memeorandum: Santorum says the only woman he's ever sat on a couch with is his wife (Roz Helderman/Washington Post)

3:22 AM ET, January 19, 2012

Top Items:

NEWT EX-WIFE UNLOADS ON CAMERA; NETWORK DEBATES ‘ETHICS’ OF AIRING BEFORE SC PRIMARY — Marianne Gingrich has said she could end her ex-husband's career with a single interview. — Earlier this week, she sat before ABCNEWS cameras, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.

David Bauder / Associated Press:

AP source: ABC interviewed Gingrich ex-wife — NEW YORK (AP) - An ABC News executive tells The Associated Press that the network has interviewed Newt Gingrich's second wife and is likely to air the segment Thursday on “Nightline.” — That's two days before the South Carolina primary …

Discussion: Townhall.com, Gretawire, The Right Scoop, The Lonely Conservative, Mediaite, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, The Politico, The Powers That Be and Political Mojo, more at Mediagazer »

Roz Helderman / Washington Post:

Santorum says the only woman he's ever sat on a couch with is his wife — Former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum told a Spartanburg crowd Wednesday that the only woman he's ever sat on a couch with is his wife, a not-so-subtle dig at former House speaker Newt Gingrich …

Discussion: New York Magazine, Indecision Forever and Washington Wire

Wallacegw / CNN:

CNN/Time Poll: Race for South Carolina tightening — Charleston, South Carolina (CNN) - With three days to go until the first-in-the south primary, Mitt Romney remains in the lead in the Palmetto State, but according to a new poll, his advantage over Newt Gingrich is rapidly shrinking.

Discussion: The Politico, Hot Air, Weekly Standard, ABCNEWS, Los Angeles Times, Trail Blazers Blog, The Moderate Voice, Guardian and Washington Examiner

Erick Erickson / Erick's blog:

Rick Perry's Final Act: King Maker? — “Rick Perry's campaign has come to an end. But he could leave on an unexpected high note — helping conservatives unite around one not-Romney” — Barring a miracle, this is Rick Perry's final act in the 2012 elections. On Saturday, he will come in last in South Carolina.

Discussion: Balloon Juice, ABCNEWS, msnbc.com, Hot Air, Ballot Box, Campaign 2012, CNN, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and The Democratic Daily

Democracy in America:

Newt and the “food-stamp president” — THE AUDIENCE of Monday night's Republican debate in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina reached its climax of enthusiasm during Newt Gingrich's exchange with Juan Williams, who asked Mr Gingrich if he could perhaps see how certain comments …

Discussion: The Stranger …, The Caucus, Politics and Washington Post

The Politico:

Anxious Mitt Romney lights into Newt Gingrich — ROCK HILL, S.C. — Clear signs Mitt Romney is again worried about Newt Gingrich: He released two new negative web videos, unleashed attacking surrogates and even went after the former House speaker himself. — And that was all before lunch on Wednesday.

Discussion: CNN

Tommy Christopher / Mediaite:
Jimmy Carter Tells Piers Morgan That Newt Gingrich ‘Has That Subtlety Of Racism’

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and Israel Matzav

ABCNEWS:
New Orwellian-Themed Santorum Ad Takes Aim At ‘Establishment’ and Romney

Discussion: Hot Air and Politics

New York Times:
Preaching Division in South Carolina

Discussion: Big Government, Mediaite, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Economix, The New Republic, Wall Street Journal and Wonkette

ABCNEWS:
Romney Staff Denies He's Citing Woman Who Got Cash Handout

Discussion: Mediaite and Colorlines

Alicia M. Cohn / The Hill:
Gingrich would consider Palin for his administration

Discussion: CNN

Zeke Miller / Politics:
Romney's Worried About Newt, Renews Assault On “Undisciplined Leader”

Discussion: National Review, Mediaite, Washington Post, The Daily Caller, The Daily Dish and Daily Kos

Megan Slack / White House.gov Blog:

By the Numbers: 103,785 — A total of 103,785 people signed We the People petitions asking the Obama Administration to protect an open and innovative internet. A petition asking President Obama to veto the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) got 51,689 signatures, while 52,096 people signed the “Stop the E-PARSITE Act” petition.

Discussion: Bits, Mashable!, Mother Jones, WTVM-TV, The Moderate Voice, CNN and New York Times

Deborah Netburn / L.A. Times Tech Blog:
Google says 4.5 million people signed anti-SOPA petition today

Discussion: GigaOM, Threat Level, TechCrunch, Techdirt and Guardian, more at Techmeme »

Jennifer Martinez / The Politico:
SOPA blackout leads co-sponsors to defect

Discussion: Threat Level, Salt Lake Tribune, Guardian, Hit & Run, PC World, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, The Gateway Pundit, Mashable!, TechCrunch, Omaha World-Herald, The Political Carnival, American Spectator, Techdirt, Balloon Juice, Daily Kos and Reuters, more at Mediagazer »

Jim Puzzanghera / L.A. Times Tech Blog:
SOPA blackout: Bills lose three co-sponsors amid protests

Discussion: Company Town, GigaOM, Bits, Runnin' Scared, THEROOT.COM, Washington Post and Opinion L.A., more at Techmeme »

Sarah Maslin Nir / Bits:
Wikipedia Blackout Lets In Some Light

Discussion: Digits, New York Times, L.A. Times Tech Blog, The Atlantic Online, AllThingsD, Wall Street Journal, Media Decoder, Gizmodo and Business Insider

Washington Post:

Obama administration to reject Keystone pipeline — The Obama administration will announce this afternoon it is rejecting a Canadian firm's application for a permit to build and operate a massive oil pipeline across the U.S.-Canada border, according to sources who have been briefed on the matter.

Discussion: Grist, The Huffington Post, ThinkProgress, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Questions and Observations, Crooks and Liars, Hullabaloo, Sunlight Foundation Blog, The Hill, Booman Tribune, Weasel Zippers, Michelle Malkin, Hot Air and Mediaite

Brad Johnson / ThinkProgress:
President Obama: ‘Rushed And Arbitrary Deadline’ Of GOP Forced Me To Reject Keystone XL

Discussion: Mediaite, Pat Dollard, ABCNEWS and Weasel Zippers

The White House: Statement by the President on the Keystone XL Pipeline

Darren Goode / Reuters:
Keystone XL pipeline rejected by Obama administration

Discussion: The Politico, Reuters, Political Mojo, Washington Post, The Gateway Pundit, The Heritage Foundation, CNN, Grist, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Heritage Action for America, The Daily Dish, Mediaite, Angry Black Lady Chronicles, Pirate's Cove, The Hill and Questions and Observations

US Department of State:
Denial of the Keystone XL Pipeline Application

Discussion: New York Times, RedState, Grist and Outside the Beltway

Jay Cost / Weekly Standard:

Morning Jay: What to Make of Obama's Approval Bounce? — You might have noticed recently that Barack Obama's job approval has ticked up slightly in the last few weeks. What to make of this? — Here is the RealClearPolitics average: — Two months ago, the president's job approval was 43.7 percent.

Marjorie Connelly / The Caucus:
G.O.P. in Congress Gets Blame for Gridlock

Discussion: New York Times, Washington Monthly, msnbc.com, Outside the Beltway and The Daily Dish

Elizabeth Williamson / Wall Street Journal:

Gingrich's College Records Show a Professor Hatching Big Plans — A year into his first full-time teaching job, Newt Gingrich applied to be college president, submitting with his application a paper titled “Some Projections on West Georgia College's Next Thirty Years.”

Discussion: The Political Carnival, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, FishbowlDC, Wonkette, Swampland and Washington Post

Timothy B. Lee / Ars Technica:

PIPA support collapses, with 13 new Senators opposed — Members of the Senate are rushing for the exits in the wake of the Internet's unprecedented protest of the Protect IP Act (PIPA). At least 13 members of the upper chamber announced their opposition on Wednesday.

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Heritage Action for America, Erick's blog, The Spectacle Blog, Balloon Juice and The Daily Caller, more at Techmeme »

Paul Polls / Pew Research Center for the People …:

Unpopular Nationally, Romney Holds Solid GOP Lead — OVERVIEW — Days ahead of the South Carolina primary, Mitt Romney maintains a substantial lead nationally in the race for the GOP nomination. Yet his image among all voters has slipped since November and he runs no better …

Discussion: CBS News, The Political Carnival, Indecision Forever, Hot Air, Firedoglake, American Prospect and Weekly Standard

Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:

3rd Annual TV News Trust Poll — PPP's 3rd annual TV news trust poll (2011 version here, 2010 version here) finds that Fox News tops the list for both the source Americans trust the most and the one they trust the least. — Fox is the most trusted TV news source for 34% of voters …

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Firedoglake and Hot Air

Opinionator:

David Brooks: Gail, I'm sorry we missed each other in South Carolina, but I've moved on to the next primary state, Florida, in search of people who pay Mitt Romney's 15 percent tax rate. I'm in Palm Beach now. I think I've found them. — By the way, why do we make candidates release their tax forms?

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, The New Republic, Gawker, Eunomia and Balloon Juice

Jeff Poor / The Daily Caller:

Obama pollster calls Herman Cain ‘racist’ on camera... then denies he did it — We'll have to see if this one makes Anderson Cooper's “Keeping Them Honest” segment on CNN's “AC360.” — On Cooper's Tuesday program, Democratic strategist and Obama 2012 campaign pollster Cornell Belcher took aim …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers

Josh Lederman / Ballot Box:

Scott Brown floats plan to bar outside group spending from Senate race — Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) has offered his Democratic rival a creative way to dispose of pesky outside groups who have already pledged to spend millions in his Senate race. The first-term senator wants both campaigns …

Discussion: The Politico