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 …

Ron Paul: Know Who's Really Behind Islamic Terrorism?  The Jews.  —  One of the more insane claims in Ron Paul's newsletters was that the Israelis were behind the WTC bombings in 1993: … This claim is of course so ridiculous and absurd that even Paul has to protect himself by claiming that “a Jewish friend” told him about it.

Romney son makes Obama birth certificate joke  —  After getting a question about whether Mitt Romney will release his income tax returns in Concord, N.H., Romney's son Matt made a crack about President Obama's college grades and birth certificate:

Gingrich sees Sarah Palin as vice president, Cabinet secretary  —  Newt Gingrich said that former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin would be among the candidates that he would consider when considering a potential running mate, adding that the former GOP vice presidential nominee would be an ideal candidate for secretary of Energy.

Conservative woman misses the point  —  Nancy French asks what marriage has to offer men and decides that some major changes have to take place if young men are going to start considering marriage part of the normal and anticipated process of adulthood: … Changing both of these things won't accomplish anything.

Have the youth given up on Obama?  —  Editor's Note: Brad Chase is a partner with Capitol Media Partners, a Los Angeles-based communications and public affairs consultancy.  —  By Brad Chase - Special to CNN  —  In 2008, the youth vote helped sweep Barack Obama into office.

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 …

Iowa Update: Slow and Steady May Win the Race for Romney  —  Mitt Romney has led Ron Paul in five of the seven Iowa caucus polls released since Christmas.  A sixth one has them tied, leaving only one survey that still has Mr. Paul ahead.  —  Mr. Romney's lead is small in all of the polls …

Occupy's Rose Parade float: 70-foot octopus of corporate greed  —  Occupy protesters are busy finishing their float that will run at the end of the Rose Parade: a 70-by-40-foot octopus made of recycled plastic bags.  —  The octopus, said activist Mark Lipman of Los Angeles …

Democratic fundraiser convicted of engineering $21 million bank fraud scheme  —  Courtney Dupree is a former Tarheel basketball player who hosted a 2008 fundraiser for Obama  —  Attorney Thomas Foley, 43, leaving Federal Court in Brooklyn after a jury acquitted him of bank fraud.

2011: The Year the Wheels Fell Off  —  The coming year will not give us a break from the steady stream of political knavery, green graft and governmental stupidity that 2011 delivered, though it will surely provide a flood of politically-induced comedy.  —  JANUARY: An enterprising BBC reporter …

Electric car company that received a $529M federal loan recalls vehicles  —  An electric vehicle manufacturer that received a $529 million loan from the Energy Department is recalling 239 vehicles.  —  The Transportation Department's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) …

York: Romney briefed church on abortion stance  —  In 1993, Mitt Romney was a successful businessman with an urge to enter public life and a plan to challenge Ted Kennedy for a Senate seat from Massachusetts.  —  Romney was also a high-ranking official in the Mormon church …

Ohio Rep. Steve Austria to retire, sparing GOP a primary showdown  —  Rep. Steve Austria (R-Ohio), forced by redistricting into a primary scuffle against a fellow Republican, announced Friday that he will not seek reelection to the House.  —  The decision spares the GOP a potentially chaotic intraparty showdown for the seat.

RSS Feeds … CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - Four protesters, including the spokesman of Occupy Charlotte, were charged after setting fire to two American flags early Friday near the Occupy camp in Center City, police said.  —  Charlotte-Mecklenburg police weren't sure earlier if the four men …

Fox Apologizes For Poll Asking If Jews Killed Jesus Christ  —  Fox Latin America was trying to promote a National Geographic Christmas special on Facebook.  So a staffer set up a poll for users to drum up some interest ahead of the program.  The problem?  The staffer who set up the poll …