memeorandum: “I THINK GRANDIOSE THOUGHTS” (Mitt Romney for President …)

10:40 AM ET, January 20, 2012

Top Items:

Palin: ‘Dumb arses’ in media ‘overplayed their hand’ with Gingrich — Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has now weighed in on the controversy surrounding an ABC interview with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich's ex-wife, and Palin had some tough words for the media.

Discussion: The Caucus, The Politico, Don Surber, Hot Air, Connecting.the.Dots, Mediaite and Wizbang, more at Mediagazer »

Mitt Romney for President of the United States …:

“I THINK GRANDIOSE THOUGHTS” — Location — A Selection Of Speaker Gingrich's Thoughts Over The Years — Gingrich on Gingrich: — “I Am Essentially A Revolutionary.” (Adam Clymer, “House Revolutionary,” The New York Times, 8/23/92) — “Philosophically, I Am Very Different …

Discussion: Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, Althouse, Swampland, Ricochet Conversations Feed, Mail Online and Outside the Beltway

newt.org:

Speaker Newt Gingrich and Mrs. Gingrich Release 2010 Income Tax Return and Gingrich Foundation Tax Return — Atlanta, GA - Today, Newt and Callista Gingrich released their 2010 federal income tax return, which they filed jointly with the Internal Revenue Service.

Discussion: americanthinker.com, Campaign 2012, The Page, Washington Post, Telegraph, CNN, Taylor Marsh, Washington Wire and Mediaite

New York Times:

Moralizing's High Cost — Multiple marriages and even adultery are not automatic disqualifications for the presidency. If they were, the country would have a very different roster of former presidents and candidates. But when a political party decides that moralizing about personal conduct …

Discussion: Washington Post, Opinion L.A. and NewsBusters.org blogs

Benjy Sarlin / 2012.talkingpointsmemo.com:

TPM2012 — Newt: CNN ‘Despicable’ To Bring Up ‘Trash’ Open Marriage Story — CNN wasted no time in asking Newt Gingrich the burning question of the day: did he, as his wife claims in interviews, ask for an open marriage so he could carry on his affair with then-mistress Callista Gingrich?

Discussion: Oliver Willis, Talking Points Memo, Hullabaloo and Seeing the Forest

Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:

Gingrich maintains 6 point lead — Thursday may have been one of the most eventful days of the Republican campaign so far, but the state of the race in South Carolina didn't change much. Newt Gingrich continues to lead Mitt Romney by 6 points, 35-29, with Ron Paul and Rick Santorum each tied for third at 15%.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Salon, Politics, The Hill, Crooks and Liars, Hot Air, Daily Kos and Taegan Goddard's …

Tommy Christopher / Mediaite:
Republican Debate Audience Boos Mitt Romney Over Releasing Tax Returns

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, Campaign 2012 and Washington Post

The Hill:
Gingrich's attack on the media sets feisty tone for GOP debate

Discussion: The Politico, Scared Monkeys, NY Daily News and The Gateway Pundit

New York Times:
Debate Opens With Questions on Gingrich's Marriages

Discussion: The New Republic, Slate, Media Decoder, USA Today, msnbc.com, Washington Post, Outside the Beltway, The Politico, Los Angeles Times, ABCNEWS and FITSNews

Real Clear Politics:
Gingrich Seizes Debate Spotlight With Anti-Media Screed

Discussion: CNN, Don Surber, The New Republic, Ballot Box, Media Decoder and Betsy's Page

Jonathan Martinand Alexander Burns / Reuters:
Why Newt Gingrich is surging in South Carolina

Discussion: The Politico, Washington Wire, Hardball Blog, The Atlantic Online, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal

Alex Seitz-Wald / ThinkProgress:
Palin Says Interview With Ex-Wife Will Help Gingrich ‘Soar’

Discussion: Wonkette, CBS News and The Political Carnival

Smitty / The Other McCain:
GOP MADNESS @ FINAL FOUR

Discussion: Big Government, News Desk, PJ Media and The Lonely Conservative

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

Discussion: Patterico's Pontifications, Iowa Caucuses, The Reaction, The Huffington Post, The Atlantic Online, New York Magazine, The Politico, Hit & Run, Hot Air, The Stranger … and Indecision Forever

Cameron Joseph / Ballot Box:
Romney dodges question on releasing multiple years of tax returns

Discussion: The Politico

Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:
Gingrich leads Romney on 1st night of tracking

Paul Krugman / New York Times:

Taxes at the Top — Call me peculiar, but I'm actually enjoying the spectacle of Mitt Romney doing the Dance of the Seven Veils — partly out of voyeurism, of course, but also because it's about time that we had this discussion. — The theme of his dance, for those who haven't been paying attention, is taxes — his own taxes.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Prairie Weather, Paul Krugman and Greg Mankiw's Blog

Wall Street Journal:

How Much the Rich Pay — Mitt Romney, the 1% and taxes. — Mitt Romney's disclosure this week that his effective federal tax rate is “probably closer to the 15% rate than anything” has created the predictable political uproar. The White House and its media allies figure they've now got …

Discussion: Althouse

Robert J. Samuelson / Washington Post:

Rejecting the Keystone pipeline is an act of insanity — President Obama's rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico is an act of national insanity. It isn't often that a president makes a decision that has no redeeming virtues and — beyond the symbolism …

Discussion: nrcan.gc.ca, Questions and Observations, americanthinker.com, Betsy's Page, Salon.com, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS, Power Line, The Huffington Post, Doug Ross, The Heritage Foundation, Ron Radosh, The Politico, Via Meadia, Campaign 2012, New York Times, Dot Earth, FP Passport and TransCanada Corporation Home

Andrew Restuccia / The Hill:
Secretary Clinton won't testify on Keystone pipeline rejection

Discussion: ThinkProgress, The Politico and New York Times

Sam Biddle / Gizmodo:

Anonymous Goes on Megaupload Revenge Spree: DoJ, RIAA, MPAA, and Universal Music All Offline — Anonymous has sure been quiet lately, but today's federal bust of Megaupload riled 'em up good: a retaliatory strike against DoJ.gov (and plenty of other foes) leaving them completely dead.

Discussion: rt.com, Gawker, Ars Technica, The Gateway Pundit, TalkLeft, Mashable!, The Daily Caller, TechCrunch, The Moderate Voice, Unqualified Offerings and Kathy Gill, more at Techmeme »

Ben Sisario / New York Times:
7 Charged as F.B.I. Closes a Top File-Sharing Site

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, Ars Technica, Right Wing News, Scared Monkeys, Rolling Stone, msnbc.com, Associated Press, FP Passport, Gothamist, Gizmodo, Media Decoder and Engadget, more at Mediagazer »

The United States Department of Justice:
Justice Department Charges Leaders of Megaupload with Widespread Online Copyright Infringement

Discussion: Guardian, The Verge, Stuff.co.nz, TechCrunch, Threat Level, GigaOM, Gizmodo, Law Blog, Washington Post, Pat Dollard, TalkLeft, Big Government, Deadline.com, Wall Street Journal, Techdirt and Truthdig, more at Mediagazer »

Matthew Rosenberg / New York Times:

Afghanistan's Soldiers Step Up Killings of Allied Forces — KABUL, Afghanistan — American and other coalition forces here are being killed in increasing numbers by the very Afghan soldiers they fight alongside and train, in attacks motivated by deep-seated animosity between the supposedly allied forces …

Discussion: Pat Dollard, Battleland and The American Conservative

New York Times:
Sarkozy Weighs Afghan Withdrawal After Soldier Kills 4 French Troops

Discussion: Weasel Zippers

James Taranto / Wall Street Journal:

The Ex Factor — Romney gets a break from Gingrich's former wife. But why has she changed her story? — Bye-Ku for Rick Perry — Trounced in Iowa — New Hampshire and—the third one — I can't. Sorry. Oops — Mitt Romney just got his biggest break in over a week.

Discussion: Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Mail Online, Don Surber, TalkLeft and ABCNEWS

Evan McMorris-Santoro / 2012.talkingpointsmemo.com:
TPM2012 — Looking The Other Way: South Carolinians Yawn Over Newt ‘Bombshell’

Discussion: Daily Kos, Rush Limbaugh, Firedoglake, Indecision Forever and Washington Post

Sydney Morning Herald:

Love online: 100,000 Grindr users exposed in hack attack — The Grindr app, left, and founder Joel Simkhai's profile. — A popular “meat-market” smartphone app that spawned a sexual revolution in Australia's gay community has been compromised by a Sydney hacker, potentially exposing …

Discussion: Towleroad News #gay

Frank Newport / Gallup:

Six in 10 Voters Would Be OK With Obama-Romney Matchup — Democrats would be the most satisfied — PRINCETON, NJ — Six in 10 registered voters would be satisfied if Barack Obama and Mitt Romney become the nominees for president this year, while 34% say they would not be satisfied.

Discussion: National Review, Hot Air and Opinion L.A.

Greg Sargent / Washington Post:

Romney to Occupy protester: Go back to Russia — The Romney campaign is proudly circulating this video of Mitt Romney dressing down an Occupy Wall Street protester with this line: “America's right, and you're wrong.” — “GREAT VIDEO,” Romney adviser Eric Fehrnstrom Tweeted just now.

Discussion: Campaign 2012, Washington Monthly, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Hullabaloo and Balloon Juice

Paul Werdel / 2012.talkingpointsmemo.com:
TPM2012 — Romney Snaps At Questioner, 'America's Right, And You're Wrong!

Discussion: CNN, The Reality-Based Community and Shakesville

ABCNEWS:

Obama Sings Soul Tune in Harlem — Shortly after taking the stage tonight for a fundraiser at the historic Apollo Theater in Harlem, President Obama broke into song. — Obama, standing behind the presidential podium, thanked his hosts and the performers who preceded him, including soul singer Al Green.

Discussion: Gothamist