memeorandum: Poll Shows Obama's Vulnerability With Swing Voters (New York Times)

10:40 AM ET, January 19, 2012

Top Items:

Jennifer Jacobs / Iowa Caucuses:

REGISTER EXCLUSIVE: 2012 GOP caucus count unresolved — THE RESULTS: Santorum finished ahead by 34 votes — MISSING DATA: 8 precincts' numbers will never be certified — PARTY VERDICT: GOP official says, 'It's a split decision' — Rick Santorum - Final total: 29,839 Change: -168

A.Killough / CNN:

FIRST ON CNN: Sources: Perry dropping out of GOP race — Charleston, South Carolina (CNN) - Rick Perry is telling supporters that he will drop his bid Thursday for the Republican presidential nomination, two sources familiar with his plans told CNN. — The Texas governor will make the announcement …

Discussion: Hot Air, ThinkProgress, Guardian, Gothamist, The Gateway Pundit, Erick's blog, Questions and Observations, ABCNEWS, Campaign 2012, Mediaite, Outside the Beltway, Human Rights Campaign, The Political Carnival, Pirate's Cove, Conservatives4Palin, The Lonely Conservative and Daily Kos

Drudge Report:

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.

The Politico:

Rick Perry to drop 2012 campaign for president, endorse Newt, Sources say — Rick Perry is expected to drop out later this morning at an 11 a.m. press conference and endorse Newt Gingrich, two sources confirmed to POLITICO. — The news was first reported by CNN.

Discussion: CNN, Pat Dollard, Pundit & Pundette, Taylor Marsh, Weasel Zippers, The Daily Caller, White House Dossier, Hit & Run, The Raw Story and Gawker

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: Mediaite, TVNewser, Vodkapundit, Townhall.com, Conservatives4Palin, The Lonely Conservative, The Right Scoop, The Powers That Be, Los Angeles Times, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog and Political Mojo

Jeff Zeleny / The Caucus:

Perry to End Bid for Presidency — CHARLESTON, S.C. — Gov. Rick Perry of Texas is poised to end his bid for the Republican presidential nomination, according to two Republicans close to Mr. Perry, a decision that comes two days before the South Carolina primary.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Washington Post and The Moderate Voice

NBC's Mark Murray / msnbc.com:

NBC poll: Newt Gingrich gains ground on Mitt Romney in South Carolina — In the final days leading up to the South Carolina primary, Newt Gingrich attacked Mitt Romney's tax rate revelation. NBC's Chuck Todd reports. — By NBC's Mark Murray — Follow @mmurraypolitics

Discussion: Washington Post, New York Post, CNN, Shakesville, Outside the Beltway, New York Times, Hardball Blog, The Moderate Voice, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, Taegan Goddard's …, The Politico and The Page

Washington Post:

Santorum finished 34 votes ahead of Romney in new Iowa tally; votes from 8 precincts missing — Republican front-runner Mitt Romney's narrow lead in the Iowa caucuses disappeared when officials certified the vote count, a Republican involved in the process said Thursday …

Discussion: IowaGOP, Weasel Zippers and The Lonely Conservative

Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:

Cop Out for the Ages!! — The Republican party of Iowa has finished its recount of the January 3rd Iowa caucuses and the certified final results show Rick Santorum came out ahead by 34 votes. So he ‘won’, right? — Well, not according to the state GOP. According to the state party it's a “split decision” or a “tie.”

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Balloon Juice, Washington Post and National Review

The Caucus:

Gingrich Camp Responds to Ex-Wife's Interview — GREENVILLE, S.C. — Anticipating a potentially damaging interview with one of Newt Gingrich's former wives on the eve of the South Carolina primary, his campaign issued an open letter on Wednesday night to “ABC News leadership,” …

Discussion: Media Decoder, Pat Dollard and Connecting.the.Dots

James Hohmann / The Politico:

POLITICO Poll: Newt in striking distance — CHARLESTON, S.C. — Mitt Romney remains the clear front-runner in South Carolina, but the intensity of Newt Gingrich's support places him within striking distance going into Saturday's Republican primary. — A POLITICO Poll of likely voters shows …

Discussion: CNN, Colorlines, NY Daily News and ABCNEWS

Marist Poll:

1/19: Romney Leads Gingrich by 10 Points in South Carolina; 5 Points Post-Debate — As the Republican presidential candidates crisscross the Palmetto State in the days leading up to Saturday's South Carolina primary, Mitt Romney leads Newt Gingrich, 34% to 24%, among likely Republican primary voters including …

Discussion: Washington Wire and Ballot Box

Maggie Haberman / The Politico:
Marianne Gingrich speaks

Discussion: Big Journalism

CNN:
Report: Certified Iowa results give Santorum a narrow win over Romney

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Ballot Box and Washington Post

Mike Allen / The Politico:
Playbook: 'Obama's world'

Discussion: The Boston Globe, Lynn Sweet and Weasel Zippers

Melinda Henneberger / Washington Post:
As far back as the '90s, Marianne Gingrich has been saying …

Discussion: Politics, Boston Herald, Christian Science Monitor, Betsy's Page, Mediaite and The Other McCain, more at Mediagazer »

E.J. Dionne Jr / Washington Post:
Where are the Republican populists?

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Prairie Weather, Fast Money, ThinkProgress and Daily Kos

Danny Yadron / Washington Wire:
Gingrich Camp Tries Damage Control Before Interview With Ex-Wife Airs

Discussion: TalkLeft

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

Discussion: New York Magazine and Indecision Forever

Wallacegw / CNN:
CNN/Time Poll: Race for South Carolina tightening

Discussion: The Politico, Weekly Standard, National Review, ABCNEWS, Trail Blazers Blog, Los Angeles Times, msnbc.com, Campaign 2012, The Moderate Voice, Hot Air and M.JOSEPH SHEPPARD'S …

Erick Erickson / Erick's blog:
Rick Perry's Final Act: King Maker?

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

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

Discussion: ThinkProgress, The Caucus and The Stranger …

The Politico:
Anxious Mitt Romney lights into Newt Gingrich

Discussion: CNN

Gautham Nagesh / The Hill:

Lawmakers rush to drop piracy bills as websites go dark — Support for two controversial online-piracy bills began to crumble Wednesday in the face of protests from thousands of websites, including tech titans Google and Wikipedia. — The unprecedented online demonstration …

Discussion: The BLT

Nikki Finke / Deadline.com:
EXCLUSIVE: Hollywood Moguls Stopping Obama Donations Because Of President's Piracy Stand: “Not Give A Dime Anymore”

Discussion: Big Hollywood

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

Discussion: Shakesville, US Politics, New York Times, GigaOM, TechCrunch, Techdirt, Threat Level and Guardian, more at Techmeme »

CNN:
Lawmakers withdraw support of anti-piracy bills after online protest

Discussion: BBC, more at Techmeme »

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

Discussion: Above the Law, Media Decoder, WPRI.com Blogs, New York Magazine, Taylor Marsh, L.A. Times Tech Blog, The Mahablog, News Desk, Firedoglake, Slate, Runnin' Scared, Washington Post, Wonkette and Balloon Juice, more at Mediagazer »

Megan Slack / White House.gov Blog:
By the Numbers: 103,785 — A total of 103,785 people signed …

Discussion: Lincoln Journal Star, Bits, L.A. Times Tech Blog, WTVM-TV, Mashable!, The Moderate Voice and New York Times, more at Techmeme »

Alexander Bolton / The Hill:

Dems receive more Bain dollars than GOP — Democrats have accepted more political donations than Republicans from executives at Bain Capital, complicating the left's plan to attack Mitt Romney for his record at the private equity firm. — During the last three election cycles …

Discussion: Don Surber, National Review and Weasel Zippers

Wall Street Journal:
Bain Capital Saved America

Discussion: Mitt Romney Central and Betsy's Page

Chris McGreal / Guardian:

Newt Gingrich: I would ignore supreme court as president — Republican presidential candidate would order military to defy judges' ruling extending legal rights to terror suspects — Newt Gingrich has pledged that on his first day as president he will set up a constitutional showdown …

Discussion: Balloon Juice, Alan Colmes' Liberaland and The Raw Story

New York Times:

Poll Shows Obama's Vulnerability With Swing Voters — President Obama opens his re-election bid facing significant obstacles from independent voters, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll, with the critical piece of the electorate that cemented his victory four years ago open to denying him a second term.

Discussion: JustOneMinute, Washington Post, Hullabaloo and The Caucus