memeorandum: Sen. Brown to officially launch re-election bid (Kevinliptak/CNN)

4:35 PM 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

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: The Hill, Esquire, Washington Monthly, Washington Post, Hot Air, Campaign 2012, Mail Online, The Spectacle Blog, Politics Blog, National Review, Political Watch, msnbc.com, Wonkette, Washington Wire, Taylor Marsh, 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 …

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, Political Mojo, The Daily Caller, Reuters and The Daily Dish

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: Erick's blog, Jihad Watch, PERRspectives, Guardian, Washington Post, ThinkProgress, Weasel Zippers, Pat Dollard, The American Independent, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Feministing, Michelle Malkin, Taylor Marsh, Hot Air, CNN and ABCNEWS

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, Pundits Blog, Outside the Beltway, Washington Post, Lynn Sweet, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, NO QUARTER, Mail Online, Pundit & Pundette, National Review, The Caucus, Weasel Zippers, Pat Dollard, The Atlantic Online, The Raw Story, Firedoglake and The Lonely Conservative

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: CNN, NY Daily News, Valley Fever, PolitickerNY, Little Green Footballs, msnbc.com, Religion Dispatches, The Moderate Voice, Washington Wire, TalkLeft and Patterico's Pontifications

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, Washington Post and Rush Limbaugh

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.

Discussion: Ballot Box, Firedoglake, Talking Points Memo, The Impolitic, Outside the Beltway, Taegan Goddard's … and Daily Kos

Cameron Joseph / Ballot Box:

Newt Gingrich cuts off media when asked about extramarital affairs — BEAUFORT, S.C. — Newt Gingrich abruptly ended a press conference Thursday when pressed on his extramarital affairs. — “I'm not going to say anything about Marianne,” Gingrich said with an edge to his voice as he was pressed …

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland

The Caucus:

Perry Ends Bid for Presidency — Mr. Perry speaking at a campaign event in Mason City, Iowa, on Dec. 30, 2011. Mr. Perry is poised to end his candidacy and endorse Newt Gingrich on Thursday. — Updated — NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. - Gov. Rick Perry of Texas dropped out of the Republican presidential race …

Discussion: Democracy in America, New York Times, Campaign 2012, Outside the Beltway, The Stranger …, The Democratic Daily, The Powers That Be, Washington Monthly, Washington Post, The Impolitic, Booman Tribune, Political Mojo and Connecting.the.Dots

Zeke Miller / Politics:
Stephen Colbert To Hold Rally With Herman Cain In South Carolina On Friday

Discussion: msnbc.com, The Huffington Post, Runnin' Scared, Fox News, Firedoglake, Guardian and Wonkette

Washington Post:
Santorum finished 34 votes ahead of Romney in new Iowa tally; votes from 8 precincts missing

Discussion: The Spectacle Blog, Weasel Zippers and The Political Carnival

Igor Volsky / ThinkProgress:
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

James Hohmann / Reuters:
POLITICO Poll: Newt closing in

Discussion: CNN, Marist Poll, CBS News, National Review, Colorlines, Palmetto Public Record, Political Insider and The Politico

Alex Pappas / The Daily Caller:
Exclusive: 100 tea party leaders to announce support for Newt

Discussion: Big Government and The Political Carnival

Kevinliptak / CNN:
Sen. Brown to officially launch re-election bid

Discussion: The Politico

Washington Post:
Rick Perry ends presidential candidacy, endorses Newt Gingrich

Discussion: CBS News, Politics, Washington Monthly, msnbc.com, The New Republic, Wake up America, CNN, Alan Colmes' Liberaland and Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog

Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
Cop Out for the Ages!! — The Republican party of Iowa …

Discussion: ABCNEWS, Washington Monthly, msnbc.com, Alan Colmes' Liberaland and Balloon Juice

Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:
Gingrich Tied With Romney in South Carolina Forecast

Discussion: Shot in the Dark, The Stranger …, Hot Air and Political Watch

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

Discussion: Drudge Report, Media Decoder, CNN, National Review, American Spectator, Boston Herald, Politics, Christian Science Monitor, Outside the Beltway, The Reaction, Poynter, Althouse, Daily Kos and Betsy's Page, more at Mediagazer »

NBC's Mark Murray / msnbc.com:
NBC poll: Newt Gingrich gains ground on Mitt Romney in South Carolina

Discussion: CBS News, Associated Press, The Caucus, New York Post, CNN, NY Daily News, Washington Post, New York Times, Outside the Beltway, THEROOT.COM, Shakesville, Hardball Blog and The Moderate Voice

Wallacegw / CNN:
Key Perry supporter will back Romney

Discussion: The Politico, Big Journalism, Hot Air and Scared Monkeys, more at Mediagazer »

Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:
Perry's Voters May Not Flock to Gingrich

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, The Caucus and The Stranger …

Michael Barone / Campaign 2012:
New poll has Gingrich leading Romney in S.C.

Discussion: News Desk, Weasel Zippers and The Raw Story

Tim Makand Mackenzie Weinger / The Politico:
Newt Gingrich's ex-wife: He wanted ‘open marriage’

Discussion: 2012 Decoded, Washington Post and The Page

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: CNET, Mashable! and Electronic Frontier Foundation

David Dayen / Firedoglake:
SOPA Activism Moves Republicans More Than Democrats

Discussion: Techdirt, Daily Kos, Althouse and The Verge

Timothy B. Lee / Ars Technica:
PIPA support collapses, with 13 new Senators opposed

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Business Insider, Taylor Marsh, The Raw Story, Insert Coin and CNET

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, Don Surber and The Lonely Conservative

Wall Street Journal:
Bain Capital Saved America

Discussion: Mitt Romney Central, NewsBusters.org blogs and The Enterprise Blog

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: Crooks and Liars

Washington Post:
Obama's Keystone pipeline rejection is hard to accept

Discussion: Power Line, New York Times, TransCanada Corporation Home, The Heritage Foundation, Pirate's Cove, AlterNet, ThinkProgress, FP Passport and NewsBusters.org blogs

Pete Kasperowicz / The Hill:

Dems propose ‘Reasonable Profits Board’ to regulate oil company profits — Six House Democrats led by Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) want to set up a “Reasonable Profits Board” to control gas profits. — The Democrats, worried about higher gas prices, want to set up a board that would apply a …