Santorum Steps Down, Presidential Piaffe, Bush. v. Obama on Taxes, Selling Buffett in Boca (PM Note)

Rick Santorum Suspends Presidential Campaign  - The scrappy, sweater-vest-wearing former Pennsylvania senator leaves the race for his daughter Bella, one of the same reasons he got in - http://abcn.ws/HysR8k

When Life Gets in the Way of a Politician's Campaign - For months Santorum has been caught in a solemn juggling routine between Bella's bedside - she has been in the hospital twice this year - and the campaign trail, where he struggled to recapture momentum after big losses on Super Tuesday. Santorum is not the only candidate on the family-campaign seesaw. A handful of presidential candidates have had to manage this same kind of balancing act in recent years. Amy Bingham has a really interesting look at how politicians and candidates deal with difficulty…. and there have been some remarkable difficulties for presidents - http://abcn.ws/HziGx1

Santorum's Suspension: By the Numbers from Pollster Gary Langer - "Half of Santorum's supporters go to Romney. Our poll had it 42-22-17-10, Romney-Santorum-Paul-Gingrich. When we reallocate using Santorum's voters' second choice, Romney gains 11 points, Gingrich 7, Paul just 3. New standings: Romney 53 percent, Paul 20, Gingrich 17." http://abcn.ws/HIDG1G

Delegate Math - Gingrich and Paul are Still In, So How Long 'Til Romney Has 1,144? A while, according to Elizabeth Hartfield's math - http://abcn.ws/HHkcxE

Endorsement Floodgates - Toomey, Jindal, Rick Scott - http://abcn.ws/IhDxai

Sign of the Times - Mike Castle and Christine O'Donnell both at Romney Delaware event tonight.

Presidential Piaffe -  Piaffe? Look it up.

Romney on Dressage Horses and Pink Ties - Gawker published a video, apparently leaked, from FOX News that shows Mitt Romney in some candid moments before an interview with Sean Hannity discussing his wife's dressage horses, his own quarterhorse - It has a fast gait! - why he penny pinches on hotels - to spend more on ads - and why he won't wear a pink tie. It's Mitt unzipped more than the controlled body boarding tweets. Seeing Mitt smile and talk excitedly about horses - does it make him seem more human or elitist? - http://abcn.ws/HtAx69

If it weren't for Santorum, would we all be doing Bush v. Obama stories?

Bush Tax Cuts: George W. Wishes They Didn't Bear His Name - Speaking in New York, the former President said he rarely comments publicly on policy because, "I don't think it's good for our country to undermine our president and I don't intend to do so," Bush said, according to Forbes. But Bush had a pointed message about tax policy: "If you raise taxes on the so-called rich," he said, "you're really raising taxes on the job creators." http://abcn.ws/IIsL8r

Obama Tax Hikes: Selling Buffett in Boca - Against a backdrop of electrified young voters in a state critical to his re-election, President Obama today delivered a politically-charged argument for higher taxes on the wealthy in a push to galvanize his support among the middle class.

Obama's speech, billed as a policy address at Florida Atlantic University, doubled down on his economic case for a second term, which he explained favors boosting social programs that benefit the middle-income Americans in sharp contrast with Republicans' proposals to spur growth through upper-income tax cuts alone. http://abcn.ws/HysQ4q

A Real Text From Hillary - http://abcn.ws/I0RJCp

Dovetail: Testimony Suggests GSA Head Was at Solyndra During Vegas Conf  - From John Parkinson - According to a 52-page transcript from the Inspector General investigator's March 15, 2011 interview with Jeff Neely, a regional administrator currently on administrative leave, Neely explained that GSA incurred some unanticipated expenses for a last-minute video link for four assistant commissioners assigned to participate at the conference in Johnson's place. Adam Elkington, a spokesman for GSA, disputes the testimony of Neely, claiming that Johnson did not attend meetings at Solyndra that day. Elkington, however, was unable to explain where Johnson was during the conference. According to the testimony transcript, in response to a question about Johnson,  Neely explained the need for  extra audio/visual expenses because Johnson couldn't attend the conference. http://abcn.ws/HH0dPS

Perspective - Iowa Governor Endorses Mitt Romney For President - The governor of the first state to cast a preference endorses the guy his state's party originally said won, but didn't, on the day the other guy, the one who really won his state, drops out - http://abcn.ws/HziGx2

Obamacare - Nobody Really Knows How Much It'll Cost, but this conservative economist says it'll add to the deficit more than $300 billion - http://abcn.ws/IynkJF

Which led to this -

White House Blasts Obama-Approved Health Care Economist - http://abcn.ws/HHfss4

U.S. Agency Goes Almost Three Months Without Email - http://abcn.ws/IhTVsF