CNN’s Gloria Borger‘s interview with GOP presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul came to an end as Paul began taking off his mic. Borger badgered him with questions about racially charged comments included in newsletters that carried his name in the 1980s and 1990s. It came a day after CNN’s Ali Velshi asked Paul about.

“These things are pretty incendiary,” said Borger. “Because of people like you,” shot back Paul.

“I appreciate you answering the questions and you understand it’s our job to ask them,” said Borger.

> Related: Mediaite’s Alex Alvarez thinks CNN’s Paul/Newsletter obsession “is becoming the McRib of Embarrassing Political Stories.”

It might look like the three other debates held on CNN this primary season, but the photo above is the stage for tonight’s GOP debate — the 11th of the primary season. CNN is teaming up with The Heritage Foundation and the American Enterprise Institute for the debate at the DAR Constitution Hall in Washington. Wolf Blitzer moderates and at the podiums above, from left to right, will stand Rick Santorum, Ron Paul, Rick Perry, Mitt Romney, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, Michele Bachmann, and Jon Huntsman.

In the past few debates — as he’s climbed in the polls — Gingrich has made a point of calling out the style and moderating of the TV debates. Baltimore Sun‘s David Zurawik has some advice for Blitzer in this regard:

There’s a civil but firm way to deal with bullies like Gingrich in follow-up questions and remarks, and I hope Blitzer will use his stature and intelligence to do that tonight. I’ll put Blitzer’s professional experience and John Hopkins University graduate education in international politics up against Gingrich’s education and intellectual track record any day.

The news networks are looking pretty prescient right about now.

“Meet the Press,” “Face the Nation,” “This Week” and “FOX News Sunday” had all booked Rep. Michele Bachmann as a guest tomorrow. At 5:41CT this evening, Bachmann was declared the winner of the Iowa straw poll.

The cable news networks carried the live announcement of Bachmann winning with 4,823 votes. Rep. Ron Paul came in second, and Tim Pawlenty came in third.

Bret Baier and a panel including Chris Wallace anchored on Fox News; Chuck Todd hosted a special edition of “The Daily Rundown” with Andrea Mitchell from Iowa on MSNBC and Don Lemon anchored on CNN along with Candy Crowley, who will host “State of the Union” from Iowa tomorrow morning.

In addition to Bachmann, ABC”s “This Week” talks with former Gov. Pawlenty, with Jake Tapper filling in for Christiane Amanpour. And Norah O’Donnell (below, prepping today) hosts CBS’s “Face the Nation” from Iowa. In addition to Bachmann, DNC Chairwoman Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) will be O’Donnell’s guest.

CNN has announced the criteria and participating candidates for its Republican Presidential primary debate, which will be held a week from tomorrow in new Hampshire. John King will serve as moderator of the debate, which will be produced in conjunction with WMUR, and the New Hampshire Union Leader.

CNN set specific criteria that candidates had to meet in order to participate, and those that made the cut are former House Speaker (and ex-Fox News contributor) Newt Gingrich, Texas Congressman Ron Paul, Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, businessman Herman Cain, former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and former Pennsylvania Senator (and ex-FNC contributor) Rick Santorum.

Fox News’  Bill Hemmer apologized on-air today for a segment he anchored on Tuesday’s “America’s Newsroom”

Hemmer was interviewing Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) about last weekend’s CPAC conference and Paul’s second-year win in the straw poll. In the introduction to the interview, producers used videotape from the 2010 CPAC during which, after the poll’s results were revealed, mostly boos could be heard from attendees. When Paul took top honors last weekend, his victory was well received. But that video was not used.

“It was clearly a mistake, we used the wrong videotape,” said Hemmer. “It’s an honest mistake. We apologize for the error. We look forward to having representative Paul back on our program very soon.”

Video of Hemmer’s apology is after the jump…

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All four major broadcast networks, along with the cable news channels, are bringing out the big name talent for coverage of the 2011 State of The Union address Tuesday evening.

On the broadcast networks, NBC has Brian Williams anchoring along with “Meet the Press” host David Gregory.

ABC has Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos anchoring, joined by a number of correspondents, hosts, and analysts, including Jake Tapper, Christiane Amanpour, Jonathan Karl and Deborah Roberts.

On CBS, “CBS Evening News” anchor Katie Couric will lead the coverage, joined by CBS reporters and analysts.

On the Fox broadcasting network, Fox News Channel’s Shepard Smith will anchor coverage. Smith will be joined by “Fox News Sunday” anchor Chris Wallace and correspondent Wendell Goler.

On the cable news channels:

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C-SPAN has announced their convention plans, and they’re going gavel-to-gavel. Some highlights from the release:

• C-SPAN coverage begins at 7amET every day, and continues until the conventions close for the night at 11pmET.

• C-SPAN 2 will cover the Republican Platform Meetings taking place on Tuesday and Wednesday of the DNC convention and Ron Paul‘s rally during the Republican convention.

• Video clips on the C-SPAN Web site will be embeddable.

Click continued to see the release…

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