Mitt Romney has been delivering campaign speeches recently that aides say are aimed at framing the central themes of his presidential bid ahead of the conventions. So what has he been talking about? Our Speech Deconstructor finds that education trumped the economy as the most common theme.

“I have to tell you that over the course of several years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together, when I think about those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage, at a certain point I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married.” – President Barack Obama

(Source: Yahoo!)

Looking for the greatest moments from the White House Correspondents’ Dinner? Look no further.

We counted the most commonly used compound phrases in Vice President Joe Biden’s campaign speeches, and “middle class” came out on top, with 38 mentions in four speeches.

I remember when Barack was down in the polls by 25% in the late fall of 2007.  Most of my friends had written him off. Most people in America had written him off. It was young people who believed that he could win. They didn’t care about the polls or the so-called experts.  They believed.  They believed that could knock on every door, in every community and convince American that we could create a more perfected union.  The same belief that young Rick Rubin and I had when we dropped off LL Cool J’s “I Need A Beat” at the record store…that no matter how young we were, we could make history.

Four years later, young people are called on again.  This time is quite different.  This time is not like the first.  But, nevertheless, this time young voters have the same amount of power.  And just like in 2008, it is not only about showing up on election day, but about showing up now.  It’s about engaging in issues you care about and forcing the candidates to talk about them and, ultimately, forcing the President to act on them.  Young people have the opportunity to not just shape the next four years, but the next forty years.

Trace the evolution of the ‘Wikipedia effect’ on Republican Candidates. This Yahoo! News infographic details GOP campaign friction points and the topics that required ‘smoothing over.’ 

Yes, according to our columnist Virginia Heffernan:

It’s time we sidelined the fine points of obstetrics from public discourse in an election year. Just as girlie magazines are marketed to male readers, public discourse that features women’s body parts should be clearly labeled — as Playboy used to be — “Entertainment for Men.”

Nope, according to our analysis of this hot political issue.