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In the days leading up to the event, some national outlets continued to write about the Republican National Committee (RNC) debate being co-sponsored by Americans for Tax Reform (ATR), the Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List) and the Daily Caller almost daily.  CNN called the debate “a key test” on the issues for frontrunner Reince Priebus and a chance for newcomers to put incumbent Chairman Michael Steele in the hot seat.  Ahead of the event, The Hill wrote that Michael Steele was taking care to highlight his pro-life beliefs to members of the party.  Questions asked at the debate – decided online by popular vote – also reinforced the storyline that a candidates’ stances on Life and marriage were a determining factor in his/her viability for the post of RNC Chairman.  Politico’s Ben Smith wrote that “The talk of a ‘truce’… has ironically become a rallying cry for those eager to bring back the war.”

While stories on the RNC debate comprised much of the week’s coverage, the first week back from the New Year holiday was a busy one.  An American Spectator column by Paul Kengor entitled “Death of the Pro-Life Democrat” revisited the overwhelming success of SBA List’s 2010 mid-term election “Votes Have Consequences” project, saying “the Susan B. Anthony List, which seeks to elect pro-life women (from either party) to Congress, counts 38 switches from ‘pro-choice’ to pro-life from the 111th to 112th Congress, plus another 14 seats where ‘unreliable’ pro-life members were replaced with ‘reliable’ pro-life votes. In all, 52 seats were ‘strengthened’ into a more pro-life position.”  (A full rundown of the SBA List’s “Votes Have Consequences” successes here.)

In a great victory for pro-life America, Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) was sworn in as Speaker of the House on Wednesday.  SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser applauded the humility and appreciation for the weight of his position evident in his swearing in speech in her comments on National Review Online which were later highlighted by other online outlets including USAToday.com, saying “Speaker John Boehner will do himself and the whole pro-life movement proud, and save many vulnerable human beings, if he continues as he began today: determined and humble.”

Toward the end of the week, political media began turning its attention to the upcoming House vote to repeal the health care reform law and SBA List’s grassroots lobbying efforts to repeal taxpayer funding of abortion within it.  Coverage anticipating the SBA List’s annual Campaign for Life Gala also began ramping up.  The Weekly Standard announced that Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) was slated to keynote the event, taking place on February 16, and noted how this made him the latest among a steady stream of potential presidential candidates to headline SBA List fundraising events, including Tim Pawlenty, Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney, Fred Thompson and Rick Santorum.

CNN: Ahead of the curve: The next 7 days
Date:  Jan 2, 2011        By: unknown
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/01/02/ahead-of-the-curve-the-next-7-days-11/

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Mr. Kelly goes to Washington: Pennsylvania car dealer begins unlikely career in House GOP freshman class
Date:  Jan 2, 2011        By: Philip Rucker, The Washington Post
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11002/1114749-84.stm

ABC News: Michael Steele Defends Stormy RNC Chairmanship: ‘My Record Stands For Itself’
Date: Jan 3, 2011        By: Michael Falcone
http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2011/01/michael-steele-defends-stormy-chairmanship-my-record-stands-for-itself.html

AOL Original: Michael Steele at RNC Debate: ‘My Record Stands for Itself – We Won’
Date: Jan 3, 2011        By: Matt Lewis
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2011/01/03/michael-steele-at-rnc-debate-my-record-stands-for-itself-we/

The Atlantic: A Lip-Biting Debate as Steele Faces His Critics
Date: Jan 3, 2011        By: Garance Franke-Ruta
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/01/a-lip-biting-debate-as-steele-faces-his-critics/68790/

CNN Politics: RNC debate key test for frontrunner Priebus
Date:  Jan 3, 2011        By: Peter Hamby
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/01/03/rnc-debate-key-test-for-frontrunner-priebus/

FoxNews.com: Steele Saves Choice Words for Opponents Until After Debate
Date: Jan 3, 2011        By: Jake Gibson
http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/01/03/steele-saves-choice-words-opponents-until-after-debate?test=latestnews

The Hill:  Michael Steele emphasizes anti-abortion views ahead of RNC chairmanship election
Date: Jan 3, 2011        By: Sean J. Miller
http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/other-races/135699-michael-steele-cites-his-adoption-to-explain-abortion-views-

LifeNews.com:  Gentry Collins Leaves GOP Chair Race, Majority Oppose Steele
Date: Jan 3, 2011        By: Steven Ertelt
http://www.lifenews.com/2011/01/03/gentry-collins-leaves-gop-chair-race-majority-oppose-steele/

LifeNews.com:  GOP Chair Candidates Pledge at Debate to Work With Pro-Life Groups
Date: Jan 3, 2011        By: Steven Ertelt
http://www.lifenews.com/2011/01/03/gop-chair-candidates-pledge-at-debate-to-ork-with-pro-life-groups/

LifeNews.com: Woman Will Have Authentic Leaders in Upcoming Congress
Date: Jan 3, 2011        By: Steven Ertelt
http://www.lifenews.com/2011/01/03/women-will-have-authentic-leaders-in-upcoming-congress/

Los Angeles Times:  GOP chief Michael Steele defends his record: ‘We won’
Date: Jan 3, 2011        By: Paul West
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sc-dc-0104-rnc-chairman-web-20110103,0,5195490.story

National Review Online: The RNC Debate
Date: Jan 3, 2011        By: Jim Geraghty
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/256239/rnc-debate-jim-geraghty?page=2

NPR: Steele Meets Challengers For GOP Chairmanship
Date: Jan 3, 2011        By: Don Gonyea
http://www.npr.org/2011/01/03/132631444/Steele-Meets-Challengers-For-GOP-Chairmanship

Politico: No Truce at the RNC
Date: Jan 3, 2011        By: Ben Smith
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0111/No_truce_at_the_RNC.html?showall

Slate:  The Republican National Committee Debates its Future
Date: Jan 3, 2011        By: David Weigel
http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/weigel/archive/2011/01/03/the-republican-national-committee-debates-its-future.aspx

TPM: Michael Steele Tells TPM: GOP ‘Purists’ Could Help Obama In 2012
Date: Jan 3, 2011        By: Evan McMorris-Santoro
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/01/michael-steele-tells-tpm-gop-purists-could-help-obama-in-2012.php

USA Today: Michael Steele vows to right GOP’s fiscal woes
Date: Jan 3, 2011        By: Catalina Camia
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2011/01/michael-steele-rnc-chairman-debate-/1

Wall Street Journal: The Week Ahead
Date: Jan 3, 2011         By: Patrick O’Connor
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2011/01/03/the-week-ahead-5

WIBW.com: Steele Mounts Defense Under Fire From Debate Opponents
Date: Jan 3, 2011        By: Unknown
http://www.wibw.com/nationalnews/headlines/Steele_Mounts_Defense_Under_Fire_From_Debate_Opponents__112824059.html

Bloomberg Businessweek: Republican Party’s Debt Is Focus of Chairman Debate
Date: Jan 4, 2011        By: Heidi Przybyla
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-01-04/republican-party-s-debt-is-focus-of-chairman-debate.html

The Christian Post: Pro-Family Groups Get Involved in RNC Debates
Date: Jan 4, 2011        By Stephanie Samuel
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20110104/pro-family-groups-get-involved-in-rnc-debates/

The Christian Post: Republicans Vow Vote on Health Care Repeal as Early as Next Week
Date: Jan 4, 2011        By: Stephanie Samuel
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20110104/republicans-vow-vote-on-health-care-repeal-as-early-as-next-week/

Congress.org: More on the Tea Party’s press strategy
Date: Jan 4, 2011        By: Ambreen Ali
http://www.congress.org/news/2011/01/04/more_on_the_tea_partys_press_strategy

JSOnline: Priebus makes his case for RNC chairmanship
Date: Jan 4, 2011        By: Craig Gilbert
http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/112843744.html

Los Angeles Times: GOP Chairman Michael Steele defends his record: ‘We won’
Date: Jan 4, 2011        By: Paul West
http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jan/04/nation/la-na-rnc-chairman-20110104

Newsmax.com: Steele Touts GOP Successes, as Rivals Assail Crises
Date: Jan 4, 2011        By: Henry J. Reske
http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/Steele-RNC-chairman-debate/2011/01/04/id/381810

The Washington Examiner: Beltway Confidential: Some thoughts on the Daily Caller, ATR RNC Chair debate
Date: Jan 4, 2011        By: John Vaught LaBeaume
http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/opinion-zone/2011/01/some-thoughts-daily-caller-atr-rnc-chair-debate

The Washington Times: Inside the Beltway: Safety First
Date: Jan 4, 2011        By: Jennifer Harper
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/jan/4/inside-beltway/

The American Spectator: Death of the Pro-Life Democrat
Date: Jan 5, 2011        By: Paul Kengor
http://spectator.org/archives/2011/01/05/death-of-the-pro-life-democrat

The Brazil Times: Wabash Valley Right to Life hosting fundraising dinner
Date: Jan 5, 2011        By: Terre Haute
http://www.thebraziltimes.com/story/1692890.html

The Hill: Anti-abortion groups mobilize for fight over healthcare reform
Date: Jan 5, 2011        By: Julian Pecquet
http://thehill.com/blogs/healthwatch/health-reform-implementation/136129-anti-abortion-groups-mobilize-for-fight-over-healthcare-reform

The Hill: OVERNIGHT HEALTH: Senate Dem ‘hopes’ for individual mandate alternatives
Date: Jan 5, 2011        By: Healthwatch staff (Julian Pecquet, Jason Millman)
http://thehill.com/blogs/healthwatch/other/136251-overnight-health

LifeNews.com: House Begins Session With Pro-Life Speaker, Majority
Date: Jan 5, 2011        By: Steven Ertelt
http://www.lifenews.com/2011/01/05/house-begins-session-today-with-pro-life-speaker-majority/

LifeSiteNews.com: ‘Most pro-life’ Congress sworn in
Date: Jan 5, 2011        By: John Jalsevac
http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/most-pro-life-congress-sworn-in-today/

National Journal: “Applause for John Boehner’s First Speech as Speaker of the House
Date: Jan 5, 2011        By: Elspeth Reeve
http://www.nationaljournal.com/dailyfray/applause-for-john-boehner-s-first-speech-as-speaker-of-the-house-20110105

National Review Online: Boehner, Pelosi, and Humility
Date: Jan 5, 2011    By: Marjorie Dannenfelser
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/256442/boehner-pelosi-and-humility-marjorie-dannenfelser

The Weekly Standard: Pence to Keynote National Pro-Life Fundraiser in February
Date: Jan 5, 2011        By: John McCormack
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/pence-headline-national-pro-life-fundraiser-february_526753.html

Ms. Magazine: Boehner Announces Anti-Abortion Agenda
Date: Jan 6, 2011        By: feminist wire
http://www.msmagazine.com/news/uswirestory.asp?ID=12799

USA Today: Boehner’s humility sparks debate
Date: Jan 6, 2011        By: Catalina Camia
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2011/01/john-boehner-humility-/1

Blog of the Family Research Council: Preview of ProLife Con: Lila Rose
Date: Jan 7, 2011        By: Krystle Weeks
http://www.frcblog.com/2011/01/preview-of-prolife-con-lila-rose/

Charisma: SBA List Calls on Congress to Repeal Pro-Abortion Health Care Law
Date: Jan 7, 2011        By: Jennifer LeClaire
http://www.charismamag.com/index.php/news/29933-sba-list-calls-on-congress-to-repeal-pro-abortion-health-care-law

LifeNews.com: House Takes First Step in Repealing Abortion-Funding ObamaCare
Date: Jan 7, 2011        By: Steven Ertelt
http://www.lifenews.com/2011/01/07/house-takes-first-step-in-repealing-abortion-funding-obamacare/

OneNewsNow.com: Pro-lifers encouraged by new Congress
Date: Jan 7, 2011        By: Charlie Butts
http://www.onenewsnow.com/Politics/Default.aspx?id=1268072

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