICO (@maggiepolitico)
Hugo Lindgren, Editor, The New York Times Magazine (@hugolindgren)
GUEST
Jesse Benton, Ron Paul Campaign
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Saw this on thinkprogress.org, captured by writer Igor Volsky this a.m.--a rather interesting contrast of rights of men and subjugation of women as these debates continue---
"....Democratic lawmaker in Georgia is responding to a Republican-backed effort to prevent women from receiving abortions 20 weeks after fertilization with a tongue-in-cheek measure that seeks to limit men's health care choices>>>>>>>>>
legislation that "would limit vasectomies only to men who will die or suffer dangerous health problems without one." "Thousands of children are deprived of birth in this state every year because of the lack of state regulation over vasectomies," said Rep. Yasmin Neal (D) explained.
"It is patently unfair that men can avoid unwanted fatherhood by presuming that their judgment over such matters is more valid than the judgment of the General Assembly, while women's ability to decide is constantly up for debate throughout the United States..."
(Not saying that I, as someone commenting here, would recommend that for men, but it does certainly point out how men in power are actively interfering with women's reproductive rights--- versus their own continuing ability to stop a pregnancy as men with their unquestioned right to vasectomies. Rather interesting, i thought)