memeorandum: A defense of big money in politics (Richard Cohen/Washington Post)

12:15 PM ET, January 17, 2012

Top Items:

David Edwards / The Raw Story:

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 …

Discussion: pandagon.net

Emily Goodin / The Hill:

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: CNN, CBS News, Los Angeles Times, The Other McCain, Questions and Observations, NY Daily News, The Hinterland Gazette, Don Surber, American Spectator, Daily Kos, Michelle Malkin, The Moderate Voice, Ballot Box, Shakesville and Media Decoder

David Brooks / New York Times:

South Carolina Diarist — Sumter, S.C. — When I started covering presidential primaries, the best part was getting to know the candidates. We journalists would ride around in vans and buses with them and get an intimate look at what it's like to endure this soul-destroying process.

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, Booman Tribune, The State and CNN

Kevinliptak / CNN:

Gingrich gets vote from S.C. lieutenant governor — Florence, South Carolina (CNN) - South Carolina's Lieutenant Governor Ken Ard announced Tuesday that his vote in the state's Saturday primary will be for GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich. — Ard is the highest office-holder …

Discussion: The Hill

Justin Sink / Ballot Box:
GOP debate: Crowd gets rowdy when candidates talk foreign policy

Discussion: The Mahablog and Weasel Zippers

New York Times:
Forceful Attack Against Romney in G.O.P. Debate

Discussion: Politics, Washington Post, The Politico, The Caucus, Outside the Beltway, No More Mister Nice Blog, Wall Street Journal, The Page and ThinkProgress, more at Mediagazer »

Jonathan Easley / The Hill:
Gingrich pushes Romney to release tax returns before SC primary

Discussion: Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

Fox News:
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

A.Killough / CNN:
Santorum's wife: Rick doesn't hate anyone

Discussion: The Daily Beast, TBogg and Ballot Box

Kevin Derby / Sunshine State News:

Mitt Romney Routing the GOP Pack in Florida, Sunshine State News Poll Shows — Two weeks away from the Presidential Preference Primary, Mitt Romney holds a commanding lead over the Republican presidential pack in Florida, according to a Sunshine State News Poll of likely primary voters.

Discussion: GOP 12 and Taegan Goddard's …

Washington Examiner:
York: Final count could show Romney lost Iowa

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, Daily Kos, Washington Post, Nice Deb, Brad DeLong and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

Mark Halperin / The Page:
“Easy Answer,” Hard Ad

Discussion: Wake up America, 2012 Decoded, Taylor Marsh, The Other McCain, USA Today and The Hill

Zeke Miller / Politics: Santorum Rattles Mitt Romney

Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:
Romney way up in Florida — Mitt Romney's in a strong position …

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, Daily Kos, Prairie Weather, Hot Air and Poll Watch Daily

Justin Sink / The Hill:
Gingrich: A vote for Rick Santorum is a vote for Mitt Romney

Discussion: The Reaction, The Other McCain, Campaign 2012, The Lonely Conservative, Hot Air, The Politico and ABCNEWS

William Kristol / Weekly Standard:
Newt Claims To Be More Electable than Rick . . .

Discussion: Washington Post, The Politico and msnbc.com

Frank Newport / Gallup:
Romney Has 23-Point GOP Lead Nationally

Discussion: Washington Post, Opinion L.A., The Reaction, The Caucus, Outside the Beltway, CNN, Scared Monkeys, Firedoglake, The Moderate Voice, Ballot Box, FiveThirtyEight, Daily Kos, Hot Air, Poll Watch Daily, Washington Monthly, Fire Andrea Mitchell!, The Lonely Conservative and Fox News

Wallacegw / CNN:
CNN Poll: Obama tied with Romney & Paul in November showdowns

Discussion: Hit & Run

Alexander Bolton / The Hill:

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: Firedoglake, Liberal Values, The Politico, Pirate's Cove, Prairie Weather and Shakesville

Marie Diamond / ThinkProgress:

Santorum Staffer Says Women Shouldn't Be President Because It's Against God's Will — In an article about the reasons Rep. Michele Bachmann's campaign fizzled, the Des Moines Register points to “sexism among conservatives,” singling out an offensive email written by a staffer to Rick Santorum:

Discussion: The Hinterland Gazette and Wonkette

Kevinliptak / CNN:

Turkey responds angrily to Perry remarks — Istanbul (CNN) - Most of Turkey was fast asleep when Republic presidential candidates engaged in a spirited debate in South Carolina Monday night. — Turkish newspapers had already gone to print by the time Texas Gov. Rick Perry declared …

Discussion: USA Today, Mediaite, Outside the Beltway and Jihad Watch

Rosie Gray / Politics: Perry Camp Smooths Over Turkey “Islamic Terrorists” Response

Fox News Insider:

TRANSCRIPT: Fox News Channel & Wall Street Journal Debate in South Carolina — Here's a full transcript from tonight's GOP debate in South Carolina: — BAIER: Thanks, Bill, and welcome to the Myrtle Beach Convention Center and the Republican presidential debate.

Discussion: Washington Wire, The Moderate Voice, ThinkProgress, The New Republic, RedState, Law Blog, Booman Tribune, Hot Air, Informed Comment, Wake up America, Daily Kos and The Daily Caller

Jim Morrill / The Charlotte Observer:

Obama to speak at Bank of America stadium — On the final night of this fall's Democratic National Convention, President Barack Obama will deliver his acceptance speech at Bank of America stadium, party sources told the Observer on Monday night. — Convention officials are expected …

Discussion: Taylor Marsh, Taegan Goddard's …, The Hinterland Gazette and The Daily Caller

Richard Cohen / Washington Post:

A defense of big money in politics — Sheldon Adelson is supposedly a bad man. The gambling mogul gave $5 million to a Newt Gingrich-loving super PAC and this enabled Gingrich to maul Mitt Romney — a touch of opinion here — who had it coming anyway. Adelson is a good friend of Gingrich and a major player in Israeli politics.

Discussion: Power Line and NewsBusters.org blogs

Justin Sink / The Hill:

Obama adviser Jarrett defends church pulpit criticism of GOP — Senior White House adviser Valerie Jarrett is defending critical comments she made of the GOP made from a church pulpit. — Jarrett ripped congressional Republcians for blocking President Obama's jobs bill …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers

Ezra Klein / Washington Post:

Who will get the ‘Recovery Presidency’? — Julie Schmit reports that the housing market is at, or very near, its bottom. After falling by 9 percent last year, single-family housing starts are expected to jump by 37 percent in 2012. Prices could still fall a bit, but by 2013, we should be in a real housing recovery.

Discussion: USA Today, The Daily Dish and Political Mojo

CBC News:

Harper says pipeline debate should be left to Canadians — Canada not ‘giant national park’ for U.S., prime minister says — Any decision on developments such as the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline should be left to Canadians, Prime Minister Stephen Harper says.

Discussion: Don Surber and New York Times