memeorandum: 20 killed as Nigerian gunmen attack Christian mourners (Mike Pflanz/Telegraph)

12:05 AM ET, January 7, 2012

Top Items:

Emily Schultheis / The Politico:

New Paul S.C. ad hits Santorum on ‘betrayal’ — Ron Paul's campaign is out with this new ad in South Carolina, which hits Rick Santorum on his “record of betrayal.” — “One serial hypocrite exposed,” the ad says, showing clips of Newt Gingrich. “Now another has emerged: Rick Santorum …

Discussion: The Reaction, Catholic Bandita, New York Times, National Review, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS and American Power

Adam Sorensen / Swampland:

TIME/CNN/ORC Poll: Romney Storms Ahead in South Carolina — In another sign of the front-runner's growing strength. Mitt Romney has taken the lead in South Carolina, according to a TIME/CNN/ORC poll released Friday. — The poll, which surveyed likely primary voters on Wednesday and Thursday …

Discussion: Firedoglake, Weasel Zippers, Guardian, Washington Post, Hot Air, The Politico, Talking Points Memo and Outside the Beltway

Rick Perlstein / Crooks and Liars:

Santorum's ‘Freedom’ is Pretty Much Slavery — Rick Santorum got high marks for his near-victory speech in Iowa. In the Washington Post, E.J. Dionne called it “by far the best speech Tuesday night.” Santorum's address impressed me, too, but for a different reason: his astonishing endorsement …

Discussion: Hullabaloo

Geneva Sands-Sadowitz / The Hill:

Gingrich turns fire on Santorum — Just days after praising his rival GOP presidential candidate, Newt Gingrich took aim at Rick Santorum's congressional record and said he would be considered the “junior partner” in a match-up between the two Republican hopefuls.

Discussion: CNN, The Politico, The Daily, Washington Post, The Hill, ABCNEWS, Hot Air, Washington Times and Ballot Box

Howard Fineman / The Huffington Post: Ron Paul Suggests Third Party Presidential Run Still An Option

Rasmussen Reports:
South Carolina Primary: Romney 27%, Santorum 24%, Gingrich 18%

Justin Sink / The Hill:
Paul blasts Santorum as ‘serial hypocrite’

Discussion: The Politico

Gschwarzcnn / CNN:
CNN/Time Poll: Romney and Santorum soar in South Carolina

Discussion: Reuters, The Politico, The Caucus, The Hill and Business Insider

WMUR:
Poll: Romney Holds Onto Big Lead In NH

Discussion: New York Times and ABCNEWS

Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:
Iowan Casts Doubt on Winner of Caucus

Discussion: Iowa Caucuses, The Week, Daily Kos, ABCNEWS, Business Insider, Online NewsHour, The Atlantic Online, Iowa Caucus 2012, Wake up America and The BRAD BLOG

Shushannah Walshe / ABCNEWS:
Pro-Santorum SuperPAC Buys Ad Time in South Carolina

Discussion: The Page

Rasmussen Reports:
New Hampshire: Romney 42%, Paul 18%, Santorum 13%, Huntsman 12%

Discussion: Opinion L.A., RedState, The Other McCain, Hot Air, CBS Boston, CatholicVote.org, Eunomia, Guardian, Big Government, Campaign 2012 and GOP 12

James Oliphant / Los Angeles Times:
Rick Santorum jeered after comparing gay marriage to polygamy

Discussion: Firedoglake, 2012.talkingpointsmemo.com, Opinion L.A., NewsBusters.org blogs, The New Republic and Taylor Marsh

ABCNEWS:
Rick Santorum Says by the Time He Had Campaign Cash, All the N.H. TV Time Was Bought Up

Discussion: Hot Air and The Hill

Charles Krauthammer / Washington Post:
A worthy challenger — After every other conservative alternative …

Discussion: GOP 12, National Review, The New Republic, Prairie Weather, The Other McCain, The Atlantic Wire and New York Magazine

Sam Stein / The Huffington Post:

‘The Obamas’: Book Reveals Friction Between Rahm Emanuel, Michelle Obama (UPDATE) … Barack Obama , Michelle Obama , Rahm Emanuel , White House , Obama , Video , Jodi Kantor , Obama White House , The Obamas , Obama Marriage , Obamas Marriage , The Obamas Jodi Kantor , Politics News

Discussion: Firedoglake, The Politico, Guardian and Lynn Sweet

Carol Felsenthal / Chicago magazine: Jodi Kantor Goes Inside the Obamas' Marriage in New Book

Ed O'Keefe / Washington Post: White House proposes 0.5 percent pay increase for federal workers

Greg Sargent / Washington Post:

Another Romney layoff victim, this one a conservative, speaks out — Reuters published a blockbuster story today on GS Technologies, a steel mill in Kansas City that was acquired by Bain Capital, leading to the layoffs of some 750 workers. In this case, the workers lost promised severance pay …

Discussion: Wonkette, Riehl World View and GOP 12

Reuters:
Special report: Romney's steel skeleton in the Bain closet

Discussion: Daily Kos, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, rubber hose, ThinkProgress, Washington Monthly, Balloon Juice and Ricochet Conversations Feed

Paul Krugman / New York Times:
Bain, Barack and Jobs

Discussion: Business Insider, ABCNEWS and Daily Kos

Dylan Byers / The Politico:

What Newt said about food stamps — Newt Gingrich's comments about African-Americans and food stamps, made at a town hall meeting in New Hampshire yesterday, have made the expected media rounds — from Slate to The Daily Beast to The Associated Press to MSNBC — but the interpretation has changed somewhat along the way.

Discussion: Balloon Juice, Daily Kos, No More Mister Nice Blog, CNN, JSOnline, The Caucus, Little Green Footballs and nation.foxnews.com

Amie Parnes / The Hill:

Obama takes victory lap — Two days after defying Republicans and appointing Richard Cordray to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, President Obama took a little time to gloat. — Making a victory lap of sorts at the independent agency, Obama cracked a joke …

Discussion: The Politico and Weasel Zippers

New York Post:
This power grab's a sign of weakness

Discussion: Belmont Club and Betsy's Page

Washington Post:
Obama's recess appointments are unconstitutional

Discussion: The Daily Caller, The Heritage Foundation, The Volokh Conspiracy, RedState, NewsBusters.org blogs and New York Times

Elizabeth McNeil / People.com:

Kristy McNichol Wants to ‘Be Open About Who I Am’ — Kristy McNichol has been out of the public eye for 20 years. Now she's chosen to come out - to try to help kids who are being bullied. — McNichol, 49, who has lived with her partner Martie Allen, also 49, for the past two decades …

Discussion: Joe. My. God., Box Turtle Bulletin, Steve Rothaus' Gay … and Towleroad News #gay

Lyle Denniston / SCOTUSblog:

Two new cases granted — UPDATE: The Court has announced that it will issue opinions in argued cases on both Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. Further orders from today's Conference will be issued at 10 a.m. Monday. — The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to clarify when police may use …

Discussion: Election Law Blog and Washington Post

David Frum / FrumForum:

All Good Things... FrumForum launched itself almost exactly three years ago, on Inauguration Day 2009. Over the subsequent interval, our hundreds of contributors have reached more than 5 million individual readers. I like to think that together we have helped to move the national debate.

Discussion: driftglass and The Camp Of The Saints

Mike Pflanz / Telegraph:

20 killed as Nigerian gunmen attack Christian mourners — Gunmen in Nigeria on Friday opened fire on friends and relatives gathered to mourn the deaths of three Christians killed on Thursday, leaving up to 20 more people dead. — Nigeria has recently experienced a surge in ethnic and sectarian violence

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, Weasel Zippers and Jihad Watch

Sydney Morning Herald:

Climate change castaways consider move to Australia — Ben Doherty in Male, Maldives — Threat ... much of the Maldives could be lost to climate change. — THE President of what could be the first country in the world lost to climate change has urged Australia to prepare for a mass wave …

Discussion: ThinkProgress and Tim Blair

Beth Stebner / Daily Mail:

Pictured: Home invader teen widow shot dead who 'was coming for her dead 58-year-old husband's drugs' — Shot dead intruder on New Year's Eve who broke in carrying 12-inch knife and was allegedly after dead husband's drugs — The man who broke into an 18-year-old Oklahoma widow's home …

Discussion: The PJ Tatler, NewsBusters.org blogs and Power Line

Bruce Vielmetti / JSOnline:

Embezzlement probe also results in sex charges — By Bruce Vielmetti of the Journal Sentinel — The secret John Doe investigation into embezzlement of funds intended for veterans also produced a jarring unrelated sex crime case against the domestic partner of a former top aide to Gov. Scott Walker.

Discussion: The Raw Story, We Party Patriots and The Political Carnival

Brad Cooper / Kansas City Star:

Legislator apologizes for ‘YoMama’ email about first lady — Kansas legislator acknowledges forwarding email note mocking first lady's name, hair style. — Kansas House Speaker Mike O'Neal on Thursday apologized for an email that made fun of first lady Michelle Obama's hair style and mockingly called her “Mrs. YoMama.”