Top Items:

With Race Heating Up, Republicans Set To Square Off In Pivotal Iowa Debate — DES MOINES — Let the wild rumpus start. — Only three weeks from the Iowa caucuses, the top Republican candidates will square off tonight at a pivotal debate in the state capital.
Discussion:
Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, Iowa Caucuses, Guardian and Washington Post
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If you're a conservative Mitt Romney apparently doesn't want you / Update Romney Camp cries false — Matt Lewis in the daily caller reports that in an attempt to make the case that Newt Gingrich as unacceptable to conservatives proceeded to insult conservatives by taking no questions from conservatives outlets.


Romney Previously Said Iraq Withdrawal Is An ‘Astonishing Failure,’ Now It's ‘Appropriate’
Discussion:
Iowa Caucuses and Alan Colmes' Liberaland

Newt Strikes Back at Romney
Discussion:
Taylor Marsh, The Reaction, Hot Air, Daily Kos, Wall Street Journal and The Page

The reach of the GOP establishment
Discussion:
Marbury, Balloon Juice, ThinkProgress and No More Mister Nice Blog

Romney greets the conservative new media Romney campaign responds
Discussion:
RedState, The PJ Tatler, Big Journalism, Jamie Dupree Washington …, The Other McCain and Sister Toldjah

Newt Gingrich on Entitlement Reform, the Federal Reserve and the Eurozone
Discussion:
Yahoo! News


Newt Year in Jerusalem — The Associated Press literally doesn't know the meaning of the word “fact.” — At the Republican Jewish Coalition debate the other day, Newt Gingrich declared: “So in a Gingrich administration, the opening day, there will be an executive order about two hours …
Discussion:
Power Line, Weekly Standard and The Huffington Post
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Court to Hear Texas Dispute on Drawing New Districts — WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Friday evening agreed to hear a tangle of lawsuits over how Texas should conduct elections for its Legislature and for Congress next year. — The court stayed orders from a special three-judge court in San Antonio …
Discussion:
The Politico, msnbc.com, Althouse and Prairie Weather

Texas election maps blocked, for now
Discussion:
Greg's Opinion, Election Law Blog and Off the Kuff

Oops: Perry Forgets Justice Sotomayor's Name
Discussion:
Connecting.the.Dots, Mediaite, Washington Monthly and Shakesville


Proposed S. Korean Towers Resemble Exploding World Trade Center — The unveiling of pictures of planned luxury residential towers scheduled to be built in Seoul, South Korea, has sparked instant controversy. The reason is obvious. The towers, which include a so-called “cloud” …
Discussion:
Althouse and iOwnTheWorld.com


Europe's great divorce — WE JOURNALISTS are probably too bleary-eyed after a sleepless night to understand the full significance of what has just happened in Brussels. What is clear is that after a long, hard and rancorous negotiation, at about 5am this morning the European Union split in a fundamental way.
Discussion:
Bagehot's notebook, Spiegel Online, The Atlantic Online and Business Insider
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A Summit to the Death — print recommend Send link clip secure rights
Discussion:
Paul Krugman

Following Cameron's Europe raspberry, how low can Nick Clegg go?
Discussion:
Making Light and Firedoglake


N.J. man dies from penis enhancing injection, authorities say; woman charged with manslaughter — EAST ORANGE — Authorities have filed homicide charges against a woman after she allegedly administered a silicone injection into the penis of a 22-year-old man, who suffered a fatal blood clot.
Discussion:
The Other McCain and Alan Colmes' Liberaland


Internal DOJ Email: Kagan Was Brought Into Loop on Mark Levin's Obamacare Complaint — (CNSNews.com) - Internal Justice Department email communications made just days before the House of Representatives passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act show that then-Solicitor General Elena Kagan …
Discussion:
iOwnTheWorld.com, Sister Toldjah and The Other McCain


Eurozone banking system on the edge of collapse — The eurozone banking system is on the edge of collapse as major lenders begin to run out of the assets they need to keep vital funding lines open. — The European Central Bank admitted it had held meetings about providing emergency funding …
Discussion:
Vox Popoli and Belmont Club


For-Profit College Rules Scaled Back After Lobbying — WASHINGTON — Last year, the Obama administration vowed to stop for-profit colleges from luring students with false promises. In an opening volley that shook the $30 billion industry, officials proposed new restrictions to cut off the huge flow of federal aid to unfit programs.
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars and Eduwonk

Grim economic outlook weighs down Obama approval rating — CBS News Poll analysis by the CBS News Polling Unit: Sarah Dutton, Jennifer De Pinto, Fred Backus and Anthony Salvanto. — Less than one year out from Election Day 2012, voters remain overwhelmingly pessimistic about the economy …
Discussion:
Michelle Malkin, Outside the Beltway, Hot Air, Weasel Zippers and The Moderate Voice

Obama not giving up on consumer bureau chief — President Obama left open the possibility Saturday that he could make a recess appointment to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. — Obama criticized Senate Republicans for their opposition to confirming Richard Cordray to lead …
Discussion:
CNN

Mitt Romney: Islam is not an inherently violent faith — Cedar Rapids, Ia. - Mitt Romney responded today to a call for a tougher stance against Muslims by saying that most Muslims are peaceful people who deserve respect. — The issue came up during a question-and-answer session at a campaign stop here this morning.
Discussion:
Atlas Shrugs, The Atlantic Online, Little Green Footballs and Jihad Watch


MATT WELCH TO BARACK OBAMA: Hey, what about that “net spending cut” you promised back in 2008? — Plus this: … By the end, we may see profligate politicians hanging from lampposts. But there'll be a lot of bad stuff, too. . . . UPDATE: Reader Robert Crouse emails:
Discussion:
The Other McCain and Reason


Hollywood shootout: Gunman calmly targeted drivers, pedestrians — A gunman pointed his weapon at more than a dozen people Friday as he randomly opened fire on drivers and pedestrians in Hollywood before being fatally shot by Los Angeles Police Department officers.
Discussion:
CBS Los Angeles, Atlas Shrugs, The Gateway Pundit, msnbc.com and Jihad Watch