Independent Nation gives you the day's five essential reads for independents and centrists:
1. “Rove Piling-On Continues As He Rings Donors Today,” at Bloomberg News.Rove’s sugar daddies morph into loan sharks.
2. “Alan Simpson: Leaders Know What to Do, Now Do It,” in The Wall Street Journal.One half of America’s crusading debt-reduction duo tells recalcitrant pols to, you know, do something.
3. “GOP Challenge: How to Transcend Aging White Base,” in The National Journal.Republicans are desperately seeking their non-white friends.
4. “Adviser: Romney ‘Shellshocked’ By Loss,” at CBS News.False confidence in Mitt’s camp caused missteps in the final weeks.
5. “Meet the Republican Losers Who Make it Really Hard to Spin a ‘No Mandate’ Narrative,” at Slate.Spin away, Karl – a look at the Republicans who got trounced makes voters’ intentions clear.
Send stories for the Independent Rundown to Matt DeLuca at matt.deluca@newsweekdailybeast.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DeLucaMattS.