memeorandum: Gingrich: Politics Is a ‘Nasty, Vicious, Negative’ and Disgusting Business (ABCNEWS)

7:35 PM ET, December 31, 2011

Top Items:

Obama Makes It Official: Suspected Terrorists Can Be Indefinitely Detained Without a Trial — Despite having once threatened to veto the bill due to controversial language about the treatment of suspected terrorists, the president signed the controversial National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) into law on Saturday.

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland and Joe. My. God.

Judd Legum / ThinkProgress:

BREAKING: Obama Signs Defense Authorization Bill — This afternoon, Obama signed the controversial Defense authorization bill, despite his reservations about provisions related to the treatment of terrorism suspects. The National Journal reports: … The AP has more from the signing statement …

Discussion: Blog of Rights, emptywheel, The Political Carnival and Osborne Ink

Sara Sorcher / NationalJournal.com:

Obama Signs Defense Authorization Bill — President Obama signed on Saturday the defense authorization bill, formally ending weeks of heated debate in Congress and intense lobbying by the administration to strip controversial provisions requiring the transfer of some terror suspects to military custody.

Discussion: Firedoglake and Reuters

Jamie Klatell / The Hill:
Obama signs defense funding bill, objects to terror detainee provisions

Discussion: The Politico

Mark Landler / New York Times:
Obama to Target Congress in 2012 Re-election Campaign

Discussion: Mediaite, Washington Post, Prairie Weather and The Caucus

David Nakamura / Washington Post:
Obama signs defense bill, pledges to maintain legal rights of terror suspects

Discussion: Associated Press, The Agonist and Booman Tribune

Julie Pace / Associated Press:
In 2012, Obama to press ahead without Congress

Discussion: BizzyBlog, Weasel Zippers and Scared Monkeys

Jonathan Martinand Maggie Haberman / The Politico:

Rick Perry campaign plays blame game — DES MOINES - With a revamped message and a significant TV presence here, Rick Perry is hoping to revive his disappointing presidential campaign with a surprise finish Tuesday. — But even as they hold out hope that Perry can find a way back into contention …

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, The Caucus, Hot Air, The Other McCain, Outside the Beltway, Riehl World View and Saint Petersblog

Kevinliptak / CNN:

TRENDING: Perry bets Iowa fortunes on robust ground game — Boone, Iowa (CNN) - Even as they grapple with mediocre poll numbers, a gaffe-prone candidate and internal staff feuding, Rick Perry's advisers are confident that a top-three caucus finish is within reach on Tuesday. — The reason?

Discussion: msnbc.com, Los Angeles Times, Associated Press, Taegan Goddard's … and American Spectator

James Hohmann / The Politico:

Afternoon Score: More reporters — SIOUX CITY, Iowa—Happy New Year's Eve from western Iowa. With only three days left until the caucuses, it felt silly not to send out Score today. So here's a special late afternoon snack version to break up the deluge of last-minute fundraising solicitations …

Discussion: CNN, ABCNEWS and Associated Press

David Chalian / Yahoo! News:

Ann Selzer, queen of the Iowa caucuses: For a day, the most powerful woman in American politics — Every presidential candidate, campaign operative and political journalist in Iowa will spend most of Saturday in suspended animation, waiting for the results of the final Des Moines Register poll before the caucuses.

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Washington Post, Saint Petersblog and PoliPundit.com

msnbc.com:
First Thoughts: Three days to go

Discussion: Swampland and Washington Post

Carl Cameron / Fox News:

Virginia Attorney General Intervenes in GOP Primary Ballot Dispute — Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli is intervening in the Virginia presidential primary dispute and plans to file emergency legislation to address the inability of most Republican presidential candidates to get their name on the ballot, Fox News has learned.

Discussion: Hot Air, Lez Get Real, Pat Dollard, Outside the Beltway, Weasel Zippers, Moe_Lane's blog, LewRockwell.com Blog, Michelle Malkin, Virginia Virtucon, Balloon Juice, The Gateway Pundit and Taylor Marsh

Niall Stanage / Ballot Box:

A new problem for Santorum in Iowa: Overcrowding — PELLA, Iowa - Rick Santorum encountered a problem here Saturday afternoon that his campaign was not experiencing as recently as a week ago: overcrowding. — With momentum apparently building for the former Pennsylvania senator …

Discussion: CNN and Pat Dollard

William Petroski / Des Moines Register:
Leadership profile: Rick Santorum seen as diligent, dedicated (part 6 in a series)

Discussion: The Caucus, ABCNEWS, The Politico and Iowa Caucuses

Kevinliptak / CNN:
Santorum's closing argument on Iowa TV

Discussion: The Politico and Tales from the Trail

Power Line:

KEYNES WAS RIGHT-ABOUT THE JEWS? — So Paul Krugman phoned in his periodic “Keynes Was Right” column today, arguing that the Obama Porkulus failed only because, like “true” Communism, it wasn't tried vigorously or faithfully enough. — I wonder if Krugman also credits Keynes's views on Jews …

Discussion: Brad DeLong, Sadly, No!, Firedoglake, Truthdig, Wizbang and Ed Driscoll

TheStarPress.com:

New state bill could make it illegal to sing national anthem ‘inappropriately’ — INDIANAPOLIS — Oh, say can you . . . sing? — And, more importantly, can you sing it the “right” way — the way one Indiana lawmaker thinks the national anthem should be sung?

Discussion: The Political Carnival, Mediaite, Balloon Juice and US Politics

Kevinliptak / CNN:

Romney claims Obama will be a ‘footnote in history’ — (CNN) - Mitt Romney chose to ignore his GOP rivals at an event in New Hampshire Saturday, opting instead to issue a sharp line of attack against President Barack Obama. — Romney, who is running well ahead of his competitors in the Granite State …

Discussion: The Politico

Alicia M. Cohn / Ballot Box:
Romney gets emotional talking about parents, tells audience 'I won't cry'

Discussion: PERRspectives, Alan Colmes' Liberaland and The Politico

Haley Barbour / Washington Post:

If I were campaigning for president... They're not running, but if they were, what would these leading Republicans be talking about on the trail? Here are responses from Haley Barbour, Sarah Palin, Mitch Daniels and Herman Cain. — Governor of Mississippi

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland and Conservatives4Palin

Zack Ford / ThinkProgress:

Surging Santorum Would Annul All Same-Sex Marriages — Social conservatives are lauding Rick Santorum's “surge” to third place in the Iowa polls, but his new forthrightness about his positions may backfire. In a recent interview with MSNBC's Chuck Todd, Santorum explained that not only would he support …

John Marshall / Associated Press:

No one hurt after camera falls at Insight Bowl … TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Flying cameras have been providing unique perspectives on everything from golf to college and professional football for more than a decade, becoming so commonplace that fans rarely notice the whizzing remote-controlled devices.

Discussion: Scared Monkeys