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“Easy Answer,” Hard Ad — FIRST ON THE PAGE: New Santorum South Carolina TV spot finally goes where many conservatives (and commentators) expected Romney rivals to go. — Hits on Palmetto State TV stations Tuesday. — The script: … Watch it here. » — HALPERIN'S TAKE
Discussion:
Taylor Marsh, The Other McCain, 2012 Decoded, Hot Air, The Hill and USA Today
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Attacks fly in Republican debate — Newt Gingrich was put on the defensive with the first question of Monday night's GOP presidential debate when he was asked about his recent attacks on Mitt Romney. — The former speaker repeatedly avoided making the same strident attacks on Romney's private-sector record he's made in recent weeks.
Discussion:
CBS News, The Hinterland Gazette, Daily Kos, Michelle Malkin, The Moderate Voice, Ballot Box, Shakesville and Media Decoder

GOP debate: Crowd gets rowdy when candidates talk foreign policy — The crowd at the GOP debate in military-heavy South Carolina got rowdy during a discussion of foreign policy, booing Ron Paul heartily and whooping and cheering when the other candidates took a hard line on foreign involvement.
Discussion:
The Mahablog and Weasel Zippers

Gingrich pushes Romney to release tax returns before SC primary — Newt Gingrich says Mitt Romney should release his tax returns before primary voters head to the polls in South Carolina on Saturday. — “It's interesting that Romney agreed that he ought to release his income taxes …
Discussion:
Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion


Forceful Attack Against Romney in G.O.P. Debate — MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Mitt Romney came under forceful attacks during a debate here on Monday evening, with his Republican rivals lining up to question his business background, wealth and character, as they implored voters to scrutinize …


Mr. President, please don't play the race card in 2012... Mr. President, please don't play the race card in 2012 — I was born in the inner city of Atlanta in 1961, when segregation was still rife, at a time when I would have been barred from visiting the very beaches that make up part …

Romney Has 23-Point GOP Lead Nationally — Romney is up 13 points since just before Iowa caucuses — PRINCETON, NJ — Mitt Romney has climbed to a commanding 23-point lead over his nearest competitor among Republican registered voters nationally, based on interviewing conducted Jan. 11-15.
Discussion:
Washington Post, Opinion L.A., Outside the Beltway, Firedoglake, Ballot Box, Daily Kos, Poll Watch Daily and The Lonely Conservative

Romney way up in Florida — Mitt Romney's in a strong position to win this weekend in South Carolina, and he's in an even stronger position to follow it up with a big win in Florida. Our first Sunshine State poll of 2012 finds Romney with a 15 point lead at 41% to Newt Gingrich's 26% …
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online, Prairie Weather, Daily Kos, Poll Watch Daily and Hot Air

Riding Electability & Expectations, Romney Rolls to 35 Percent Support — Bolstered by the twin engines of electability and perceived inevitability, Mitt Romney's on a roll, advancing in the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll to a 2-to-1 lead over his closest competitor in support for the Republican presidential nomination.
Discussion:
The Page


Most in poll think Romney will clinch GOP nomination
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, msnbc.com, Hot Air, NY Daily News, ABCNEWS, Prairie Weather and Poll Watch Daily

Conservatives talk social issues in South Carolina, but money is still on their minds
Discussion:
Daily Kos, NO QUARTER, Washington Post, And So it Goes in Shreveport and Rush Limbaugh

Gingrich pitch to conservatives: Don't vote for Santorum
Discussion:
The Politico, Hot Air and Vodkapundit

Santorum demands pro-Romney super PAC pull down ‘false’ attack ad
Discussion:
The Huffington Post, ThinkProgress, Political Mojo, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and NY Daily News

Gingrich: A vote for Rick Santorum is a vote for Mitt Romney
Discussion:
The Other McCain, Hot Air, The Lonely Conservative, The Politico, ABCNEWS and Campaign 2012

Newt Claims To Be More Electable than Rick . . .
Discussion:
Washington Post, msnbc.com and Fox News

National Polls Suggest Romney Is Overwhelming Favorite for G.O.P. Nomination
Discussion:
Hit & Run, Carolina Live, CNN and Washington Post

On MLK Day, Romney Campaigning With Anti-Immigrant Official Tied To Hate Groups
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog, Daily Kos, Crooks and Liars, The Hinterland Gazette and Hullabaloo

Activists say pro-Santorum vote was rigged
Discussion:
The Caucus and The Democratic Daily


Before Karen Met Rick — The GOP contender's hard-core pro-life wife once dated an abortion provider. Nancy Hass on their time together. — Karen Santorum, the ultra-pro-life wife and mother of seven home-schooled children, has been the perfect complement to her husband, Rick, as he chases the Republican presidential nomination.
Discussion:
Campaign 2012, The Other McCain, Nice Deb, Mediaite, Joe. My. God. and Connecting.the.Dots


Arianna Huffington Critical Of Michelle Obama Over Seeming Indifference To Poverty — HUFF: THAT'S NOT ENOUGH — Arianna To MO: Watch The Bel Air Trips — How will they pin this one on conservatives? — From our establishment media friends, nearly every criticism of Michelle Obama …
Discussion:
Connecting.the.Dots, The Hinterland Gazette, nation.foxnews.com and Weasel Zippers

Obama administration warns the left: You will not like our budget — Top White House officials are warning liberal and labor leaders to brace themselves for President Obama's budget proposal. — Gene Sperling, director of the National Economic Council, sought in meetings last week to lift …
Discussion:
The Politico, Pirate's Cove and Prairie Weather


York: Final count could show Romney lost Iowa — A pile of counted ballots for the Republican presidential nominee sit on a table in the cafeteria at Kennedy High School during a caucus in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Tuesday, January 3, 2011. (AP Photo/The Gazette, Cliff Jette)
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers, Washington Post, Nice Deb, Brad DeLong and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

Measuring futility — The Times' analysis looked at six specific yardsticks for legislative activity: the amount of time each chamber spent officially in session; the total number of bills that passed; the number of floor votes each chamber took; the number of pages amassed in the Congressional Record …
Discussion:
Hit & Run, Big Government, Outside the Beltway and Seeing the Forest
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GOP debate audience boos Romney's Mexican heritage — Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney may be in the lead in the Palmetto state, but that doesn't mean South Carolinians necessarily like him. — During a Fox News debate at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center on Monday …