memeorandum: Newt Gingrich, frontrunner (Chris Cillizza/Washington Post)

1:30 PM ET, December 13, 2011

Top Items:

Susan Page / USA Today:

Swing States Poll: Downbeat Dems, resurgent Republicans — WASHINGTON - President Obama is moving to energize the Democratic base for his re-election campaign, but in the case of a dozen battleground states, he'll have to work harder than four years ago to find it.

Discussion: Firedoglake, The Politico, Hot Air, Ballot Box, LifeNews.com, Washington Times, Wake up America, nation.foxnews.com, Reuters, New York Magazine, The PJ Tatler, GOP 12 and Economist

Ben Smithand Maggie Haberman / The Politico:

Romney's role: The Hillary Clinton of 2012? — For Mitt Romney this December, it's beginning to look a lot like Clinton. — Like the great, fallen front-runner of 2008, here is another well-funded, Establishment-blessed, presumptive nominee whose supposedly firm hold on his party's greatest prize seems to be slip-sliding away.

Discussion: CNN, msnbc.com and Taylor Marsh

Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:

Why Republicans Don't Nominate Swells — Don't pull a silver dollar out of that ear! Don't! — The political press corps has decided that the “moment” of Saturday night's Republican presidential debate occurred when Mitt Romney decided to challenge Rick Perry to a $10,000 bet.

Discussion: New York Times, Washington Post and The Reaction

Kevinliptak / CNN:
Giuliani: Gingrich may be stronger than Romney

Discussion: The Hill, iWatch News, Washington Wire, New York Times, msnbc.com, National Review, GOP 12, RedState, Indecision Forever and The Politico

Alexander Burnsand Jonathan Martin / The Politico:
The South is up for grabs

Discussion: CNN

Josh Lederman / The Hill:
Mitt Romney starts to show cracks as front-runner status slips further

Discussion: Prairie Weather

New York Post:
GOP cruise missiles

Discussion: The Enterprise Blog, Washington Post and Betsy's Page

Jason Zengerle / New York Magazine:
Playing With Mud — The hobbyist oppo researcher.

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Mediaite, The Other McCain and Business Insider

Chris Cillizza / Washington Post:
Newt Gingrich, frontrunner

Discussion: The Reaction, Hot Air, The Politico, Business Insider and National Review

BBC:

Deadly attack rocks central Liege in Belgium — A gun and grenade attack in the centre of the Belgian city of Liege has killed at least two people and wounded about 25, Belgian media say. — They say several men threw grenades and fired on a crowd at a bus stop in Place Saint Lambert, a busy square.

Discussion: Associated Press, The Spectacle Blog and Guardian

Andy Bloxham / Telegraph:

Belgium grenade attack: latest — At least two people have been killed and dozens wounded when up to four grenades exploded outside the main courthouse in the eastern Belgian city of Liege. — The scene of the grenade attack in Liege … Live — 15.51 In another shocking attack in Europe today …

Discussion: Atlas Shrugs and Daily Pundit

Lizzy Davies / Guardian:
Four dead in Belgian grenade attack

Discussion: Washington Post, The Jawa Report and Gawker

Telegraph:
Belgium grenade attack leaves at least two dead

Discussion: Jihad Watch and Pirate's Cove

The Hill:

Republican leaders say they'll have the votes to pass payroll tax bill — House Republican leaders on Tuesday predicted they will have the votes to pass legislation to extend a payroll tax cut. — The leaders are “close” to securing enough support to pass the bill, members leaving a closed-door GOP conference meeting said Tuesday.

Discussion: The Politico and CNN

Ezra Klein / Washington Post:
Wonkbook: The GOP's two conversations over taxes

Discussion: Paul Krugman, House.gov, TalkLeft, The Politico, The Hill and Political Mojo

Rep. Dennis Cardoza / The Hill:

Opinion: Obama would rather be university professor than president — After observing President Obama for the last three years, it has become obvious to me that the President might prefer to be a university professor rather than do the job he holds today. While he may not realize that he feels …

Discussion: The Politico, Weasel Zippers, americanthinker.com and Instapundit

Hank Stuever / Washington Post:

Chelsea Clinton makes broadcast debut on NBC's ‘Rock Center’ — It's no surprise whatsoever that Chelsea Clinton didn't electrify broadcast journalism with her debut Monday night on NBC's “Rock Center With Brian Williams,” because she has no experience in broadcast journalism.

Discussion: New York Times, The PJ Tatler, newsfeed.time.com, Hot Air, UrbanGrounds and americanthinker.com, more at Mediagazer »

Washington Post:

Eric Holder wades into debate over voting rights as presidential election nears — The Obama administration on Tuesday will wade into the increasingly divisive national debate over new voting laws in several states that could depress turnout among minorities and others who helped elect the president in 2008.

Discussion: southernstudies.org, Hot Air, Right Wing News and AFL-CIO NOW BLOG

John Hinderaker / Power Line:
Obama Administration Coordinating With Left-Wing Groups on Voter Fraud?

Discussion: LBJ Library & Museum, UrbanGrounds and thenation.com/blogs/163253

Bloomberg:

Gingrich Tax Plan Puts ‘Hole’ In Deficit: Study — The economic plan proposed by Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich would add $1.3 trillion to the U.S. budget deficit in 2015 alone, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center.

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Slate, Washington Monthly, Vox Popoli, ThinkProgress and US Politics

Howard Gleckman / TaxVox:
Gingrich's Tax Plan: Big Tax Cuts, Big Deficits

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Washington Post, Political Mojo, The Atlantic Online and Business Insider

Chris Johnson / Washington Blade:

Conferees omit anti-gay provisions from defense bill — Lawmakers on Capitol Hill unveiled on Monday an agreement on major defense budget legislation that omits anti-gay provisions found in the House version of the legislation — including language that would have prohibited military chaplains …

Discussion: Daily Kos, Towleroad News #gay and Joe. My. God.

Jeremy Herb / The Hill: Deal reached on DoD authorization bill

Elizabeth Mendes / Gallup:

In U.S., Fear of Big Government at Near-Record Level — Democrats lead increase in concerns about big government — WASHINGTON, D.C. — Americans' concerns about the threat of big government continue to dwarf those about big business and big labor, and by an even larger margin now than in March 2009.

Discussion: Wake up America, Washington Post, Betsy's Page, Questions and Observations, Connecting.the.Dots, americanthinker.com, Weasel Zippers, Hot Air, Campaign 2012 and The Lonely Conservative

Mj Lee / The Politico:
Poll: Little love for big gov

Discussion: Big Government, Weasel Zippers and Shot in the Dark

Jennifer Steinhauer / New York Times:

Millionaires on Food Stamps and Jobless Pay? G.O.P. Is on It — WASHINGTON — It's an image many Americans would find rather upsetting: a recently laid-off millionaire, luxuriating next to the pool eating grapes bought with food stamps while waiting for an unemployment check to roll in.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, The Hill, Daily Kos, Wonkette and Bark Bark Woof Woof

Erik Wasson / The Hill:

Yearly deficit falls below $1 trillion for the first time under Obama — The Treasury Department forecast Monday that the budget deficit for fiscal 2012 will come in at $996 billion, the first time President Obama has presided over an annual deficit of less than $1 trillion.

Discussion: Washington Monthly and ThinkProgress

Lynn Sweet:

Axelrod on Newt: “the higher a monkey climbs...the more you can see his butt.” — Obama 2012 Press Secretary Ben LaBolt, Strategist David Axelrod, Campaign Manager Jim Messina, Deputy Manager Stephanie Cutter at Tuesday press briefing at the DNC. (photo by Lynn Sweet)

Discussion: Taegan Goddard's …

Reuters:

Iran army declines comment on MP's Hormuz exercise remarks — TEHRAN (Reuters) - A member of the Iranian parliament's National Security Committee said on Monday that the military was set to practice its ability to close the Gulf to shipping at the narrow Strait of Hormuz …

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit

Igor Volsky / ThinkProgress:

Gay Vietnam Vet Who Challenged Romney On Marriage Equality Speaks Out — Yesterday, 63-year-old gay veteran Bob Garon met Mitt Romney during a campaign stop at Chez Vachon restaurant in Manchester and asked the former governor if he would overturn New Hampshire's same-sex marriage law.

Discussion: Towleroad News #gay and The Politico

David Corn / Political Mojo:

Romney in 2002: I'm “Moderate,” “Progressive,” and “Not a Partisan Republican” [VIDEO] — Mitt Romney says he's a die-hard conservative. He says he's not a flip-flopper. Yet...plenty of Republican voters don't seem to believe him. They have plenty of reasons not to.

Discussion: Hot Air, Campaign 2012 and The Maddow Blog

Alicia M. Cohn / The Hill:

Rep. Issa asks Obama official why illegal camping of Occupy DC was permitted — Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) on Tuesday announced he wants answers on whether “political judgments played a role” in allowing Occupy D.C. protesters to remain camped in Northwest Washington.

Discussion: Weasel Zippers