Romney Quits Race  —  Plans to say during CPAC speech: “If I fight on in my campaign, all the way to the convention, I would forestall the launch of a national campaign and make it more likely that Senator Clinton or Obama would win....”  —  Read full remarks here.  —  Watch him speak LIVE NOW at CPAC convention.

Message from David Plouffe: Matching the Five Million  —  David Plouffe just sent out this email...

McCain to Critics on Right: ‘Calm Down’  —  PHOENIX (AP) — Republican John McCain, buoyed by Super Tuesday wins that pushed him closer to the nomination, told his conservative critics Wednesday to dial back the animosity and focus on issues where they agree.

Sharia law in UK is ‘unavoidable’  —  The Archbishop of Canterbury says the adoption of certain aspects of Sharia law in the UK “seems unavoidable”.  —  Dr Rowan Williams told Radio 4's World at One that the UK has to “face up to the fact” that some of its citizens do not relate to the British legal system.

McCain seeks truce with right-wing critics  —  John McCain, whose Super Tuesday performance has given him an aura of inevitability in the eyes of many Republican leaders, has begun an aggressive campaign to quell conservative dissent and prevent an outbreak of GOP buyer's remorse.

And Obama Wept  —  Inspiration is nice.  But some folks seem to be getting out of hand.  —  It's as if Tom Daschle descended from on high saying, “Be not afraid; for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people: for there is born to you this day in the city …

Thoughts On McCain  —  Updated.  I just kept adding stuff.  —  * A lot of conservatives and pundits are calling for McCain to mend fences with the conservative base.  There is speculation he'll do so at CPAC.  I can't imagine he'll do so.  —  As someone wrote at the Corner, “Romney is trying to join us.

Obama and Clinton Brace for Long Run  —  With no breakout winner in Tuesday's Democratic primaries, Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama on Wednesday began fortifying for a drawn-out nomination fight, with Mrs. Clinton disclosing that she had lent her campaign $5 million …

Senate G.O.P. Blocks Additions to Stimulus Bill  —  WASHINGTON — By a single vote, Senate Republicans on Wednesday blocked an expansive fiscal stimulus package championed by Democrats, as partisan rancor engulfed the effort to inject a quick burst of spending into the slowing economy.

CPAC to all CPAC-ers: Don't boo McCain  —  John McCain may have it easier than he expected today when he commandeers the podium at CPAC this afternoon.  Conservatives from all over will predictably fill the room to the brim to listen to what the now GOP front-runner has to say, despite a hate/love relationship with the guy.

TIMES VS. TIMES IN LIVING COLOR  —  A CLAWING cat fight over mistaken identity has broken out between New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd and a writer for the Times of London.  —  At the core of the mystery: Did Dowd mistake journalist Michelle Henery, who is black, for Michelle Obama?

CLINTON ANNOUNCES HUGE FUNDRAISING NUMBERS  —  BREAKING.....  IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS...  Clinton had a MASSIVE day of online fundraising blowing past the $3 million dollar - 3 day goal.  —  There's an email appeal going out tomorrow for $6 million in 72 hours.  —  THOUSANDS of NEW donors flooding in.

Religious police in Saudi Arabia arrest mother for sitting with a man  —  A 37-year-old American businesswoman and married mother of three is seeking justice after she was thrown in jail by Saudi Arabia's religious police for sitting with a male colleague at a Starbucks coffee shop in Riyadh.