memeorandum: Reid backs Obama after using pro forma sessions to block Bush (Peter Schroeder/The Hill)

9:20 PM ET, January 4, 2012

Top Items:

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, The Atlantic Online, BuzzFeed, Rod Dreher, Indecision Forever, Gawker and Balloon Juice

Erick Erickson / RedState:

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.

Jonathan Martin / The Politico:

After Iowa caucuses, GOP elites seek ‘consensus’ candidate — 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 …

Discussion: CNN, USA Today, The Caucus, Reuters, Washington Post, 2012 Decoded, The Hill, Indecision Forever, Washington Monthly, FreakOutNation, Daily Kos, ThinkProgress and Business Insider

George F. Will / Washington Post:

Suddenly, a fun candidate — The complaint that Iowa is not a typical American state is true but trivial because there is no such state. Can you name one whose political culture, closely considered, is more like than unlike any other state's? Anyway, someplace has to go first …

Discussion: DownWithTyranny!, Mediaite, Don Surber, ABCNEWS, The Daily Caller and Eunomia

Jason Embry / Austin American-Statesman:

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, Hot Air, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Sister Toldjah and Pundit & Pundette

Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:

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:

Discussion: The Daily Beast, The Caucus, New York Times, msnbc.com, Feministing, National Review, Wake up America, ABCNEWS, NationalJournal.com and Newshoggers.com

Emily Schultheis / The Politico:

Newt won't congratulate Mitt on win — POLITICO's Ginger Gibson reports:

Discussion: Reuters and TheBlaze.com

Jay Cost / Weekly Standard:
Morning Jay: What Iowa Tells Us About the State of the Race

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Power Line, Associated Press, Progressive Policy Institute, Washington Wire, Vodkapundit, The Atlantic Online and New Hampshire Journal

Bill / Pundits Blog:
Obama wins Iowa — without even campaigning!

Discussion: The Politico, No More Mister Nice Blog and 2012.talkingpointsmemo.com

Kevin Drum / Political Mojo:
How Do You Solve a Problem Like Mitt Romney?

Discussion: Swampland, New York Times and Truthdig

Major Garrett / NationalJournal.com:
Gingrich Commits Political Malpractice

Discussion: Hot Air and NO QUARTER

Jonathan Weisman / The Caucus:
For McCain, a Choice Between Old Enemies

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Philly.com, Sister Toldjah and Connecting.the.Dots

Ron Fournier / NationalJournal.com:
Bachmann Ends Presidential Run — Source

Discussion: CNN, Washington Monthly, Wonkette, Big Government, American Prospect, Indecision Forever, THEROOT.COM, Right Wing Watch, The Hinterland Gazette, The Caucus and Towleroad News #gay

Chris Carlson / ABCNEWS:
Michele Bachmann Drops Out of Presidential Race

Discussion: CBS News, The Politico, Above the Law, The Other McCain, BizzyBlog, The Moderate Voice, American Spectator and Datechguy's Blog

Jonathan Martin / The Politico:
Rick Perry surprises staff, stays in race

Discussion: Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, CNN, Hot Air, Iowa Caucuses, LifeNews.com, Hit & Run, GOP 12 and Daily Kos

Alicia M. Cohn / Ballot Box:
Sen. McCain endorses Romney for president

Discussion: Concord Monitor, Indecision Forever and ThinkProgress

Stephen Gutowski / MRCTV:

Richard Cordray: Any Legislation Which Has Even “Incidental Effects on the Economy” is a “Valid Exercise of Congressional Authority” — President Obama announced today that he was going to take a new step in the expansion of executive authority by recess appointing a head …

Discussion: Hot Air, NationalJournal.com, Verum Serum and Prairie Weather

Greg Sargent / Washington Post:

Breaking: Obama also set to make recess appointments to the NLRB — It isn't just Richard Cordray. Obama is also set to use recess appointments to install his picks to the National Labor Relations Board, according to White House officials and others familiar with ongoing discussions.

Discussion: Political Mojo, ThinkProgress, Firedoglake, The Heritage Foundation, The Hill, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, American Prospect, Washington Monthly, The Political Carnival, Daily Kos, Main Street and Nice Deb

Peter Schroeder / The Hill:

Reid backs Obama after using pro forma sessions to block Bush — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), who previously held pro forma sessions to block recess appointments by President George W. Bush, said Wednesday he supported President Obama's decision to ignore those sessions to push through one of his key nominees.

Discussion: Thoughts From A …, National Review, Hot Air, Speaker, Mediaite, Weasel Zippers, Viking Pundit and White House Dossier

Alexander Bolton / The Hill:

Obama under strong pressure to break precedent on recess appointments — President Obama is under strong pressure from liberals to use his recess-appointment power during the congressional break, but doing so would break 20 years of precedent, putting him in a tough position.

Discussion: The Politico, CNN, Washington Post, The Daily Caller and Moe Lane

Washington Times:

Obama defies Congress with ‘recess’ picks — Nominations could provoke constitutional fight — Defying Congress, President Obama used his recess appointment powers Wednesday to name a head for the controversial Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and three new members …

Discussion: The Heritage Foundation and Campaign 2012

Peter Schroeder / The Hill:
Court fight over recess appointments ‘almost certain,’ Chamber says

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit

Dan Pfeiffer / White House.gov Blog:
America's Consumer Watchdog

Associated Press:
AP sources: Obama bucks GOP, OKs consumer watchdog

Discussion: Speaker, WSJ Blogs - WSJ, Washington Post, Balloon Juice, The Hill, Weasel Zippers, Jared Bernstein, The Radio Patriot, Main Street, The Raw Story, Business Insider, The Politico, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Marathon Pundit, The Hill, Little Green Footballs and American Glob

Joseph Williams / The Politico:
Obama makes 3 NLRB recess appointments

Discussion: The White House, Hot Air, Moe Lane, ThinkProgress, The Political Carnival and ACS Blog

Kevin Bogardus / The Hill:
President Obama defies lawmakers with recess appointments to NLRB

Discussion: Outside the Beltway and CNN

John Elwood / The Volokh Conspiracy:
Recess Appointment of Richard Cordray Despite Pro Forma Sessions

Discussion: Law Blog, Campaign 2012, Los Angeles Times, The Caucus, White House.gov Blog, Outside the Beltway, Gawker, The Heritage Foundation, Daily Kos, National Review and Daily Pundit

Brad Plumer / Washington Post:
With Cordray appointment, Obama sets new precedent

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, The Caucus, Political Mojo, ThinkProgress and The New Republic

Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
McConnell's concern for ‘precedent’

Discussion: U.S. Senate Republican …, The Hill and Crooks and Liars

Grace Wyler / Business Insider:

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.

Discussion: NPR, The Daily Beast, NO QUARTER, The Hill, ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/*, Firedoglake, The Huffington Post, Wake up America, Hit & Run, A plain blog about politics, Guardian, New York Times and CNN

Rush Limbaugh:
This Race is Far From Over — RUSH: I can't tell you the number …

Discussion: Campaign 2012 and The Gateway Pundit

Jennifer Rubin / Washington Post:
Credit Santorum with sinking Ron Paul

Discussion: Saint Petersblog

Kevinliptak / CNN:
Army soldier rallying for Paul violated military ban on political activity

Discussion: Political Mojo, Outside the Beltway and Big Government

NRO Symposium / National Review:
What Iowa Means — The Iowa caucuses provide four big takeaways:

Discussion: Salon.com, Roger L. Simon, Clayton Cramer's Blog, Guardian, The Huffington Post, Campaign Stops and Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog

Rebecca Lopez / WFAA-TV:

Dallas teen missing since 2010 was mistakenly deported — DALLAS - “It's very frustrating,” Lorene Turner said. — She has spent hours on Facebook trying to find her granddaughter, Jakadrien. — “Once I get home I am up until 3 or 4 in the morning searching and looking,” Turner said.

Discussion: theGrio, Firedoglake, Hullabaloo, utsandiego.com, Gawker, The Raw Story, emptywheel and msnbc.com

Marisa Guthrie / Hollywood Reporter:

Keith Olbermann Blasts Current TV; Internal Memo Reveals Tension Over GOP Primary — “I was not given a legitimate opportunity to host under acceptable conditions,” Olbermann said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter on Wednesday. “They know it and we know it. Telling half the story is wrong.”

Discussion: Hot Air, National Review, Mediaite and The Politico, more at Mediagazer »

Vauhini Vara / Wall Street Journal:

California Train Plan Hits Bump Over Funds — SAN FRANCISCO—California's ambitious plan for a high-speed rail system hit a big roadblock Tuesday, as an independent panel urged lawmakers to deny authorizing the issuance of $2.7 billion in bonds to kick off the $98.5 billion project.

Discussion: The Informer, ThinkProgress and Via Meadia

Los Angeles Times:
Review urges delay in borrowing billions for bullet train

Discussion: Hot Air

Hollie McKay / Fox News:

Do Musicians Block GOP Candidates From Using Their Songs? — When GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney's team was looking for a theme song for his campaign, Kid Rock's hit “Born Free” hit a chord. But instead of doing what countless other politicians before him had done …

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog and Big Hollywood

Glenn Kessler / Washington Post:

Romney vs. Obama on job creation — “And I'm very happy in my former life; we helped create over 100,000 new jobs. By the way, we created more jobs in Massachusetts than this president's created in the entire country. So if the president wants to talk about jobs, and I hope he does …

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland, ThinkProgress, Obama 2012 Blog, Daily Kos, Paul Krugman and Brilliant at Breakfast