At last night's PBS presidential forum focused on African-American voters, the six "second tier" Republican candidates who attended ripped into the four "top tier" candidates who skipped the event. Mike Huckabee said he was "embarrassed for our party and I'm embarrassed for those who did not come." Senator Sam Brownback offered a personal apology to African-Americans for the slight: "I'm sorry to you and I'm sorry to those watching that they're not here." (Ken Herman, Columbus Dispatch)

On the subject of courting the black vote, Clinton and Obama will square off today at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Annual Legislative Conference. (Todd Spangler, Detroit Free-Press).

Jill Lawrence of USA Today says it's "make or break time" for John McCain.

John Edwards reversed course yesterday by announcing he will accept public matching funds and challenging his rivals to join him. Don't hold your breath, John. The move will provide a short term boost for Edwards but the spending limits that come along with accepting public funds will leave him at up to a 10 to 1 spending disadvantage in early states. (Anne E. Kornblut and Matthew Mosk, Washington Post)

Ralph Z. Hallow of the Washington Times restates the obvious this morning: "Religious conservatives are at odds over which of the candidates for the Republican presidential nomination should get their backing."

Barack Obama got a rock star's reception in Hillary Clinton's back yard yesterday, and then proceeded to take a couple of shots at her. Jeff Zeleny of the New York Times has the goods. Video here.

Speaking of Hillary, conservative activists are shelling out $600k to try and derail her candidacy, reports Alexander Bolton of The Hill.

We discussed this yesterday, but in this morning's Boston Globe, Lisa Wangsness reports on the Romney camp's efforts to put a positive spin on his falling poll numbers in New Hamsphire.