The Page by Mark Halperin

Simpson-Bowles Mixed Soup on Bam Budget

Fiscal stalwarts say they are "encouraged to see real, specific policies for limiting tax expenditures, slowing health care cost growth, and reducing spending throughout the government."

And/but caution a "decision to postpone tough choices once again by blocking the sequester" would send "a powerfully negative message that the U.S. is yet unwilling to honestly confront our growing fiscal challenges."

Playing in MI

Romney Super PAC "Restore Our Future" Gingrich Ad "Risk"

Romney Super PAC "Restore Our Future" buys $500,000 plus in Wolverine State TV time.

Group also snaps up time in West Virginia, Ohio, Arizona, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Mississippi and Georgia.

Santo Surging

(Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

Pew national poll of Republican leaning voters:

Santorum 30
Romney 28
Gingrich 17
Paul 12

Conducted Feb. 8 — 12, 2012. Margin of error 5 points.

Pennsylvanian gains 16 points from previous January survey.

Snyder Says...

Reuters

Michigan topper plans to announce his endorsement of a GOP '12 candidate within the next week.

Mitt Hits Bam Budget

In Monday morning statement, frontrunner says the President doesn't "take any meaningful steps toward solving our entitlement crisis."

"The President has failed to offer a single serious idea to save Social Security and is the only president in modern history to cut Medicare benefits for seniors. I believe we can save Social Security and Medicare with a few commonsense reforms, and – unlike President Obama – I’m not afraid to put them on the table."

Obama 2012 fires back: "While the President has outlined a balanced approach...investing in programs essential to the middle class, Romney would tip the scales against them while doubling down on the same policies that got us into the economic crisis."

Read the entire press release here. »

Budget Battle

(Joshua Roberts/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Speaking to students at Northern Virginia Community College in Annandale, VA, Obama ties his budget to the goals of the middle class.

POTUS: "You know that doing big things isn't easy. But you haven't given up. That's the spirit we've got to have … we don't give up in this country. We look out for each other."

Read the President's remarks here.

EARLIER: Obama's plan looks to cut $4 trillion from the deficit over next decade.

David Rogers breaks it down.

Breyer Robbed

(Tom Williams/Roll Call)

Supreme Court Justice held at knife-point while on vacation in the Caribbean; Breyer family unhurt in the incident.

Reaction to President Obama's Budget

REUTERS/Larry Downing

Boehner: "The President’s budget is a gloomy reflection of his failed policies of the past, not a bold plan for America’s future."

Cantor: "President Obama says he wants an economy that is ‘built to last’ but the budget he released today outlines a plan that is built to come in last."

Ryan: "The broken promises and recycled gimmicks contained in this budget have dramatically widened this president’s growing credibility deficit."

Lieberman: "This is a moment when our country requires a dramatic, bipartisan effort to reduce the deficit. While there are elements in the President’s budget I would support....it is not the blueprint we need to put our fiscal house back in order."

North Korean, State Department Officials to Meet

U.S. to resume nuclear talks with North Korea Feb. 23 in Beijing.

The "Real Mitt Romney"

Reuters

In interview with National Review's Robert Costa, frontrunner says CPAC speech meant to reintroduce "the real Mitt Romney, not the one being fabricated by [his] opponents."

Romney: "I wanted to reacquaint people with what they remember from four years ago."

Messaging over the next few weeks to build upon CPAC argument:
— "go through the list" of conservative governing record in Massachusetts
— stress his views on illegal immigration, traditional marriage, abortion and contraception
— distinguish himself from the other candidates as a Washington outsider