In this week's issue of the Boston Phoenix -- in print tomorrow, online now -- I look at Mitt Romney's campaign and see uncanny echoes of the one run by Charlie Baker in 2010.

We knew that Barack Obama was planning to copy from Deval Patrick's winning playbook from that gubernatorial contest. But why on earth would Romney want to crib from Baker?

Monday I suggested an analogy in which Mitt Romney is like a starting pitcher; I guess we learned yesterday (when Romney lost contests in Minnesota, Missouri, and Colorado) that he really doesn't have his best stuff in this outing. I still feel pretty certain that he'll win the nomination -- he's facing a pretty weak-hitting lineup -- but he definitely needs to keep fighting for a while.

Update: Robert DeLeo's attorney, Robert Popeo, tells me today that DeLeo "is not a target of the investigation. He is not somebody who violated the law. There is nothing in the DiMasi travel that will in any way affect him.

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Word started spreading yesterday that former Massachusetts House Speaker Sal DiMasi had departed his new residence at the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky -- ie, the pen where he is serving an eight-year sentence.

I will be on Emily Rooney's WGBH radio show today at noon, doing a political week-in-review segment with the estimable Jeff Jacoby. The main topic will be Mitt Romney and the GOP nomination battle, so here's my quick take before you tune in to hear me talk about it on air.

Romney, of course, followed up his big Florida victory by winning an impressive (albeit expected) romp in Saturday's Nevada caucuses.

"ProfessorU" asks:

Any recommendcations for prof navigating the Vegas strip?

First of all, get yourself to the downtown strip for at least a few hours. That's where you want to play your table games and poker, or drink through a straw from a yard of daiquiri hanging around your neck while operating two slot machines. Or so I hear.

"RMC Strategies" asks via Twitter:

Handicap a Tim Murray v. Steve Grossman primary?

I'll assume we're talking about governor 2014, although I'd lay odds that they won't both be in that race. But let's assume that it's the two of them head-to-head. Let's also assume that nothing substantially worse comes out about Lil' Timmy's recent escapades and whatnot.

Loving the great questions -- please keep 'em coming! On Twitter, "DuncanDubs" asks:

Any chance Joe Curtatone would run for Gov?

Personally, I put the Somerville mayor in my top 5 likely next Massachusetts governors, but I hear mixed things about whether he is seriously interested in running.

(Which is my way of saying that I want you people out there to tell me what you're hearing.)

What's your over/under on number of Massachusetts Democrats to be indicted in Probation Dept. scandal?

And relatedly, "MAGal" asks:

I'm a proud MA Democrat in many respects, but I get really embarrassed by all the corruption in state government (a la the McLaughlin/Murray story).

"Stephen" asks:

Kim Driscoll....Governor?

I swear I just asked someone yesterday this exact question. The individual I asked agreed that the Salem mayor would be a great candidate, but thinks Driscoll is looking at running for lieutenant governor. That's probably the smart move. Of course, Driscoll has still not disproven my suggestions that she may be a witch.

"Micah" asks:

Who will challenge Menino next year?

Will Dorcena, who ran a solid but losing campaign for city council last year, has declared that he will take on that suicide mission. I don't think John "JC Pennies" Connolly will try it, especially after slipping out of the top at-large spot. I haven't heard much about anyone looking at it, beyond prepping in case Menino doesn't run.

"Marty" asks:

I hear Bob Hedlund might be in a fight for his political life in November, any truth to that?

That depends on how seriously you take Steve May. I can't give you a fair answer on that yet, but he hasn't raised big dough yet -- he ended the year with less than $2000 on hand. I wouldn't bet against the mighty Hedlund at this point.

From the Twitters, "AltoidLover" asks:

Newt clearly isn't going to win the nomination, but how much damage do you think he can do as he stumbles on fueled by superpac?

That depends a great deal on how long the Adelsons, and/or others, decide they want to prop Newt up. He's not likely to have any momentum-driving victories in the next couple of weeks, so we'll see if the Adelsons want to keep paying for Romney-bashing ads in Super-Tuesday states and beyond, or just pack it in.

Sure, everyone is talking about the Presidential race, or Liz vs Scotto, but the cool kids have their eye on the Massachusetts state legislature!

"Guest" asks:

Do you think Comrade Eldridge will be able to successfully recruit a band of idiots to run against his state Senate colleagues, who he deems as "not progressive enough?"

It's been a long time since the rhyme rode a rough road, as Chuck D put it, and a long time since my last Ask Me Anything Day. So bring it on -- leave your questions as comments to this post, or email them to me at dbernstein@phx.com. Or, you can Tweet them to me at @dbernstein or with the hashtag #AskMeAnythingDay.

I will provide my best answers, guesses, predictions, analyses, speculations, or gossip in separate posts throughout the day.

So, ask me anything!