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Everything You Heard Last Night Was Bull, Perry Might Want to Stay In, & a Newtlear Attack — As you wake up this morning, Rick Santorum only lost to Mitt Romney by 8 votes. Santorum spent about a dollar per vote and Romney spent hundreds of dollars for his votes.
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Slate, National Review, Washington Examiner, The Politico, 2012.talkingpointsmemo.com, Hot Air, TalkLeft, American Spectator, Ballot Box, Taylor Marsh, Weekly Standard, Talking Points Memo, Democracy in America, Campaign Stops, Patterico's Pontifications, Pundit & Pundette, BizzyBlog, The Huffington Post, The Gateway Pundit, Riehl World View, Ross Douthat, GOP 12, Daily Pundit and New York Times
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Winning Ugly, but Winning — I don't care if you call it a win or a tie. In Iowa on Tuesday, Mitt Romney had a performance that looks ugly on the stat sheet , but which accomplished quite a bit when you consider it in its broader context. — The two most important things that Mr. Romney accomplished are as follows:


Bachmann Ends Presidential Run — Source — Rep. Michele Bachmann is suspending her presidential campaign, said a senior Republican official with direct knowledge of the lawmaker's plans. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Minnesota lawmaker, a favorite …


Ron Paul May Have Secretly Won The Iowa Caucuses — DES MOINES — Ron Paul may have officially come in third tonight, but if the campaign's caucus strategy went off as planned, then Paul may actually be the real winner of the first Republican voting contest.

Conservative elites to huddle — A group of movement conservatives has called an emergency meeting in Texas next weekend to find a “consensus” Republican presidential hopeful, POLITICO has learned. — “You and your spouse are cordially invited to a private meeting with national conservative leaders …
Discussion:
The Caucus, ThinkProgress, Connecting.the.Dots and Ballot Box


Newt the Destroyer — Gingrich is now on a single-minded mission to detonate Mitt Romney's presidential prospects. Will he blow up the GOP in the process? — Newt Gingrich has finally reached his destiny: destroyer of the GOP. — In a bitter and spiteful concession speech last night in Iowa …
Discussion:
CNN, Rod Dreher and Indecision Forever

Michele Bachmann Drops Out of Presidential Race — Rep. Michele Bachmann will “suspend her campaign,” a senior campaign official told ABC News today, hours after placing last in the Iowa caucuses and vowing to continue in South Carolina. — Bachmann cancelled plans to travel to South Carolina …
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Hot Air, Datechguy's Blog, BizzyBlog, The Other McCain, The Moderate Voice, Above the Law and American Spectator


Romney Wins Iowa Caucus by 8 Votes — “Onto New Hampshire, let's get that job done!” Mitt Romney told supporters before being declared the winner. More Photos » — DES MOINES — Mitt Romney's quest to swiftly lock down the Republican presidential nomination with a commanding finish …
Discussion:
The Caucus, Iowa Caucuses, Pressthink, Washington Post, CNN, Campaign 2012, ThinkProgress, Los Angeles Times, The Politico, ABCNEWS, Associated Press, Boston Globe, Ballot Box, Reuters, CBS News, The Iowa Republican, No More Mister Nice Blog, Shakesville, pandagon.net, Firedoglake, Scared Monkeys, Outside the Beltway, Capital New York, msnbc.com, Marbury, Wake up America, Gothamist and The Page, more at Mediagazer »


Rickrolled: Three Lessons from Iowa … - Is the Virginia Law Keeping Perry and Gingrich Off the Ballot Constitutional? — The Real Threat to Marriage Isn't Gay Marriage—It's Straight Civil Unions — The App That Keeps You Going to the Gym by Charging You Money When You Don't
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Firedoglake, The Huffington Post, Investor's Business Daily, The Daily Beast, Washington Monthly, Balloon Juice, Austin American-Statesman, Washington Post, The Politico, Wonkette, Iowa Caucuses, The Mahablog, Don Surber, FrumForum, The Atlantic Online, The New Republic, Political Mojo and The Daily Dish, more at Mediagazer »

Perry stays in presidential race, says it 'wasn't a hard decision' — Gov. Rick Perry said today he will continue his presidential campaign despite a fifth-place showing in the Tuesday Iowa caucuses and serious questions about whether he can continue. “I re-assessed,” Perry said as he left …
Discussion:
Fort Worth Star-Telegram and Sister Toldjah


Iowa Results Show Romney's Weakness Even Against GOP ‘Unelectables’
Discussion:
CANNONFIRE and Saint Petersblog

Gingrich Floats Idea of Anti-Romney Alliance
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Los Angeles Times, Wake up America, Atlas Shrugs and Michelle Malkin

Morning Jay: What Iowa Tells Us About the State of the Race
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Power Line, Vodkapundit, Wall Street Journal and Betsy's Page

Michele Bachmann drops out of GOP race
Discussion:
ThinkProgress and Truthdig

DNC chairwoman: Romney's Iowa caucus win is ‘a loss’
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CNN, Washington Monthly, Business Insider, The Politico and Weasel Zippers

First Thoughts: What we learned from last night
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The Politico, Wall Street Journal, Washington Wire, NationalJournal.com and The Atlantic Online

Palin: GOP better not marginalize Ron Paul and his supporters
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The Gateway Pundit, Mediaite, Hot Air, GayPatriot and Campaign 2012

Democrats Target Romney After Iowa Win
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Political Mojo, Truthdig and The Caucus

Bachmann ends campaign
Discussion:
Pundits Blog, The Politico, Outside the Beltway and The Political Carnival


AP sources: Obama bucks GOP, OKs consumer watchdog — WASHINGTON (AP) — In a defiant display of executive power, President Barack Obama on Wednesday will buck GOP opposition and name Richard Cordray as the nation's chief consumer watchdog even though the Senate contends the move is inappropriate …
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America's Consumer Watchdog — Today the President will appoint Richard Cordray to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. He has one important job: look out for the best interest of American consumers. He'll work on behalf of millions of families across the nation to ensure they're …

Standing Up for Consumers — Richard Cordray , Richard Cordray Obama , Richard Cordray Cfpb , Richard Cordray Nomination , Richard Cordray Senate , Business News — Today, I was appointed by President Obama to serve as the first Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Discussion:
The Politico

GOP blasts Obama for ‘unprecedented power grab’ with appointment — Republican leaders in the House and Senate are blasting President Obama's move to recess-appoint a key nominee as an “unprecedented power grab.” — Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said the president …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Pat Dollard and The Volokh Conspiracy

Reid backs Obama after using pro forma sessions to block Bush
Discussion:
Mediaite and Weasel Zippers

Obama to GOP: Get the heck out of the way
Discussion:
Political Mojo, Campaign 2012 and emptywheel

McConnell's concern for ‘precedent’
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars, U.S. Senate Republican … and ThinkProgress


Boehner: Richard Cordray appointment ‘unprecedented power grab’ by Obama
Discussion:
Daily Kos and Balloon Juice


Ron Paul calls Newt Gingrich a ‘chickenhawk’ — Ron Paul came out swinging Wednesday against Newt Gingrich for calling him a dangerous candidate, dubbing Gingrich a chickenhawk who avoided the Vietnam War. — “I don't want to fight a war that's unconstitutional and I'm the dangerous person?
Discussion:
Hot Air, Swampland, Daily Pundit and The Hinterland Gazette
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Army soldier rallying for Paul violated military ban on political activity
Discussion:
Political Mojo, Big Government and Outside the Beltway

TRENDING: Paul: Gingrich a ‘chickenhawk’
Discussion:
Wonkette, The Politico, The Hill, CBS News and Indecision Forever

Perry: ‘Here we come, South Carolina!’ (Updated) — Despite his announcement last night that he would return to Texas and “reassess” his campaign, Rick Perry's tweet just now suggests he's not done just yet: … Perry's continued presence in the race is a net positive for Romney …
Discussion:
GOP 12, LifeNews.com and Hit & Run
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This Race is Far From Over — RUSH: I can't tell you the number …
Discussion:
GOP 12, Campaign 2012 and The Gateway Pundit

Rick Perry not suspending campaign, going to South Carolina (Reader poll added)
Discussion:
The Politico, USA Today, American Prospect and Marathon Pundit

Gregoire proposes legislation to legalize gay marriage — Gov. Chris Gregoire on Wednesday said she'll put forward legislation to legalize marriage for gay and lesbian couples. — The proposal will be introduced during the legislative session that starts Monday.
Discussion:
Taegan Goddard's …, Guardian, Towleroad News #gay and Joe. My. God.

Bachmann ends GOP presidential bid — (CNN) - Michele Bachmann ended her bid for the Republican presidential nomination Wednesday, hours after a disappointing sixth-place finish in the Iowa caucuses. — The Minnesota congresswoman suspended her campaign, a legal technicality that will allow …
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Breitbart.tv, Bleeding Heartland, Mediaite, Wonkette, The Gateway Pundit and Taylor Marsh
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Bachmann cancels South Carolina trip
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Weasel Zippers, Associated Press, Mediaite, Daily Kos, PoliPundit.com and Nice Deb


The Meaning of Mitt — Mitt Romney has long been a front-runner for the G.O.P. nomination—even if no one really knows who he is. Digging into the candidate's record as a Mormon leader, his business deals at Bain Capital, and that infamous car trip with the family dog strapped to the roof …
Discussion:
FishbowlDC and Craig Crawford's Trail Mix

The Great Golden State Business Exodus — States: California's in trouble. Businesses are leaving along with intellectual and investment capital and skilled workers. But rather than face up to serious problems, legislators pass silly laws. — One would think that given the serious nature …