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NBC poll: Mitt Romney, Ron Paul neck-and-neck in Iowa; Newt Gingrich in 5th — In the past two weeks, support has fallen sharply in Iowa for Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich. NBC's Chuck Todd reports. — By NBC's Mark Murray — Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney …
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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.

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


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:
Washington Post, Iowa Caucuses, Hot Air, ABCNEWS and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

Front runners take short break from Iowa this weekend — Des Moines, Iowa (CNN) - With four days to go until the caucuses, the two candidates at the top of the field are taking a short break from campaigning in the Hawkeye State. — After a stumping all day Friday in Iowa …
Discussion:
GOP 12, NY Daily News and Iowa Caucus 2012

Mitt Romney: President Obama Out Of Touch Like Marie Antoinette … 2012 Election , Barack Obama , Mitt Romney , Republican Presidential Primary , Elections 2012 , Ron Paul , Unemployment , Video , Iowa Caucuses , Marie Antoinette , Ron Paul 2012 , Caucus , Iowa , Iowa Caucus …
Discussion:
Real Clear Politics, ABCNEWS, THEROOT.COM, Washington Post, CNN and Ballot Box

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:
Outside the Beltway, Wall Street Journal, The Week and National Review


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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Ron Paul: Sanctions against Iran are ‘acts of war’
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit, The Daily Dish, Politisite, The PJ Tatler, Weasel Zippers and CNN

TPM2012 — Ron Paul Downplays Newsletters : Only ‘Eight To Ten Sentences’ Were Offensive

Ron Paul is truly dangerous
Discussion:
The Politico, USA Today, Real Clear Politics, The Raw Story, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post


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, American Power and THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS


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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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

Keynes Was Right — “The boom, not the slump, is the right time for austerity at the Treasury.” So declared John Maynard Keynes in 1937, even as F.D.R. was about to prove him right by trying to balance the budget too soon, sending the United States economy — which had been steadily recovering …
Discussion:
Daily Kos and Vox Popoli


IOWA NOTEBOOK: Occupy Caucuses? — Rick Perry speaks at Smokey Row coffee shop — After days of chasing after campaigns, I find myself in the unusual position of waiting for the campaign to come to me. Rick Santorum will be here in Davenport this evening for a 7 p.m. event …
Discussion:
Daily Pundit
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Top Santorum supporter says he can win Iowa caucus
Discussion:
The Politico and National Review


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 and Wall Street Journal
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EXCLUSIVE: Nancy Pelosi's Daughter: ‘My Mom Wants to Leave Congress’

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


An Election Year Dawns Without Keith Olbermann — Keith Olbermann, who came to Current TV this year to remake the channel and compete against his old home, MSNBC, is sitting out the biggest political nights of the season. — Despite being the biggest star on the fledging channel …
Discussion:
Mediaite, more at Mediagazer »


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

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.
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Romney still up big in New Hampshire
Discussion:
CNN, The Raw Story, Mediaite, Guardian, Gallup, Ballot Box and The Moderate Voice