Top Items:
Jennifer Jacobs / Iowa Caucuses:
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 — Mitt Romney - Final total: 29,805 Change: -210
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, FiveThirtyEight, A plain blog about politics, Democracy in America, Guardian, CNN, The Daily Caller, The Caucus, Mediaite, Swampland, Outside the Beltway, Washington Monthly, Political Watch, Wonkette, New York Times, ThinkProgress, ABCNEWS, National Review, Booman Tribune, msnbc.com, Pundit & Pundette, Wake up America, The Hill and Shakesville
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Brian Ross / ABCNEWS:
Exclusive: Gingrich Lacks Moral Character to Be President, Ex-Wife Says — Newt Gingrich lacks the moral character to serve as President, his second ex-wife Marianne told ABC News, saying his campaign positions on the sanctity of marriage and the importance of family values do not square …
Discussion:
Washington Wire, Washington Post, The Politico, Mail Online, Ballot Box, The Hill, No More Mister Nice Blog, The Caucus, Campaign 2012, Esquire, Hot Air, Truthdig, National Review, Politics Blog, Political Watch, The Spectacle Blog, Washington Monthly, Wonkette, Taylor Marsh, msnbc.com, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog and The Stranger …
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:
The Politico, Washington Examiner, The Daily Beast, Guardian, Hot Air, Erick's blog, ABCNEWS, Mediaite, Israel Matzav, Towleroad News #gay, The Political Carnival, The Raw Story, Wake up America, Human Rights Campaign, The Gateway Pundit, Gothamist, Outside the Beltway, News Desk, The Right Scoop and Questions and Observations
Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:
Romney's Incredible Luck Continues — Mitt Romney's run of luck during the Republican nominating race is beginning to defy belief. Begin with the fact that Rick Santorum turns out to have won the Iowa caucuses. Finding this out now is approximately 0.001 percent as valuable as having it announced the night of the caucuses.
Discussion:
The Politico, Reuters, Political Mojo and The Daily Caller
Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:
Gingrich leads Romney on 1st night of tracking — Newt Gingrich led Mitt Romney 34-28 in PPP's South Carolina polling last night, the first of what will be three nights of tracking. Ron Paul at 15%, Rick Santorum at 14%, Rick Perry at 5%, and Buddy Roemer at 3% round out the field.
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.
Alex Seitz-Wald / ThinkProgress:
Limbaugh On Gingrich Cheating On His Ex-Wife: 'Newt's A Victim' — ABC News is planning to air a explosive interview tonight with Newt Gingrich's ex-wife — her first since 1999 — in which she reveals that the former Speaker asked her for an open marriage so he continue to see his current wife, Callista.
Discussion:
Gawker, Rush Limbaugh and Washington Post
James V. Grimaldi / Washington Post:
Marianne Gingrich, Newt's ex-wife, says he wanted ‘open marriage’ — Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich in 1999 asked his second wife for an “open marriage” or a divorce at the same time he was giving speeches around the country on family and religious values, his former wife, Marianne, told The Washington Post on Thursday.
Discussion:
The Politico, CNN, Hot Air, NY Daily News, Religion Dispatches, Washington Wire, Valley Fever, msnbc.com, Mail Online, PolitickerNY, Daily Kos, Althouse and The Page
Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:
Gingrich Tied With Romney in South Carolina Forecast — The question I posed yesterday — does Newt Gingrich have momentum in South Carolina? — now appears to have an unambiguous answer. Yes, Mr. Gingrich does have momentum — and a lot of it. — Six different South Carolina polls …
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online, Iowa Caucuses, Indecision Forever, Hot Air, Shot in the Dark and The Stranger …
John Matthews / 105.9 FM WMAL:
WATCH: Gingrich's Ex Says Newt Asked Her For An Open Marriage — WASHINGTON — Newt Gingrich's second ex-wife says the former House Speaker lacks the ‘moral character’ to be President. — In an interview with ABC's Brian Ross that was recorded last week and which will air in its entireity …
Discussion:
TalkLeft, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, NO QUARTER, Lynn Sweet, Pundits Blog, Washington Post, Outside the Beltway, The Caucus, Weasel Zippers, Pat Dollard, Pundit & Pundette, National Review, The Atlantic Online, Firedoglake, Mail Online, TVNewser, American Spectator, The Raw Story and The Lonely Conservative
Cameron Joseph / Ballot Box:
Newt Gingrich cuts off media when asked about extramarital affairs
Newt Gingrich cuts off media when asked about extramarital affairs
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland
Zeke Miller / Politics:
Stephen Colbert To Hold Rally With Herman Cain In South Carolina On Friday
Stephen Colbert To Hold Rally With Herman Cain In South Carolina On Friday
Discussion:
Little Green Footballs, The Huffington Post, Firedoglake, Runnin' Scared, msnbc.com, Guardian and Fox News
Igor Volsky / ThinkProgress:
Despite Publicly Backing One Man-One Woman Marriage, Newt Asked Ex-Wife To ‘Share Me’ With Other Women
Despite Publicly Backing One Man-One Woman Marriage, Newt Asked Ex-Wife To ‘Share Me’ With Other Women
Discussion:
THEROOT.COM, Booman Tribune and Prairie Weather
Alex Pappas / The Daily Caller:
Exclusive: 100 tea party leaders to announce support for Newt
Exclusive: 100 tea party leaders to announce support for Newt
Discussion:
Big Government and The Political Carnival
Washington Post:
Santorum finished 34 votes ahead of Romney in new Iowa tally; votes from 8 precincts missing
Santorum finished 34 votes ahead of Romney in new Iowa tally; votes from 8 precincts missing
Discussion:
Firedoglake, Weasel Zippers, The Spectacle Blog, The Political Carnival and Mediaite
Michael Barone / Campaign 2012:
New poll has Gingrich leading Romney in S.C.
New poll has Gingrich leading Romney in S.C.
Discussion:
Pat Dollard, News Desk, Weasel Zippers and The Right Scoop
Danny Yadron / Wall Street Journal:
Romney Likely to Be Debate Target
Wallacegw / CNN:
Key Perry supporter will back Romney
Key Perry supporter will back Romney
Discussion:
The Politico, Hot Air and Big Journalism
OpenCongress:
Protect IP Act Senate whip count — This page is an OpenCongress community project. — We are seeking to get each U.S. senator on-record with their position on the Protect IP Act of 2011 (known as “whipping the vote” in DC-speak). By forcing votes out into the open …
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online, The Raw Story, CNET, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Taylor Marsh, Mashable!, Policy Blog, Ars Technica and Insert Coin
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David Dayen / Firedoglake:
SOPA Activism Moves Republicans More Than Democrats — Yesterday's SOPA strike was enormously successful, not only raising attention to the issue but moving a tremendous amount of politicians for a one-day event. Over 4.5 million people signed Google's petition against SOPA.
Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Bain gives more campaign money to Democrats than it does to Republicans — 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.
Discussion:
Hot Air, NewsBusters.org blogs and Don Surber
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Ben Sisario / New York Times:
7 Charged as F.B.I. Closes a Top File-Sharing Site — The federal authorities on Thursday announced that they had charged seven people connected to the Web site Megaupload, including its founder, with running an international criminal enterprise centered on copyright infringement on the Internet.
Discussion:
Rolling Stone, Gizmodo, Media Decoder and Engadget, more at Mediagazer »
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Devlin Barrett / Wall Street Journal:
FBI Charges Seven With Online Piracy
FBI Charges Seven With Online Piracy
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, Gizmodo, Ars Technica, GigaOM, The Raw Story, TechCrunch and Law Blog, more at Techmeme »
Byron Tau / The Politico:
Nebraska governor: ‘The president made a mistake’ — Nebraska's Republican Gov. Dave Heineman, whose state is a key part of the Keystone XL oil pipeline debate, expressed his disappointment with the final decision the Obama administration made yesterday to kill the project.
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit and Crooks and Liars
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Rosie Gray / Politics:
Rick Santorum: Attack On His Wife “Ugly, Cheap, Tawdry” — Santorum dismisses the flyers handed out after the Personhood USA forum as dirty politics. — Rick Santorum speaking in Mt Pleasant on Thursday. — MT PLEASANT, S.C. — Rick Santorum today blasted a pro-life critic …
Discussion:
FITSNews and The Other McCain
Glenn Kessler / Washington Post:
Obama ad cherry-picks fact checking organization — President Obama “kept a campaign promise to toughen ethics rules” — We love ads that cite fact checkers, but President Obama's first campaign ad contains a real blooper. It cites a positive fact check by PolitiFact …
Discussion:
The Caucus, nation.foxnews.com, ThinkProgress, Grist and National Review
Associated Press:
Walker turning down $37 million for health care — MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin will turn down $37 million from the federal government that had been awarded to help implement health care exchanges under President Barack Obama's health care reform law, Gov. Scott Walker said Wednesday.
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, Cato @ Liberty and The Raw Story
Fareed Zakaria / Swampland:
Inside Obama's World: The President talks to TIME About the Changing Nature of American Power — In an exclusive interview with TIME's Fareed Zakaria, Obama opens up on Iran, Afghanistan, China and the challenges the U.S. faces in navigating a rapidly changing world. A full transcript of their conversation follows
Discussion:
The Politico, Wonkette and Global Public Square