TWISTER This has been overshadowed by the big political news of the day, but tornados ripped through Arkansas, Tennessee, and Kentucky last night, killing 45.

The twisters, which also slammed Mississippi, were part of a line of storms that raged across the nation’s midsection at the end of the Super Tuesday primaries in several states. As the extent of the damage quickly became clear, candidates including Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama and Mike Huckabee paused in their victory speeches to remember the victims.

In a jab aimed at President Bush, Barack Obama said he hoped the federal government will provide the victims with prompt assistance. We'll see about that. [MSNBC]