The Divided Republican Party, Debating the Auto Industry Bailout, Vetting of Bill Clinton an Obstacle to Hillary Clinton's Secretary of State Offer

Our daily look at stories and topics that are lighting up the Internets:

The GOP's Identity Crisis

Republican Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia knows what's wrong with the GOP—he says the party is no longer relevant to Americans and needs to offer real solutions to the problems facing health, education, and the economy. Liberal bloggers say Republicans are just offering more of the same "awful" ideas. The GOP itself seems divided as to its new direction, but Newt Gingrich is confident that Sarah Palin is not the guaranteed new leader. One conservative says the 2008 election was a necessary "DUI" for the GOP. Conservative bloggers are also divided on whether Michael Steele is the right choice for RNC chairman.

Bailout Over Bankruptcy?

The debate over the auto industry bailout continues and divides liberals and conservatives. Jonathan Cohn and Josh Marshall point out why bankruptcy may not be a good option and emphasize that a bailout must be accompanied by a restructuring of the industry. A Huffington Post blogger says he is confident that the bailout will be "part of a larger plan that changes the way the United States approaches its energy use." Conservative bloggers say that "Detroit did this to itself" and criticize the inclusion of provisions to protect taxpayers. Michelle Malkin says stopping the auto bailout is the "first step toward GOP redemption." Our Michael Barone discusses public opinion of the bailout at Thomas Jefferson Street.

Hillary's Hubby May Stand in Her Way

If Hillary Clinton wants to be Obama's secretary of state, the main obstacle standing in her way could be her husband. Politico and the New York Times report on the vetting of Bill Clinton and how his "foreign and financial entanglements" could prove to be conflicts of interest for Hillary if she were secretary of state. Bloggers say that the former president's business dealings could be a "challenging problem" for Obama and point out various red flags raised in the Times article. Bloggers at Harper's and The New Republic have plenty of objections to Hillary as secretary of state, but husband Bill thinks she would be "really great." A Huffington Post blogger explains what the choice would say about Obama's foreign policy.

—Gretchen Hannes