memeorandum: Perry replacing ad-buying firm, two sources say (Jason Embry/Austin American-Statesman)

7:15 AM ET, January 8, 2012

Top Items:

Josh Lederman / Ballot Box:

Romney's private sector record cross-examined in NH Republican debate — MANCHESTER, N.H. — The Republican presidential candidates took turns interrogating Mitt Romney's record creating private-sector jobs at the start of Saturday's ABC News debate, accentuating the top-dog status Romney …

Discussion: The Politico

Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:

Romney up in South Carolina — Mitt Romney's taken a modest lead in South Carolina. He's at 30% there to 23% for Newt Gingrich and 19% for Rick Santorum. None of the other candidates hit double digits- Ron Paul at 9%, Rick Perry at 5%, Jon Huntsman at 4%, and Buddy Roemer at 1% round out the field.

Discussion: Guardian, 2012 Decoded and Taylor Marsh

A.Killough / CNN:

Gingrich in friendly attack-mode ahead of debate — Wolfeboro, New Hampshire (CNN) - With a World War II-era military tank behind him and two critical debates ahead of him, Newt Gingrich gave his most muscular performance in weeks at a town hall Saturday. — Speaking at a WWII museum in Wolfeboro …

Discussion: The Politico, Los Angeles Times and Hot Air

Cameron Joseph / Ballot Box:
Gary Bauer to endorse Rick Santorum

Discussion: CNN and The Politico

Dan Balz / Washington Post:
Rick Santorum to get Gary Bauer endorsement Sunday

Discussion: Don Surber, The Other McCain, Hot Air and ABCNEWS

Erik Eckholm / New York Times:
Evangelicals Hurry to Find Alternative to Romney

Discussion: The Caucus, ABCNEWS, Good As You, Daily Kos, Prairie Weather, Washington Post and Campaign 2012

Alexander Burns / The Politico:

Paul pushback on Huntsman video — Ron Paul supporters have pushed back furiously in the last 24 hours on the charge that one Paul backer posted an offensive video questioning Jon Huntsman's national loyalty, and showing clips of Huntsman speaking Mandarin with his adopted Chinese daughter.

Discussion: Doug Ross, Erick's blog, The Caucus, The Spectacle Blog and Connecting.the.Dots

Jonathan Martin / The Politico:

Trailing in New Hampshire, Jon Huntsman takes the long view — MANCHESTER, N.H. — More than 160 New Hampshire events and counting to his name, Jon Huntsman is hoping to pull off a political miracle Tuesday with the same shoe-leather campaign Rick Santorum ran with success in Iowa.

Discussion: Politics

Alexander Burns / The Politico:

New Hampshire primary: Mitt Romney rises above squabbling pack — GOFFSTOWN, N.H. - The Republican presidential debate Saturday broke out into a volley of charges and counter-charges between the candidates, but left front-runner Mitt Romney almost entirely unscathed in the second-to-last forum before Tuesday's New Hampshire primary.

Discussion: Washington Post, National Review, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog and The Page

Emily Goodin / Ballot Box:
Huntsman's New Hampshire strategy: ‘Speak from the heart’

Discussion: CNN

ThinkProgress:

Didn't matter, Matthew said, since the medicine obviously wasn't for him. … The situation got worse from there. Melbourne put his wife on the phone and even Googled the medication to show the pharmacist there was no law against selling it to a man. But “she didn't want to see it,” he said.

Discussion: Sky Dancing, Crooks and Liars and Jezebel

Alex Seitz-Wald / ThinkProgress:

Black Woman Confronts Santorum Over Comments: ‘Why Do You Have A Problem Against Black People?’ — ThinkProgress filed this report from Hollis, New Hampshire — At a campaign event outside a pharmacy in Hollis, New Hampshire Saturday afternoon, an African-American woman confronted Rick Santorum …

Discussion: field negro and The Political Carnival

Travis Waldron / ThinkProgress:

Santorum Accuses Obama Of ‘Elitist Snobbery’ For Wanting Every Child To Go To College — ThinkProgress filed this report from Amherst, New Hampshire — President Obama has laid out an ambitious agenda for America's high school students, stating that by 2020, he wants the United States …

Discussion: The Political Carnival and The Huffington Post

Danny Yadron / Washington Wire:
Santorum: All Students Shouldn't Be Pushed to Go to College

Discussion: Mediaite and The Hill

Benjy Sarlin / 2012.talkingpointsmemo.com:

TPM2012 — Debbie Wasserman Schultz: Romney's A ‘Job Cremator’ — Democrats are in full force at Saturday night's Republican debate in New Hampshire, ostensibly to rebut the GOP field, but in practice mostly to go after frontrunner Mitt Romney. — Well, not necessarily, the frontrunner.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, The Raw Story, The Reality-Based Community and The Political Carnival

Josh Lederman / Ballot Box:

GOP debate: No love for gay marriage — Republican presidential candidates staked out their positions on gay marriage during a Saturday debate in New Hampshire, where gay couples have been legally permitted to marry since 2010. — Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney want gay couples to enjoy certain benefits …

Discussion: The Politico

Mark Steyn / National Review:

The Left's So-Called Empathy — Lest you doubt that we're headed for the most vicious election year in memory, consider the determined effort, within ten minutes of his triumph in Iowa, to weirdify Rick Santorum. Discussing the surging senator on Fox News, Alan Colmes mused on some of the “crazy things” he's said and done.

Discussion: The Camp Of The Saints, Don Surber and Pundit & Pundette

Jason Embry / Austin American-Statesman:

Perry replacing ad-buying firm, two sources say — Gov. Rick Perry's campaign has fired the firm that buys its advertising time, according to two sources close to the campaign. — The media-buying firm is Paint Creek Media. — Perry spokesman Mark Miner said he was unaware of the firm's departure and would check on it.

Discussion: RedState

Ventura County / Ventura County Star Stories:

Rep. Elton Gallegly to retire — U.S. Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Simi Valley, the longest serving congressional representative in Ventura County history, announced this morning that he will not seek re-election and will retire at the end of the current Congress.

Discussion: CNN, Hullabaloo and Daily Kos