Whether there’s a War on Women being waged by politicians around the country is open to debate. There is definitely a War over the War On Women, and Washington has a top commander on both sides of the battle lines. Field marshal for the Democrats is Sen. Patty Murray, who has been using the phrase “War on Women” for months, often in fundraising appeals for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. In simple military terms, the committee’s strategy is to elect as many Democrats to the Senate as possible; its tactic, raise as much money as quickly as possible. … Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers became the new brigadier general in the field last week, assigned to turn the tide for the Republicans. Trying to switch to offense from defense, she wrote a guest column for a conservative news website, took to the microphone at the House GOP leadership press conference and went on “Hardball with Chris Matthews” to declare there is no Republican WOW/Jim Camden, SR. More here.

Question: Is the “War on Women” a reality or a propaganda ploy to raise funds and congressional seats?

For weeks, President Obama, Democratic activists and their friends in the media have relentlessly pushed the idea Republicans have launched a “War on Women.” After weeks of this carefully orchestrated campaign, the consensus among administration officials and Beltway insiders is clear: Women are outraged by Republican policies, the GOP has done enormous damage to its brand among women and the Democrats are going to reap the benefits at election time.If you're David Axelrod or Debbie Wasserman Schultz, it's a great story. But is it true? The Washington Post has no doubt. A few days ago, they ran a story titled “Recent debate over contraception comes as GOP loses gains among women.” And the story is filled with quotes and anecdotes about how knuckle-dragging Republicans have badly damaged themselves by daring to stand up to the latest Obamacare mandate. But what are the facts? What does the polling actually say?/Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Washington. More here.

Question: Do you believe Republicans have launched a “War on Women”?

A political blog in the other Washington, The Daily Caller,  suggests a certain congresswoman from this Washington could have a shot at the No. 2 spot on the GOP presidential ticket this fall. The blog quotes a Republican strategist, Kellyanne Conway, as saying Cathy McMorris Rodgers would fit the bill as a vice presidential selection that “needs to be a surprise, but not a shocker.” The blog goes on to recount the parts of McMorris Rodgers bio that would make her a good pick on paper: daughter of fruit farmers, first in her family to attend college, married to a retired naval pilot, only woman to have two kids while in Congress, founder of the Congressional Down Syndrome Caucus after her first child, Cole, was born with that condition, leadership post in the House Republican Caucus, from a Western state/Jim Camden, Spin Control. More here. (SR file photo of Cathy McMorris Rodgers celebrating re-election in November 2010)

Question: Would Cathy McMorris Rodgers be a better pick for a Republican vice presidential candidate than another woman with roots in the Inland Northwest, Sarah Palin?

Since last fall, as the “Texas 4 Palin” blog indicates, the former guv has endorsed 27 different political candidates, mostly via her Facebook page. Of those, 14 candidates have faced primary elections. In these, Palin is 10-4. She backed war veteran Vaughn Ward in Idaho’s congressional primary — a move criticized by Tea Partiers, many of whom supported the ultimately victorious Raul Labrador. Looking ahead to Washington state’s August primary, she has endorsed Cathy McMorris Rodgers and John Koster for Congress, as well as Clint Didier’s bid to unseat U.S. Senator Patty Murray. But despite her track record so far, there is still debate over what exactly her endorsement means/Inlander. More here. (AP/Statesman file photo of Sarah Palin & Vaughn Ward)

Question: Kiss of death? Or packs a punch? What does an endorsement by Sarah Palin mean for Northwest candidates?

Former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin endorsed Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers’ re-election bid Thursday. McMorris Rodgers, a Republican seeking her fourth term in a primary that includes four Democrats and a Constitutional Party challenger, was listed as one of Palin’s “mama grizzlies” in an online endorsement. The two have similar views on fiscal and social issues, and McMorris Rodgers was a strong supporter when Palin was named to John McCain’s presidential ticket in 2008. They have one other bond Palin mentions – both have a child with Down syndrome. Palin previously endorsed Republican Clint Didier in Washington’s U.S. Senate race over GOP establishment favorite Dino Rossi/Spokesman-Review.

Question: How important is Sarah Palin’s endorsement for a Republican candidate?