As Donald Trump again travels to New Hampshire and continues his flirtation with a run for President, a new report from the Los Angeles Times chronicles how “he built his empire in part through government largesse and connections.” The article documents Trump’s efforts throughout the country to continually fight for the lowest taxes possible and, according to a former auditor in New York City, to use “government’s incompetence as a wedge to increase his private fortune.”

Chris Matthews continued to be impressed with President Obama’s national security efforts and couldn’t understand why in some polls Republicans are reluctant to give Obama credit for Osama bin Laden’s death. Switching gears to look at the field of potential challengers to Obama in 2012, he wondered if Republicans were now going to be in favor of supporting somebody “as smart as Obama.”

Republican Senator Rand Paul spoke in New Hampshire this morning to a group of Republicans and had some tough words for Donald Trump, the current leader amongst potential GOP primary voters. Urging that the party should “look to Republicans who not only talk the talk, but walk the walk,” Paul warned that once Republicans learn more about Trump, they are not going to like what they find out.

Many have tired of Donald Trump hogging so many headlines as of late, so now it’s time to let that attention-starved potential Republican presidential candidate Sarah Palin get some spotlight. In her latest Facebook post, Palin unleashes a harsh assessment of President Obama’s policy Libya and throws out a few lines that should start to remind people that the bombastic Trump is not the only Republican who is ready to talk tough about Obama.

Donald Trump has been on the offensive as of late complaining about President Obama and his policies, yet now celebrities are on the attack. First it was Jerry Seinfeld expressing his disapproval of Trump’s political rhetoric, and now Charlie Sheen has put Trump in the crosshairs of his “Violent Torpedo of Truth.” Our sister site GossipCop is reporting that a pair of cufflinks Trump gave to Sheen are the source of Sheen’s anger.

On Piers Morgan Tonight, former Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty appeared and proudly said “I’m running for President.” However, it seemed Pawlenty was a bit too eager with the announcement, since officially speaking, he has yet to declare himself a candidate. After the appearance, Pawlenty’s campaign was quick to make the clarification.

Donald Trump continues on his breathless media tour and next up is the Wall Street Journal. In this somewhat contentious interview, Trump says he would not rule out running as a third party candidate and reveals an issue that he feels uncomfortable talking about.

Democratic Congresswoman and soon to be new chair of the Democratic National Committee Debbie Wasserman Schultz is getting fired up about the budget battle and answering the call from some who wondered where is the passion from the Democrats. Wasserman Schultz called the Republican budget full of “reckless and shameful cuts” and didn’t stop there.

Chris Matthews is not sure what Donald Trump truly believes, but given his repeated references to President Obama’s birth certificate and an upcoming speaking engagement in Iowa, Matthews thinks Trump might actually be serious about running for President. If Trump does run though, Matthews wonders whether the Republican nomination process is “going to be a carnival?”

I’m taking this opportunity to hopefully change the course of history and attempt to prevent what would be a huge tragedy, not just for the media but also for America, and heck why not, the world. With the recent suspension of Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum by Fox News Channel, a painful reality for many is beginning to settle in: Sarah Palin might not run for President.

As many conservatives continue to hold out hope that New Jersey Governor Chris Christie might throw his hat into the ring and pursue the Republican nomination for President in 2012, Christie continues to adamantly deny he’s running. However, every now and then, he cracks the door open just a little bit with a comment that makes observers wonder whether he might run after all.

Prompted by Republican Senator Orrin Hatch‘s uncharacteristic tirade against President Obama’s healthcare reform program, Chris Matthews unveiled his theory about what is happening to the Republican party: it’s just like Invasion of the Body Snatchers. According to Matthews, formerly intelligent Republicans are having their bodies “snatched” and what’s left behind in the case of Hatch or Senator John McCain is a “zombie” who mindlessly recites hard right positions.

With everyone from Ann Coulter to Senator Lindsay Graham expressing some frustration with the current crop of likely GOP candidates set to challenge President Obama in 2012, it’s no wonder that many are looking for some surprises to make the lineup a little more exciting. On his show today, Chris Matthews led a discussion contemplating whether or not former Governor Jeb Bush might change his mind and eventually enter the race.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham appeared on State of the Union and regarding which Republican candidates for President he most favors as of now, suggested “I’m looking for the most conservative person who’s electable, and that person has yet to emerge.” Front-runners like former Governor Mitt Romney and former Speaker Newt Gingrich who have very much emerged already probably won’t be thrilled with Graham’s lukewarm response to their viability as candidates.

Donald Trump is making it to known to any audience that will listen that he is seriously considering running for President. Today at the CPAC convention he gave a crowd-pleasing speech and, given by the audience reaction, it seems like he very well could be an unanticipated force in the Republican primaries.

As reported by The Caucus, the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) has invited Donald Trump to speak at their event and in an apparent attempt to fuel speculation of a potential campaign for the presidency, Trump has accepted. Just last night, Trump told CNN‘s Piers Morgan that he was unsatisfied with the potential crop of GOP nominees for 2012 and would announce whether he was running in June.

During the weekend celebration of President Ronald Reagan’s 100th birthday, today the 89-year-old former First Lady Nancy Reagan received a standing ovation as she thanked the crowd of attendees at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Library in California.

The most entertaining segment of Hardball the past few nights has been watching host Chris Matthews consistently seethe at the mere mention of the name Congresswoman Michele Bachmann. And with Sarah Palin‘s “WTF” moment, she too has re-entered Matthews’ zone of contempt, a place where Matthews seriously serves up an endless supply of eye-catching insults.

Michael Steele‘s departure from the chairmanship of the RNC may leave him with significantly less power among Republicans, but for the media, it means Steele is now free to speak unencumbered by the burden of his old responsibility. Tonight, this meant Steele was free to speak unencumbered to Rachel Maddow about his struggles within the party, what he thinks of the job he did, and all the other TV shows he would have done had he been allowed to as RNC chair.

Rep. Steve Cohen, Democrat from Tennessee, has heard enough about Republicans complaining of a “government takeover” of healthcare and took to the House floor to express his frustration. Only somehow his speech got a little too heated, suggesting Republicans are using propaganda efforts similar to the Nazis.

Last night Sarah Palin appeared on Fox News with Sean Hannity, and although some feel all she did was preach to the choir, she actually accomplished a whole lot more with this passionate and, dare I say, courageous appearance. Not only did she rally her conservative troops, but she also laid the foundation for her continued relevance as a national figure while also skillfully establishing why she believed the mainstream media, and liberals in general, despise her. Simply put, she’s the most effective messenger for conservative principles and she will not be silenced.

Last night on Fox News, Representative Michele Bachmann stopped by to talk with Greta van Susteren about the debt crisis and to share her charts demonstrating how much money President Obama spent in the past two years. However, Greta was eager to get Bachmann’s comments on the bubbling up rumors that the Congresswoman is seriously considering a run at the White House in 2012.

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele has enjoyed a controversial tenure leading the RNC, and one which seems likely to be over very soon. Politico reports that Steele “faces an all-but-impossible path to reelection this month, as a majority of the RNC’s 168 members indicate that they will not support the controversial chairman for another term.”

MSNBC‘s tough-talking Ed Schultz discussed on his radio show this past week why his television show never features any Republican guests. Yet whether it’s because Schultz is sick of them, or they were never fond of him to begin with is unclear, since Schultz offers up both possibilities as explanations for his show being dominated by only liberal guests.

Earlier today President Obama celebrated signing into law the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” the policy that only allowed gays to serve in the military if they kept their sexuality a secret. While some conservatives think repeal means the country is “not taking the military seriously,” and other military leaders are confident the military can adapt and just happy to move on from it at least one Congressman, Todd Akin from Missouri, is still confused about what the original problem was and why social statements have taken priority over national defense.