Newt Gingrich reminds voters of that time Mitt Romney sang "Who Let the Dogs Out?" and other campaign strategies from the Palmetto State.

While Republican presidential candidates continue to call for smaller government and fewer federal agencies, Barack Obama this morning proposed to consolidate six departments focused on business and trade.

Thanks to a latex pioneer who lived to be 102 years old, the tiny village of Dixville Notch, New Hampshire (pop. 9) is the first community to cast its ballots in the state’s first-in-the-nation primary.

Two hope to keep their surprising momentum going, while a third looks for his big break.

Yes, yes, yes. For those who felt Cain's absence at the debates and campaign stops this winter, a thaw is coming.

President Obama gave a speech today in Cleveland, Ohio, where he introduced Richard Cordray as the new head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and scolded congressional Republicans for failing to confirm the former Attorney General sooner.

Following her sixth place finish in the Iowa Caucuses last night, in which she only got five percent of the vote, Michele Bachmann announced this morning that she's ending her campaign for president.

Recap from It's a Free Country.

Welcome to Politics Bites, where every afternoon at It's A Free Country, we bring you the unmissable quotes from the morning's political conversations on WNYC. Today on the Brian Lehrer Show, US Congressman (R-NJ 5th) Scott Garrett discussed unfinished business including the payroll tax holiday and unemployment benefits.

Recap from It's a Free Country.

Welcome to Politics Bites, where every afternoon at It's A Free Country, we bring you the unmissable quotes from the morning's political conversations on WNYC. Today on the Brian Lehrer Show, New York Senator (D) Kirsten Gillibrand rounded up news from Washington as the legislative session wraps up, from the payroll tax cuts to unemployment benefits and more.

Recap from It's a Free Country.

Welcome to Politics Bites, where every afternoon at It's A Free Country, we bring you the unmissable quotes from the morning's political conversations on WNYC. Today on the Brian Lehrer Show, Matt Barreto, advisor to impreMedia/Latino Decisions polling and a professor at the University of Washington in Seattle, discussed the findings of a new poll, which suggests that Latino voters do not care as much about religion or social issues as previously thought.

More than just another call to extend a payroll tax cut, today's speech from President Obama on the economy gave a broad idea of the kind of campaign he'll run during the general election, and what his policy priorities would be if he won a second term.

A series of e-mails from the tax-exempt 527 group "Should Trump Run?" is attempting to stoke new speculation about—and donations to—another campaign for The Donald.

When Newt Gingrich first formed his presidential exploratory committee back in March of 2011, we wondered if this was the "Return of the Mack." Once he jumped into the race, his staff jumped ship, his campaign sank into debt, and we stopped wondering. However, the unlikely events of the last month—Perry's "Oops," the Cain Train's fantastic derailing, Romney's continued "meh"—have us, and the electorate, taking a second look. This is your guide to Gingrich, complete with some things you might not know about the latest Republican hopeful to make a grab for the Not-Mitt-Romney mantle.

Bloomberg News reports what the Federal Reserve wouldn't: that the United States' central bank committed $7.77 trillion to bailing out the financial industry in the wake of the 2008 crisis, netting banks $13 billion in profits in the process.

The Fed's bailout package was more than ten times ...

Welcome to Politics Bites, where every afternoon at It's A Free Country, we bring you the unmissable quotes from the morning's political conversations on WNYC. Today on the Brian Lehrer Show, Khalil Byrd, CEO of Americans Elect, talked about the campaign to nominate a presidential candidate outside the political party system.

Welcome to Politics Bites, where every afternoon at It's A Free Country, we bring you the unmissable quotes from the morning's political conversations on WNYC. Today on the Brian Lehrer Show, Paul Krugman reviewed the failure of the Super Committee to reach a deal, the ongoing crisis in Europe and the future of the euro, and more from the world of politics and economics.

Recap from It's A Free Country

Paul Krugman says we need to leave Social Security and Medicare alone, raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans, and get over our fear of government spending—which is why he's happy that the deficit reduction super committee didn't make a deal.

President Barack Obama gave a jobs speech today at Manchester Central High School in New Hampshire, where he was heckled by Occupy Wall Street supporters.

TIME's Jay Newton-Small says that poor voter turnout means that most people aren't represented in the United States' most representative body. Congress is representing the extremes, and that's why it feels like nothing's getting done.

What did voters learn about the candidates—their biographies, their politics, their vision for the country—through more than just the news stories and blog posts and 140-character updates?