memeorandum: Newt and the “food-stamp president” (Democracy in America)

1:35 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: Gretawire, The Right Scoop, The Lonely Conservative, Mediaite, The Powers That Be and Political Mojo, more at Mediagazer »

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, Los Angeles Times, Hot Air, ABCNEWS, American Power, The Situation Room …, National Review, The Moderate Voice, Campaign 2012, Trail Blazers Blog, M.JOSEPH SHEPPARD'S … and Washington Examiner

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

Erick Erickson / RedState:

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, Los Angeles Times, msnbc.com, Hot Air, Ballot Box, 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 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 and This Just In

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

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and Israel Matzav

New York Times:
Preaching Division in South Carolina

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

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

Discussion: Hot Air and THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS

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

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: The Moderate Voice, Bits, WTVM-TV, Threat Level, Mashable!, CNN and New York Times, more at Techmeme »

Jonathan Weisman / New York Times:
In Fight Over Piracy Bills, New Economy Rises Against Old

Discussion: Media Decoder, Washington Post, New York Magazine, Firedoglake, News Desk, Taylor Marsh, Wonkette and Balloon Juice, more at Mediagazer »

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

Discussion: Threat Level, Hit & Run, Guardian, PC World, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, The Gateway Pundit, Mashable!, TechCrunch, Washington Post, Omaha World-Herald, The Political Carnival, Liberal Values, 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: Mashable!, Bits, Company Town, GigaOM, Runnin' Scared, THEROOT.COM, Opinion L.A. and nytm.org

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

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

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.

Josh Gerstein / The Politico:
AFL-CIO's Trumka slams Obama's jobs council

Discussion: ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/*, Weasel Zippers, CNN, Hot Air, The Hill and JustOneMinute

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

Discussion: ABCNEWS and Weasel Zippers

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

Discussion: Washington Post, The Politico, The Heritage Foundation, CNN, Grist, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Heritage Action for America, Outside the Beltway, The Daily Dish, Wake up America, Mediaite, Angry Black Lady Chronicles, Pirate's Cove and Questions and Observations

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

Discussion: Political Mojo, Power Line, Firedoglake and Fire Andrea Mitchell!

James Crugnale / Mediaite:
Boehner Blasts Obama Over Approving Solyndra But Rejecting Keystone XL Pipeline

Discussion: Pat Dollard and ThinkProgress

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

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

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

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

ABCNEWS:

Romney Parks Millions in Cayman Islands — Although it is not apparent on his financial disclosure form, Mitt Romney has millions of dollars of his personal wealth in investment funds set up in the Cayman Islands, a notorious Caribbean tax haven. — A spokesperson for the Romney campaign …

Discussion: The Political Carnival and Guardian

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

Kari Huus / msnbc.com:

Prosecutors aim new weapon at Occupy activists: lynching allegation — Screen grab from youtube video showing the arrest of Occupy LA activist Sergio Ballesteros on Thursday, Jan. 12. Ballesteros, 30, was released on $50,000 bail early Tuesday. He is charged with “lynching” …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and Don Surber