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CNN Poll: Romney on top, Gingrich fading & Santorum rising in Iowa — Des Moines, Iowa (CNN) - Did Newt Gingrich peak too early? — A new survey of people likely to attend Iowa's Republican caucuses indicates that the former House speaker's support in the Hawkeye State is plunging.
Discussion:
Campaign 2012, The Moderate Voice, ABCNEWS, The Caucus, The Daily Caller, Outside the Beltway, Mediaite, Poliglot, Hot Air, Daily Kos, National Review, Iowa Caucuses and GOP 12
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No Surprise, Iowa Social Conservatives Are About To Shoot Us All in the Foot Again — I'm hearing several campaigns and external pollsters have a surge for Rick Santorum. With the National Review folks fawning over him again, it probably means a surge is real and any surge by Rick Santorum …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, The Atlantic Online and Mediaite


How the Iowa caucuses work — Four years ago, 120,000 Iowa Republicans turned out in freezing temperatures to vote on their pick for a presidential nominee. The weather report and turnout predictions for next Tuesday's caucuses are still somewhat in the air, but the campaigns' organizing efforts …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, CNN, Ballot Box, Outside the Beltway and Weasel Zippers


CNN/TIME/ORC Poll: Gingrich Collapse Fuels Santorum Surge in Iowa, Solidifies Romney Lead in New Hampshire — Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich speaks before a group of supporters at the Global Security offices in Davenport, Iowa, Dec. 19, 2011.
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online, msnbc.com and Ballot Box

Topline Results of Dec. 21-27, 2011, CNN/TIME/ORC Poll
Discussion:
ABCNEWS, msnbc.com, The Page and The New Republic

Polling Gridlock in Iowa Could Produce Last-Minute Momentum
Discussion:
Iowa Caucuses, Daily Kos, A plain blog about politics and ABCNEWS

TRENDING: Gingrich: Campaign worker's signature fraud cost slot on Virginia ballot — Algona, Iowa (CNN) - Newt Gingrich cited fraud Wednesday as the reason he didn't get on the Virginia primary ballot. — Last week his campaign acknowledged they used paid volunteers to scramble …
Discussion:
The Politico
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Mitt Romney in striking distance of Iowa win — Don't look now, but Mitt Romney suddenly seems like the Iowa front-runner. — The former Massachusetts governor has carefully tempered expectations in Iowa all year, visiting only a handful of times and saving the bulk of his television spending for the final weeks of the race.
Discussion:
CNN, The Huffington Post, Public Policy Polling, New York Times, The State Column, The New Republic, ABCNEWS, Los Angeles Times, Fortune, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, The Moderate Voice, The Atlantic Online, Governors Journal, Indecision Forever, Hit & Run, American Power, 2012 Decoded, Power Line, Washington Monthly, Gothamist, Outside the Beltway and Taylor Marsh


The Retooled, Loose Romney, Guessing Voters' Age and Ethnicity — DAVENPORT, Iowa — When Mitt Romney introduces himself to voters, he has a peculiar habit of guessing their age or nationality, often incorrectly. (A regular query: “Are you French Canadian?")

Commercial Introduces Gay Marriage as an Issue in the Iowa Caucuses
Discussion:
The Raw Story and Towleroad News #gay

Gingrich urged yes vote on controversial Medicare bill, former congresswoman says
Discussion:
Ballot Box and iOwnTheWorld.com

In new ad, Newt Gingrich claims he can create ‘millions of jobs right now’
Discussion:
CNN

EMILY's List ranks Gingrich as ‘worst’ GOP presidential candidate
Discussion:
CNN, Don Surber, M.JOSEPH SHEPPARD'S …, The Other McCain and Washington Post

Romney describes healthcare mandate as conservative principle
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland, RedState, Conservatives4Palin and Weasel Zippers


Anthony Weiner Wanted Threesome With Another Man, According To Mistress — Disgraced former New York Congressman Anthony Weiner was caught in online trysts with numerous women, but RadarOnline.com has exclusively learned that according to one of his mistresses, he expressed wanting a threesome - with another man.
Discussion:
Gothamist, Scared Monkeys, Weasel Zippers, Lez Get Real and iOwnTheWorld.com
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Sen. Ben Nelson's Retirement Signals Twilight of Blue Dog Democrats — Centrist Sen. Ben Nelson's retirement puts the Democrats' Senate majority in jeopardy and could even spell trouble for Obama's reelection. But the absence of his and other independent voices in Congress is the real danger.
Discussion:
A plain blog about politics and Booman Tribune
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GIRL SCOUTS BOOK REFERS READERS TO LIBERAL GROUP MEDIA MATTERS TO CLEAR UP ‘MEDIA MISINFORMATION’ — In 2010, the Girl Scouts of the USA published a book called “MEdia.” The publication, designed for girls in grades six through eight, is a guide that apparently offers insight into how young people …
Discussion:
Scared Monkeys, The American Pundit, Wizbang, The Lonely Conservative and Weasel Zippers

What Moves Republican Crowds in Iowa — DES MOINES — The Republican candidates for president are doing a lot of talking in the last week before voting begins. — But spending a day observing how the crowds react to the candidates can be just as instructive.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, ThinkProgress, Talking Points Memo, New York Times, The Impolitic and Prairie Weather

‘Liberated’ Gary Johnson seeks Libertarian nomination — (CNN) - Former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson announced his intention to seek the Libertarian nomination for president Wednesday. — Calling his choice “both a difficult decision-and an easy one,” in a statement …
Discussion:
The Hill, Gary Johnson 2012, Outside the Beltway, Hot Air, The Politico, Governors Journal and Ballot Access News
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Gary Johnson Goes Full Libertarian: “I am excited. I am liberated. …
Discussion:
The Spectacle Blog, Mediaite, Indecision Forever and The PJ Tatler

TODAY, December 28, 2011, Mitt Romney Calls Obamacare “Conservative” — This isn't a flash back. This is today. Mitt Romney is again declaring the foundation of Obamacare, the individual mandate, “conservative.” — To be sure, it is conservative that one takes responsibility for their own healthcare.
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit, Hot Air and The Spectacle Blog

Tarzan co-star Cheetah dies at Palm Harbor sanctuary — Cheetah the chimpanzee, who acted in classic Tarzan movies in the early 1930s, died of kidney failure Saturday at Suncoast Primate Sanctuary in Palm Harbor, a sanctuary spokeswoman said. — Cheetah was roughly 80 years old …
Discussion:
New York Times, Jack Shafer, CNN, Agence France Presse, Associated Press and Telegraph

Under Obama, an emerging global apparatus for drone killing — U.S. Air Force/GETTY IMAGES - A crew chief from the 46th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron completes post-flight inspections of the RQ-1 Predator after one of its sorties in Balad Air Base, Iraq.
Discussion:
Firedoglake, Political Mojo, Big Journalism, White House Dossier, Prairie Weather and Balloon Juice


The Times E-Mails Millions by Mistake to Say Subscriptions Were Canceled — Updated The New York Times said it accidentally sent e-mails on Wednesday to more than eight million people who had shared their information with the company, erroneously informing them they had canceled home delivery of the newspaper.
Discussion:
TalkLeft, GigaOM and Poynter, more at Mediagazer »

Poll: Newsletters Not Hurting Paul in Iowa — Think about it. If Ron Paul was suffering and taking damage from the stories about his old newsletters, what sort of voters would abandon him? Who'd be offended by signed editorials about fleet-footed blacks and skeezy gay men?
Discussion:
2012 Decoded, A plain blog about politics, Hit & Run, Outside the Beltway and The Daily Dish

It's Kaptur vs. Kucinich — The drama surrounding Dennis Kucinich's 2012 reelection bid is finally over. — After months of agonizing that included with a flirtation with a bid in Washington, Kucinich announced Wednesday he had filed to run for reelection in Ohio's new 9th District …
Discussion:
CNN


Perry Pledges To Openly Defy A Supreme Court Decision Striking Down An Anti-Choice ‘Personhood’ Law — At a radio forum sponsored by the anti-abortion and anti-birth control group Personhood USA, Texas Gov. Rick Perry said that he would refuse to obey a Supreme Court decision striking down the group's signature anti-choice proposal:
Discussion:
CBS News, Ballot Box, The Raw Story and Political Mojo


As Deportations Rise to Record Levels, Most Latinos Oppose Obama's Policy — I. OVERVIEW — By a ratio of more than two-to-one (59% versus 27%), Latinos disapprove of the way the Obama administration is handling deportations of unauthorized immigrants, according to a new national survey …
Discussion:
The Caucus, L.A. NOW and Prairie Weather


Breastfeeding at Target: Moms Stage National Demonstration — Michelle Hickman, left, smiles as she joins other mothers at nurse-in at a Webster, Texas Target store. (Courtesy Penny Montgomery-Schlanser) — A nursing mother's upsetting experience at her local Target last month has led to …
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland