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 Good morning. Here's the news: 1. The 2012 GOP presidential candidates participated in a "debate" last night at the Reagan Library in California. The event served to harden the view that the 2012 GOP nomination fight has been reduced to a battle between Texas Governor Rick Perry and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. 2. Consensus opinion amongst the pundits appears to be that Mitt Romney performed well in last night's debate. It is inarguable that Romney is a much more polished candidate than he was in 2008. 3. Rick Perry's debut on the national stage was uneven and unpolished. Dan Balz provides the most upbeat assessment. Beth Reinhard provides a smart take on Perry's strengths and weaknesses. 4. The most remarkable moment of last night's debate came when Gov. Perry reiterated his view that Social Security is a "Ponzi scheme." Social Security has long been viewed as the "third rail" of American politics. 5. Support for President Obama among key elements of the coalition that elected him in 2008 has eroded, according to a new Washington Post/ABC News poll. Voters under the age of 30 are especially disenchanted. 6. President Obama will deliver a "major address" to a special session of Congress this evening, unveiling his latest plan to spur economic growth. "Big" speeches have been part of the Obama playbook throughout his political career. It remains to be seen if people are still listening. 7. The Federal Reserve is considering a number of unconventional policy moves to spur economic growth. The Wall Street Journal reports: "One step getting considerable attention inside and outside the Fed would shift the central bank's portfolio of government bonds so that it holds more long-term securities and fewer short-term securities." 8. The FT reports: "Advanced economies will barely grow in the second half of this year, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development predicted on Thursday in a significant downward revision to its previous forecasts." 9. Fears of a "double-dip" recession in the United States have grown more acute, reports David Leonhardt. He puts the chances of a "double-dip" at 50 percent. 10. Are "cosmic rays" from outer space the cause of "global warming?" Research being conducted at CERN suggests that that might be the case. Editor's Note: Politics In 60 Seconds will not be posted tomorrow, as we await the installation of new Internet service at our home. Please follow Politics on Twitter and Facebook. | 
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