Study: 1 in 8 US voter registrations have errors

A new report says about 24 million voter registrations in the United States contain significant errors.

Republican presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum answers questions at a news conference at the statehouse Monday, Feb. 13, 2012, in Olympia, Wash.

Santorum calls Occupy protesters 'radical element'

Republican presidential contender Rick Santorum clashed with Tacoma Occupy protesters Monday night during his first visit to a state he said would be a "momentum changer" heading into Super Tuesday. Photo Gallery Available

President Barack Obama speaks about the "Community College to Career Fund" and his 2013 budget, Monday, Feb. 13, 2012, at Northern Virginia Community College in Annandale, Va.

A political tip sheet for the rest of us

A political tip sheet for the rest of us outside the Washington Beltway, Monday, Feb. 13, 2012:

Romney raps GOP rivals' government backgrounds

If Mitt Romney is rattled by polls showing presidential rival Rick Santorum nipping at his heels, he didn't show it Monday at an outdoor rally with about 2,500 people. Photo Gallery Available

FILE - In this Defense Secretary Leon Panetta Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin E. Dempsey outline the main areas of proposed defense spending cuts during a news conference at the Pentagon. "Make no mistake, the savings that we are proposing will impact on all 50 states and many districts, congressional districts, across America," Panetta said, spelling out the new strategy. "This will be a test, a test of whether reducing the deficit is about talk or about action." President Barack Obama submits his complete budget proposal to Congress on Feb. 13, but included in Panetta's preview were enough details to stir alarm on Capitol Hill.

Panetta defends military budget plan

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is defending his department's slimmed-down, $614 billion budget plan, telling senators that it's time to step up and show they are serious about reducing the deficit.

Obama's budget would shrink annual deficits, but national debt still explodes

President Barack Obama's proposed federal budget would shrink annual deficits over 10 years, but it would fall far short of taming the nation's exploding federal debt.

Republican presidential candidate former House Speaker Newt Gingrich speaks during a campaign stop Monday, Feb. 13, 2012, in Pasadena, Calif.

Gingrich says he's in the race to stay

Republican Newt Gingrich on Monday dismissed calls to drop out of the presidential contest in order to set up a direct contest between rivals Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum. The former House speaker insisted that his ideas and a new determination to stay positive would help him once again resuscitate his flagging candidacy. Photo Gallery Available

Heaviest 2013 defense budget cuts would fall on troops

As the Pentagon sought to show Monday that it had made tough spending decisions in its fiscal 2013 budget proposal, the brunt of the reductions would fall on U.S. ground troops, which face job losses, modest pay raises and increased health care costs while serving in a smaller force.

FILE - In this Feb. 10, 2012, file photo Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney campaigns Portland, Maine. With nine contests down, Romney leads the delegate hunt, and has both the money and the organization to compete deep into the state-by-state nomination calendar. The next contests, in Arizona and Michigan, aren't until Feb. 28, and the party with a reputation for order may have it sorted out after March 6, when 10 states get their say. But that would break sharply with this race's tendency toward uncertainty.

Romney, under-funded rivals in hunt for cash

Mitt Romney and his under-funded opponents are taking advantage of a weeklong lull in the Republican presidential nomination fight - no debate or primary is slated - to raise the money needed to carry out Super Tuesday strategies and compete in states beyond.

Obama's budget frames election choices, doesn't solve long-term problems

President Barack Obama's proposed federal budget is more campaign commercial than governing document.

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