memeorandum: Romney keeps away from Tea Party (Matt Viser/Boston Globe)

11:25 PM ET, January 21, 2011

Top Items:

Bill Carter / Media Decoder:

Olbermann Leaves ‘Countdown’ on MSNBC — Updated Keith Olbermann, the highest-rated host on MSNBC, announced abruptly on the air Friday night that he is leaving “Countdown with Keith Olbermann” immediately. — The host, who has had a stormy relationship with the management of the network for some time …

Allahpundit / Hot Air:

Breaking: Olbermann announces the end of “Countdown”; Update: Settled contract with MSNBC “late this week”; Update: “Stealth move” — Why? No idea. There was no inkling of it on Google News earlier today. It sounds from the clip like he was let go, but he signed a four-year contract extension …

Discussion: Mediaite, Guardian, Pajamas Media, Taylor Marsh, Nice Deb, Verum Serum, NewsBusters.org blogs, Daily Kos and Patterico's Pontifications

David Neiwert / Crooks and Liars:

BREAKING: Keith Olbermann out at MSNBC, last broadcast tonight — From A+EInteractive: … More as we get it. — UPDATE: We've now posted Olbermann's thoughtful and well-done farewell. Transcript below: — I think the same fantasy popped into the head of everybody in my business …

The Politico:

Keith Olbermann, MSNBC part ways — Keith Olbermann took an unexpected bow from MSNBC on Friday, announcing on air in the last 10 minutes of his show that it would be his final episode of “Countdown.” — The mutually agreed-upon departure was a stealth move, MSNBC insiders told POLITICO …

Discussion: CNN and Pajamas Media

Cbarney / A+E Interactive:

Olbermann out at MSNBC — In a stunning late development, MSNBC anchor Keith Olbermann has been ousted by the cable news channel. And he's gone without much of an explanation. — MSNBC just released this terse statement: … MSNBC announced that “The Last Word” with Lawrence O'Donnell would replace …

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland

Egrinberg / This Just In:

Keith Olbermann, MSNBC part ways — Keith Olbermann is leaving MSNBC, the “Countdown” host announced on his show Friday night. — The liberal commentator told viewers he had been informed “this was going to be the last edition” of his show, but offered no further details.

Discussion: iOwnTheWorld.com and Atlas Shrugs

Bill Gorman / TVbytheNumbers:

Keith Olbermann Out At MSNBC, Final ‘Countdown’ Broadcast Is Tonight — via press release: — STATEMENT REGARDING KEITH OLBERMANN — MSNBC and Keith Olbermann have ended their contract. The last broadcast of “Countdown with Keith Olbermann” will be this evening.

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

Matt Viser / Boston Globe:

Romney keeps away from Tea Party — Possible presidential contender isn't courting activists — Tea Party activists in New Hampshire say the former Massachusetts governor has been largely inaccessible to them. (Mary Schwalm/Associated Press) — WASHINGTON — New Hampshire Tea Party …

Discussion: TPMDC, Real Clear Politics, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Guardian, Daily Kos, Booman Tribune, Little Green Footballs, Hotline On Call and msnbc.com

Alexander Mooney / CNN:
Presidential buzz surrounds Bachmann

Discussion: Firedoglake and The Note

Shira Toeplitz / The Politico:
Tea party favorites skip Senate caucus

Discussion: FrumForum

Gschwarzcnn / CNN:
New Hampshire GOP faces Tea Party takeover

Discussion: The Impolitic, Ben Smith's Blog, GOP 12 and Wonkette

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:

A rival SOTU response — The Tea Party Express emails supporters that Rep. Michelle Bachmann — passed over for a leadership spot, much less the response to the State of the Union — will deliver her own response: — Congresswoman Michele Bachmann has confirmed with us that she will broadcast …

Discussion: Firedoglake, Politics Daily, Pajamas Media, National Review, Weigel and FrumForum

Amy Krener / paracom.paramountcommunication.com:
Date sent — There are two very exciting developments I wanted …

Discussion: Politics Daily, Hot Air, The Daily Caller, Hotline On Call, Washington Post and AOL News

Chris Good / The Atlantic Online:
Michele Bachmann to Deliver SOTU Rebuttal, Too

Discussion: The Caucus, The Politico, The Hill, Hot Air, Washington Monthly and Outside the Beltway

Dana Milbank / Washington Post:

I'm declaring February a Palin-free month. Join me! — Though it is embarrassing to admit this in public, I can no longer hide the truth. I have a Sarah Palin problem. — I have written about her in 42 columns since Sen. John McCain picked her as his presidential running mate in 2008.

Gschwarzcnn / CNN:

Giuliani vs. Palin in 2012? — (CNN) - Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani said he's more likely to run for president if former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin runs. — In an interview on CNN's “Piers Morgan Tonight,” Giuliani, who dropped out of the 2008 Republican presidential primary …

Discussion: The Politico, The Note, Washington Wire, Cubachi, Hot Air, TPMDC, Pajamas Media, The Hill, Conservatives4Palin, Riehl World View and FrumForum

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:
Rudy and Palin — Piers Morgan just tweeted a preview …

Discussion: Swampland and Daily Kos

Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:
Huckabee ahead nationally

Discussion: Politics Daily, Fox News, CNN and GOP 12

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:

DeMint joins CPAC boycott — South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint will skip this year's Conservative Political Action Conference, making him the most prominent conservative figure yet to express objections to what critics see as a pro-gay, libertarian tilt to the 38-year old event.

Discussion: CNN, Hot Air, Fox Nation, Weigel, Online NewsHour, TPMDC and FrumForum

Jparkercbs / CBS San Francisco:

Oakland 2nd Graders Reportedly Engage In Sex Acts, Teacher Suspended — OAKLAND (CBS 5) — A teacher at Oakland's Markham Elementary School has been suspended indefinitely after school officials said a pair of second-graders performed sex acts on each other in class - with the teacher present.

Discussion: AOL News, Fox Nation, The Blast, Pajamas Media and JammieWearingFool

Political Correction RSS:

Rep. Broun: Mixed Seating At SOTU Is “A Trap” To “Silence Republicans” When “Barack Obama Spews Out All His Venom” — 1 hour and 16 minutes ago — Matt Finkelstein — The tragic shootings in Tucson prompted calls for civility from politicians on both sides of the aisle, including Sen. Mark Udall's …

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, Washington Monthly, Mediaite and Daily Kos

Zaid Jilani / ThinkProgress:
Refusing To Sit With Democrats, Rep. Broun Warns Of Obama Spewing …

Discussion: No Labels, Crooks and Liars, Alan Colmes' Liberaland and AOL News

Myglesias / Yglesias:

Free Market Health Care — Rep Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) sings the praises of the healthcare status quo and explains the problems with a government takeover of the health care system: … Hensarling is 53 years old, so his mother is, of course, eligible for Medicare.

Richard Dunham / Texas on the Potomac:
Promise kept: All Texas Republicans vote to repeal health reform; Democrats cry foul

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Alan Colmes' Liberaland and Daily Kos

Gschwarzcnn / CNN:

Pelosi issues rallying call — Cambridge, Maryland (CNN) - Trumpeting the American dream-theme “Make it in America,” House Democrats gathered for their annual retreat Friday to focus on fulfilling the pledge that Democrats will make it back in 2012. — In a press conference following …

Discussion: The Politico

Jake Sherman / The Politico:
Joe Biden reaches out to House Democrats at retreat

Discussion: The Hill

Paul Farhi / Washington Post:

Hersh rebuked on ‘crusaders’ — Legendary journalist Seymour Hersh has uncovered some sinister conspiracies during his long career, but his latest revelation is drawing some puzzled reactions and angry denunciations. — In a speech this week in Doha, Qatar, Hersh advanced the notion …

Discussion: NewsBusters.org blogs, FP Passport, PostPartisan, Gawker and Poynter

Jeff Schogol / Stars & Stripes:
McChrystal denies claims of secret military crusade against Islam

Discussion: Raw Story and Jihad Watch

Jordan Fabian / The Hill:

Sen. Murkowski questions approach to health repeal — Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski on Thursday cast doubt on the manner in which Republicans have attempted to repeal the healthcare law. — Murkowski (Alaska) said that she would vote to repeal the law if a vote was held in the Senate …

Discussion: Scared Monkeys, The Note, Weasel Zippers and KTVA-TV

Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
MAYBE THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN A LITTLE NICER TO MURKOWSKI. …

Discussion: Outside the Beltway

Nick Timiraos / Wall Street Journal:

Fannie-Freddie Report Likely to Be Late — The Obama administration is likely to miss a deadline for issuing a long-awaited report about the future of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and what might replace them. — The Dodd-Frank law enacted last year to overhaul financial-industry regulations …

Jim Tankersley / NationalJournal.com:

The Phantom 15 Million — Taming unemployment starts with solving the mystery of the jobs that were supposed to have been created in the past 10 years but weren't. — Anxious: Job seekers in Denver. — America's jobs crisis began a decade ago. Long before the housing bubble burst …

Discussion: Outside the Beltway, 2.0: The Blogmocracy, TheMoneyIllusion and EconLog

Jgalloway / Political Insider:

Newt Gingrich tells Georgia Republicans he'll be a candidate in '12 — In the last 24 hours, former U.S. House speaker Newt Gingrich has touched base with several prominent Republicans in his former home state, telling them that he intends to make a run for president in 2012 using Georgia as his base …

Discussion: msnbc.com, Hot Air, Human Events, Ballot Box, FrumForum and TPMDC

Michael M. Gleeson / The Hill:

Roberts, Alito face tough choice on whether to attend State of the Union — Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito face a difficult choice on whether to attend President Obama's State of the Union address next week. — Alito and Roberts, who were both nominated …

Discussion: The Note and Prairie Weather

Chris Murphy / ComicsAlliance.com:

‘Steampunk Palin’ Comic More Insane Than You Imagined — Picture in your mind the most insane possible story that could be contained in a book named Steampunk Palin. Go ahead, take ten seconds or so to imagine it perfectly in your mind's eye. Use this cover image for help. — Got it? Good.

Discussion: Boing Boing and iOwnTheWorld.com

Geraldine Fabrikant / New York Times:

You Think Houses Are a Slow Sell? Try a Yacht — What is tougher than having one sleek mega-yacht for sale in a glutted market? The answer, for the moment at least, is having two mega-yachts on the market. — In boom times, yacht enthusiasts would order a new dream boat and keep …

Discussion: Runnin' Scared and Gawker

Ken Auletta / New Yorker:

Skip to content — NEWS DESK - THE BOOK BENCH - CLOSE READ - PHOTO BOOTH - HENDRIK HERTZBERG - SUSAN ORLEAN - LETTER FROM CHINA - THE FRONT ROW

Discussion: Epicenter, Felix Salmon, VentureBeat, New York Times, TechCrunch, Mashable, DealBook, Xconomy and The Official Google Blog, more at Techmeme »

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:

The Giffords seat — Gabrielle Giffords' 2010 challenger finds himself in an extremely delicate position, as a forwarded report from Arizona Capitol Reports indicates. — He just canceled his expected announcement of another campaign: — “Everything's been cancelled. Everything's on hold.

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Salon, Wonkette and Hotline On Call