Top Items:
Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:
The Santorum Surge In Iowa and Beyond — The extent to which Rick Santorum has gained in Iowa polling is not entirely clear. Although two polls have him with 16 percent of the vote, two others that were in the field at the same time have him at 10 and 11 percent, respectively.
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msnbc.com:
Bachmann campaign loses second key staffer in Ron Paul flap — Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann's campaign lost another high-ranking staff member on Thursday after that staffer defended another former Bachmann official's defection to a rival campaign. — Wes Enos, Bachmann's political director …
Discussion:
New York Magazine, National Review and The Page
Maggie Haberman / The Politico:
Michele Bachmann's hard fall — The split had been presaged, however, for weeks, thanks to a divide between the staffers and advisers on her campaign bus, and the national and Washington-based team. Her then-state chairman, Kent Sorenson — who is now a Paul backer …
Discussion:
Weekly Standard, Hot Air, ABCNEWS, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and RADAMISTO
Paul West / Los Angeles Times:
Ron Paul: Sanctions against Iran are ‘acts of war’ — Ron Paul campaigns during an event honoring veterans at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa, Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011. (Charles Dharapak / Associated Press) — Reporting from Perry, Iowa— Defending himself against charges of isolationism …
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit, The Daily Dish, Politisite, The PJ Tatler, Weasel Zippers and CNN
First Read / msnbc.com:
NBC poll: Mitt Romney, Ron Paul neck-and-neck in Iowa; Newt Gingrich in 5th — The wild card in this race has been and continues to be Ron Paul, the Libertarian who has a growing following inside the Republican Party. NBC's Chuck Todd has more. — By NBC's Mark Murray
Discussion:
Taegan Goddard's …
Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup:
Americans See Views of GOP Candidates Closer to Their Own — Obama, Bachmann furthest away on ideological scale — PRINCETON, NJ — Americans perceive Jon Huntsman, Mitt Romney, and Ron Paul as closest to themselves ideologically, and Michele Bachmann and Barack Obama as furthest away.
Maggie Haberman / The Politico:
Michele Bachmann's hard fall — Four months ago, Michele Bachmann seemed poised for a banner December. — She'd just won the Ames Straw Poll — vanquishing her Minnesota rival, Tim Pawlenty, in the process — and was getting accustomed to life in the top tier of 2012 candidates.
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, The Week and National Review
Kevinliptak / CNN:
Occupy vs. Ron Paul
Occupy vs. Ron Paul
Discussion:
The Politico, Tom Watson, Mediaite and Mercury Rising
Cameron Joseph / Ballot Box:
Top Santorum supporter says he can win Iowa caucus
Top Santorum supporter says he can win Iowa caucus
Discussion:
The Politico and National Review
msnbc.com:
First Thoughts: Why not Santorum? — Santorum surges in new poll …
First Thoughts: Why not Santorum? — Santorum surges in new poll …
Discussion:
TBogg, Associated Press, A plain blog about politics, Iowa Caucuses, The New Republic and Swampland
Shushannah Walshe / ABCNEWS:
Rick Santorum Gets A Big Polling Boost, Goes After Ron Paul
Rick Santorum Gets A Big Polling Boost, Goes After Ron Paul
Discussion:
CNN, Real Clear Politics, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Daily Kos, Weasel Zippers and New York Times
Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:
Romney still up big in New Hampshire
Romney still up big in New Hampshire
Discussion:
CNN, The Raw Story, Mediaite, Guardian, Bloomberg and Iowa Caucuses
Niall Stanage / Ballot Box:
New poll shows Romney with big NH lead
New poll shows Romney with big NH lead
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice and CNN
Hunter Walker / PolitickerNY:
Stormfront Founder Don Black Says White Supremacists Thought Ron Paul Was ‘One of Us’ — Ron Paul was a hot topic this week on the talk radio show hosted by prominent white supremacist Don Black and his son Derek. Mr. Black said he received Mr. Paul's controversial newsletters …
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Benjy Sarlin / 2012.talkingpointsmemo.com:
TPM2012 — Ron Paul Downplays Newsletters : Only ‘Eight To Ten Sentences’ Were Offensive
TPM2012 — Ron Paul Downplays Newsletters : Only ‘Eight To Ten Sentences’ Were Offensive
Discussion:
Daily Kos
Joseph W. McQuaid / unionleader.com:
Ron Paul is truly dangerous
Ron Paul is truly dangerous
Discussion:
The Politico, Real Clear Politics, USA Today, The Raw Story, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post
Malia Zimmerman / Hawaii Reporter:
Occupy Hawaii Island Movement Plans Protest Near Pelosi's Posh Hawaiian Hotel — BY MALIA ZIMMERMAN - U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, one of the most powerful supporters of the Occupy Wall Street movement, may be in the right place at the right time to protest with the Big Island branch of the movement, Occupy Hawaii Island.
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers
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Penny Starr / CNSNews:
Tournament of Roses to Occupiers: You Can't March in Our Parade
Tournament of Roses to Occupiers: You Can't March in Our Parade
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers, The Lonely Conservative, Michelle Malkin, The Gateway Pundit and Scared Monkeys
Jake Sherman / The Politico:
Pelosi aides dispute daughter's claim — Nancy Pelosi's office says her daughter is wrong when she says the California Democrat wants to leave politics. — Alexandra Pelosi, the Democratic activist and filmmaker, said in an interview with Andrew Breitbart's Big Government …
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers
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Jeffrey Scott Shapiro / Big Government:
EXCLUSIVE: Nancy Pelosi's Daughter: ‘My Mom Wants to Leave Congress’
EXCLUSIVE: Nancy Pelosi's Daughter: ‘My Mom Wants to Leave Congress’
Karl Rove / Wall Street Journal:
Political Predictions for 2012 — Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid …
Political Predictions for 2012 — Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid …
Discussion:
DownWithTyranny!, Don Surber, Betsy's Page, New York Times and The Impolitic
Jim Hoft / The Gateway Pundit:
WordPress Takes Down “Bare Naked Islam” Blog After Threats From CAIR — WordPress took down Bare Naked Islam Blog today after threats from CAIR.
Discussion:
PR Newswire, Israel Matzav and American Power
Welcome To Verizon Wireless:
Customers Encouraged to Use Options to Avoid Single Payment Fee That Starts Jan. 15 — Customer Inquiries — For customer inquiries, please call 800-922-0204 or go to — Verizon Wireless offers customers numerous free and simple payment options and we encourage customers to use those options.
Discussion:
New York Times, The Verge, The Daily Caller, Gothamist and Bits
Andrew Restuccia / The Hill:
Despite GOP opposition, light bulb standards will phase in on Jan. 1 — New light bulb efficiency standards will begin phasing in on Jan. 1 despite intense opposition from conservatives, who have blasted the rules as a textbook unnecessary federal regulation.
Discussion:
The Lonely Conservative and LewRockwell.com Blog
CNN:
Source: Al Qaeda leader sends veteran jihadists to establish presence in Libya — (CNN) — Al Qaeda's leadership has sent experienced jihadists to Libya in an effort to build a fighting force there, according to a Libyan source briefed by Western counter-terrorism officials.
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers and Jihad Watch
Pew Research Center:
Little Change in Public's Response to ‘Capitalism,’ ‘Socialism’ — A Political Rhetoric Test — OVERVIEW — The recent Occupy Wall Street protests have focused public attention on what organizers see as the excesses of America's free market system, but perceptions of capitalism …