memeorandum: Nebraska Democrat Ben Nelson Says He Won't Run in 2012 (James Rowley/Bloomberg)

7:05 AM ET, December 28, 2011

Top Items:

John Hinderaker / Power Line:

For President in 2012, Mitt Romney — It is time for Republicans to get serious. After flirting with just about every candidate in a large presidential field, is is time to come home to the one candidate who has the demonstrated ability to run the largest organization in the United States …

Discussion: Vox Popoli, Taylor Marsh, GayPatriot and Hot Air

Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:

Paul maintains his lead — The last week and a half has brought little change in the standings for the Iowa Republican caucus: Ron Paul continues to lead Mitt Romney by a modest margin, 24-20. Newt Gingrich is in 3rd at 13% followed by Michele Bachmann at 11%, Rick Perry and Rick Santorum at 10% …

Discussion: M.JOSEPH SHEPPARD'S …, A plain blog about politics, The Daily Caller, Daily Kos and Talking Points Memo

Kevinliptak / CNN:

Gingrich wouldn't vote for Ron Paul — (CNN) - Newt Gingrich said Tuesday he wouldn't vote for Ron Paul if the Texas congressman won the 2012 GOP nomination. — Speaking to CNN's Wolf Blitzer, Gingrich slammed Paul as out of line with mainstream Republican viewpoints, including his stance on Israel, Iran, and September 11.

Discussion: The Politico, American Spectator and The Spectacle Blog

Cameron Joseph / Ballot Box:

EMILY's List ranks Gingrich as ‘worst’ GOP presidential candidate — Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is ranked as the worst GOP candidate in this year's presidential contest by EMILY's List, a group that supports pro-abortion rights Democratic women. — The group will soon release …

John Hawkins / Townhall.com:
7 Reasons Why Mitt Romney's Electability Is A Myth

Discussion: Washington Post, msnbc.com, The Politico, The Huffington Post, Patterico's Pontifications and Alan Colmes' Liberaland

Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
Romney's ‘carried interest’ problem

Discussion: Daily Kos and The Reality-Based Community

John Bresnahan / The Politico:

Ben Nelson retiring from Senate — Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska will announce today that he is retiring after two terms, a serious blow to Democratic efforts to hold onto their majority in the chamber next November. — Nelson is scheduled to hold a press conference back home …

James Rowley / Bloomberg:

Nebraska Democrat Ben Nelson Says He Won't Run in 2012 — (Updates with retirements, Obama comment in ninth paragraph. For more on the election, see ELECT.) — Dec. 27 (Bloomberg) — Democratic Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska announced today he won't seek re-election next year …

Discussion: PJ Media and Libertarian Republican

Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
Ben Nelson to retire

Discussion: The Raw Story and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:
Breaking: Nelson to retire

Discussion: The Politico, The American Pundit and Washington Post

Carl Hulse / The Caucus:
Nebraska Senator Won't Run Again

Discussion: FiveThirtyEight, The Impolitic, Conservatives4Palin and Hullabaloo

Kevinliptak / CNN:

Perry changes stance to oppose all abortions — (CNN) - Texas Gov. Rick Perry revealed a hardening in his stance on abortion Tuesday, telling a crowd in Iowa that he opposed abortions in all cases, including when a woman had been raped or the victim of incest.

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland and The Politico

Allahpundit / Hot Air:
Perry sues Virginia elections board to gain ballot access

Discussion: Mediaite and Patterico's Pontifications

msnbc.com:
Rick Perry sues Virginia to get on primary ballot

Discussion: The Daily Caller

Daniel Strauss / The Hill:
Rick Perry files challenge to Virgina ballot access rules

Discussion: CNN

Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup:

Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton Again Top Most Admired List — Clinton Most Admired Woman a record 16th time — PRINCETON, NJ — Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama continue to be named by Americans as the Most Admired Woman and Most Admired Man living today in any part of the world.

Discussion: ABCNEWS, Weasel Zippers and Jammie Wearing Fools

Cathy Lynn Grossman / USA Today:
Obama, Clinton top most-admired lists for 2011

Discussion: The Politico and Hot Air

Michael Calderone / The Huffington Post:

New York Times Staffers Express ‘Profound Dismay’ With Management … New York Times , Newspapers , Video , Arthur Sulzberger , Bill O'Meara , Janet Robinson , Jill Abramson , Jill Abramson New York Times , New York Newspaper Guild , New York Times Buyouts , New York Times Contract …

Discussion: Media Decoder, Doug Ross and The Politico, more at Mediagazer »

Tim Mak / Reuters:

SOPA is the end of us, say bloggers — The conservative and liberal blogospheres are unifying behind opposition to Congress's Stop Online Piracy Act, with right-leaning bloggers aruging their very existence could be wiped out if the anti-piracy bill passes.

Discussion: Wonkette, The Lonely Conservative, Boing Boing and Red Mass Group, more at Mediagazer »

Norman Horn / Washington Post:

Can a Christian be a libertarian? — U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, speaks during a news conference at his newly opened Iowa campaign office, Tuesday, May 10, 2011, in Ankeny, Iowa. (Charlie Neibergall - AP) — Christians in American politics have argued for years that God endorses …

Judd Legum / ThinkProgress:
FACT CHECK: Ron Paul Personally Defended Racist Newsletters

Discussion: Bearing Drift, The Lonely Conservative, Alas, a Blog, Outside the Beltway and The Atlantic Online

Mark Blumenthal / The Huffington Post:
Iowa Caucus Polls: Ron Paul And Mitt Romney Lead, But Surprises Likely

Discussion: Ron Paul 2012, The Daily Dish, Swampland, The Other McCain and Washington Examiner

Jonathan Martin / The Politico:

Iowa GOP moving vote-count to ‘undisclosed location’ — Threats to disrupt the Iowa Republican caucuses next week have prompted state GOP officials to move the vote tabulation to an “undisclosed location,” POLITICO has learned. — The state party has not yet told the campaigns exactly …

Discussion: ABCNEWS, Politisite and Ballot Box

Palestinian Media Watch:

Hamas leader Haniyeh: Goal is destruction of Israel — Hamas leader Haniyeh: — Goal is destruction of Israel in stages — Abbas: — Hamas agrees to '67 borders — by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik — At a ceremony marking the 24th anniversary of the founding of Hamas …

Discussion: Atlas Shrugs and Israel Matzav

Robert / Jihad Watch:

Islamic honor killing in Texas: “Santa” who murdered family on Christmas morning was Muslim who didn't like his daughter dating a non-Muslim — Aziz Yazdanpanah, a Muslim, didn't like his daughter's non-Muslim boyfriend and was exhibiting stalker behavior. “She couldn't date at all until …

Discussion: Atlas Shrugs, ABCNEWS, The Gateway Pundit, UrbanGrounds and Biased BBC

Wall Street Journal:

WSJ: Gingrich Once Applauded Romney's Health Plan — Newt Gingrich voiced enthusiasm for Mitt Romney's Massachusetts health-care plan as recently as five years ago, the same plan he has been denouncing over the last few months as he campaigned for the Republican presidential nomination.

Discussion: blogs.telegraph.co.uk, Politisite, Mediaite, Fox News, Indecision Forever and ABCNEWS, more at Mediagazer »

BuzzFeed:
In 2008 Video, Gingrich Is Passionate About The Mandate

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Mediaite, Outside the Beltway and The PJ Tatler

Paul Krugman:

The Defeatism of Depression — A number of people have asked me to weigh in on David Brooks's piece today. Sorry, not gonna do a tit-for-tat. Let me instead just make a more general point. — All around, right now, there are people declaring that our best days are behind us …

Discussion: The New Republic