memeorandum: American Voters: Still Up for Grabs (Thomas L. Friedman/New York Times)

3:45 AM ET, January 23, 2012

Top Items:

Daniel Strauss / The Hill:

Christie: Gingrich ‘embarrassed’ GOP — Gov. Chris Christie called Newt Gingrich an embarrassment to the Republican Party. — “I think Newt Gignrich has embarrassed the party, over time,” Christie (R), who endorsed Mitt Romney, said Sunday on NBC's Meet the Press. “Governor Romney never has.”

Discussion: COURAGE IN AMERICA, Riehl World View, No More Mister Nice Blog, NO QUARTER, Naked Politics and Scared Monkeys

John Heilemann / New York Magazine:

Five Consequences of Gingrich's South Carolina Win — Newt ascendent. — By the time the voting started yesterday in the South Carolina Republican primary, the collective judgment of the political class was that Newt Gingrich was all but certain to beat Mitt Romney badly—the only question was how badly.

Discussion: Hot Air, Wizbang, CNN and American Power

Maeve Reston / Los Angeles Times:

Mitt Romney tells ‘interrupters’ at rally to ‘take a hike’ — Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, campaigns at Allstar Building Materials in Ormond Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak / January 22, 2012) — Mitt Romney opened an aggressive new phase …

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland

Reid J. Epstein / The Politico:

Mitt Romney: Newt Gingrich is a ‘failed leader,’ ‘disgrace’ — ORMOND BEACH, Fla. - Mitt Romney landed here Sunday with a simple message: Newt Gingrich is a failure and a fraud. And a disgrace. And a hapless showman. — Standing under a brilliant orange Florida sunset …

Discussion: CNN, The Gateway Pundit and Ballot Box

Alexander Burnsand Maggie Haberman / The Politico:

Mitt Romney's misery, in a word: Bain — COLUMBIA, S.C. - The verdict is in: Mitt Romney's Bain Capital problem is real. — Of all the forces that converged to doom Romney in Saturday's South Carolina primary, none may be as disconcerting for Republicans as the attacks on Romney's private equity work …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Reuters and Gothamist

Jennifer Rubin / Washington Post:
An open letter to Republican leaders

Discussion: Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Patterico's Pontifications and Booman Tribune

Jeff Poor / The Daily Caller:
Coulter: ‘With Newt Gingrich you throw out the baby and keep the bath water’ [VIDEO]

Discussion: THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS and The Gateway Pundit

Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
Quick Thoughts on Tonight's Results

Discussion: Quote and Comment, Balloon Juice, The Mahablog, No More Mister Nice Blog and Guardian

Sean Trende / Real Clear Politics:
Three Takeaways From South Carolina

Discussion: Ricochet Conversations Feed, Big Government, PJ Media, The Buzz Florida Politics Feed, RedState, CNN, Patterico's Pontifications, Hot Air, New York Times, American Power, Erick's blog, Hit & Run and Conservatives4Palin

Karen Tumulty / Washington Post:
Newt Gingrich wins South Carolina primary

Discussion: americanthinker.com, Althouse, Cato @ Liberty, The Politico, Harry's Place, Prairie Weather and Campaign 2012

New York Times:
South Carolina's Divisive Message

Discussion: The Caucus, 2012 Decoded, The Daily Caller, Guardian, Hullabaloo, Big Journalism, Washington Post and Ballot Box

Jeremy Herb / The Hill:
Romney to release tax returns on Tuesday, calls delay ‘a mistake’

Discussion: The Politico, Taylor Marsh, Wake up America and The Political Carnival

Alexander Burns / The Politico:
Next stop: A brawl at the 2012 Florida primary

Discussion: Reuters, CNN, Taegan Goddard's … and Washington Monthly

Hugh Hewitt / National Review:
The Ball Is in Florida's Court Now

Discussion: Riehl World View, Wall Street Journal, The Daily Dish, The PJ Tatler, Booman Tribune, The Moderate Voice and ABCNEWS

Adam Weinstein / Mother Jones:

Gays “Make God Want to Vomit”: Meet Santorum's Honorary Florida Chairman — Rick Santorum's first stop in the Sunshine State is the church of a gay-bashing, Islamophobic pastor. — While the network news shows spend this Sunday marveling over Newtmentum in South Carolina …

Discussion: Firedoglake, Mediaite, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Towleroad News #gay, The Raw Story and Joe. My. God.

Andrew Abramson / Post on Politics:

Pastor at Santorum rally: Americans won't vote for Mormon president, Mormon church is racist — Rev. O'Neal Dozier, the conservative pastor of Pompano Beach's Worldwide Christian Center, told the Palm Beach Post Sunday that Mitt Romney cannot win the presidency because Americans won't vote for a Mormon president.

Arizona Daily Star:

Giffords to step down from Congress — U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords will step down from Congress this week to focus on her recovery, her staff announced Sunday. — “I have more work to do on my recovery, so to do what is best for Arizona, I will step down this week,” Giffords said in a video message.

Discussion: msnbc.com, Scared Monkeys, Patterico's Pontifications, Daily Kos, Mediaite, Outside the Beltway, The Democratic Daily and The Raw Story

James Bennett / KOLD-TV:
Governor will declare April special election for Giffords' seat

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit

CNN:
Gabrielle Giffords will resign to focus on her recovery

Discussion: This Just In and American Spectator

Gabrielle Giffords:
U.S. REP. GABRIELLE GIFFORDS WILL STEP DOWN FROM CONGRESS THIS WEEK

Discussion: Healthland

Amy Bingham / ABCNEWS:
Giffords' Vow: ‘I Will Return’

Discussion: New York Times, Zandar Versus The Stupid, Guardian, The Daily Caller, The Political Carnival, Wake up America, RedState, CBS New York and The Impolitic

Dan Nowicki / Arizona Republic:
Giffords stepping down from Congress

Discussion: Washington Post and The Moderate Voice

Daniel Strauss / Ballot Box:
Rep. Giffords to step down from Congress to focus on recovery

Discussion: The Politico and The Hill

Candice M. Giove / New York Post:

'God'-awful OWS mob steals sacred item from church — There's no longer room at the inn at a Manhattan church that's sheltering Occupy Wall Streeters after a holy vessel disappeared from the altar last week. — When the Rev. Bob Brashear prepared for Sunday services at West Park Presbyterian Church …

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, Weasel Zippers and Jammie Wearing Fools

Thomas Kaplan / New York Times:

New York's Redistricting Process Led by Insiders — ALBANY — Howard Leib, a 53-year-old entertainment lawyer, is considering a run for the New York State Senate this year. — But Mr. Leib, a Democrat from the Finger Lakes region, has an unexpected first challenge: he does not know what district he lives in.

Martin Frost / The Politico:

The electoral train wreck scenario — Train wrecks don't happen often in American politics. But there could be one in this presidential election. And if it occurs, it will be big. — Consider: The Constitution has a specific provision regarding an Electoral College deadlock.

David Ingram / Reuters:

U.S. lawyer for Megaupload.com withdraws — (Reuters) - Content-sharing Internet service Megaupload.com has lost the help of one of the best-known U.S. defense lawyers as it begins to fight charges of copyright infringement, a person familiar with the matter said.

Discussion: Law Librarian Blog and TalkLeft

Richard Goldstein / New York Times:

Joe Paterno, Longtime Penn State Coach, Dies at 85 — Joe Paterno, who won more games than any other major-college football coach, and who became the face of Penn State University and a symbol of integrity in collegiate athletics only to be fired during the 2011 season amid a child sexual-abuse scandal …