memeorandum: Rep. West insists no racial coding in Gingrich's “food stamp president” comments (Justin Sink/The Hill)

2:30 PM ET, January 23, 2012

Top Items:

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: The PJ Tatler, The Caucus, Booman Tribune, Shakesville, Riehl World View, The Daily Caller, Alan Colmes' Liberaland and The Raw Story

NewsMax.com:

Newt Surges to Lead in Fla., Romney Trails by 8 Points — More ways to share... Mixx — Stumbled — LinkedIn — Vine — Buzzflash — Newstrust — Technocrati — Forward Article — Newt Gingrich has now surged to a significant lead over Mitt Romney in Florida …

Discussion: Washington Wire, The Politico, Mediaite, Wake up America, Real Clear Politics, Indecision Forever, American Power, The PJ Tatler, New York Magazine and The Political Carnival

Mitt Romney for President of the United States …:

FLORIDA FAMILIES — While Florida families struggled during the housing crisis, Newt Gingrich cashed in while working for Freddie Mac. After being sanctioned for ethics violations and resigning in disgrace, Newt Gingrich cashed in as a D.C. insider. President Obama and his campaign …

Discussion: CNN, FiveThirtyEight, The Caucus, The Stranger …, No More Mister Nice Blog, Orlando Sentinel and Swampland

Meghashyam Mali / Ballot Box:
Poll: Gingrich surges to lead in Florida primary

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Questions and Observations, ThinkProgress, Outside the Beltway, GOP 12, Prairie Weather, The Hill and Naked Politics

David Frum / CNN: Why GOP leaders don't trust Gingrich

Jim Vandeheiand Mike Allen / The Politico:
Newt Gingrich: The master of disguise

Discussion: Reuters, CNN, Hot Air, Taylor Marsh, Pirate's Cove and Gothamist

Wall Street Journal:
The Gingrich Challenge — A test for Romney, GOP officials …

Discussion: The Enterprise Blog and GOP 12

David Weigel / Slate:
Romney Campaign on Newt: “We Want to Know What Nancy Pelosi Knows”

Discussion: Washington Monthly and Taylor Marsh

Reid J. Epstein / The Politico:
Mitt Romney: Newt Gingrich is a ‘failed leader,’ ‘disgrace’

Discussion: CNN, Hot Air, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Outside the Beltway, Campaign 2012, Towleroad News #gay, Riehl World View, Reuters, The Gateway Pundit, Weekly Standard and Ballot Box

Ezra Klein / Washington Post:
What are Newt Gingrich's big ideas?

Discussion: Washington Monthly, The Atlantic Online, Democracy in America, Law Blog, Cato @ Liberty and The Volokh Conspiracy

Alexander Burnsand Maggie Haberman / The Politico:
Mitt Romney's misery, in a word: Bain

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, New York Times, The Daily Caller, The Caucus, Hot Air, ABCNEWS, Connecting.the.Dots, Washington Post and The Moderate Voice

Matthew Boyle / The Daily Caller:

Sen. Rand Paul ‘detained’ by TSA in Nashville, TSA denies — Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul's press secretary Moira Bagley tweeted on Monday that Transportation Security Administration officials were detaining her boss in Nashville, Tenn. — “Just got a call from @senrandpaul,” Bagley tweeted at about 10 a.m. on Monday.

Discussion: The Caucus, Reuters, Balloon Juice, Michelle Malkin, Gawker, Caffeinated Thoughts, LifeNews.com, Hit & Run, Guardian, RedState, The Mahablog, Towleroad News #gay, The Raw Story, TBogg, Gothamist and LewRockwell.com Blog

Tim Mak / The Politico:

Rand Paul detained by TSA — Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul was detained Monday by the Transportation Security Administration in Nashville, Tenn., after refusing a full body pat-down, POLITICO has confirmed. — “I spoke with him five minutes ago and he was being detained indefinitely,” Paul spokesperson Moira Bagley said.

Discussion: Indecision Forever and Campaign 2012

A.Killough / CNN:

BREAKING: Spokeswoman: TSA turns away Sen. Rand Paul — (CNN) - Authorities blocked U.S. Sen. Rand Paul at the Nashville airport Monday after the Kentucky Republican refused a pat-down at a security checkpoint, his spokeswoman said. — Paul went through a scanner at the airport and set off an alarm …

Discussion: National Review

ABCNEWS:

Rand Paul in Pat-Down Standoff With TSA in Nashville — Sen. Rand Paul told his communications director this morning he was being detained by TSA in Nashville. — @moirabagley, the Twitter account associated with Paul staffer Moira Bagley tweeted around 10 a.m., ET, “Just got a call from @senrandpaul.

Discussion: Hot Air, PolitickerNY, The Gateway Pundit, Outside the Beltway, Mediaite and Big Government

Digby / Hullabaloo: @bwilliams Ask Ron Paul 2night if he thinks states (as opposed to feds) have right 2 pat down airline travelers

David Kravets / Threat Level:

Warrants Needed for GPS Monitoring, Supreme Court Rules — The Supreme Court ruled unanimously Monday that law enforcement authorities need a probable-cause warrant from a judge to affix a GPS device to a vehicle and monitor its every move. — The decision (.pdf) in what is arguably …

Discussion: The Volokh Conspiracy, Outside the Beltway, Hit & Run, Above the Law, Gizmodo and Gov 2.0, more at Techmeme »

Jennifer Haberkorn / The Politico:
Supreme Court says no to debate over Elena Kagan health care role

Discussion: CNN and Hit & Run

Ryan Lizza / New Yorker:

THE OBAMA MEMOS … - POLITICS - PROFILES - THE TALK OF THE TOWN - COMMENT - TABLE OF CONTENTS - THE FINANCIAL PAGE - NEWS DESK - THE POLITICAL SCENE

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, ThinkProgress, News Desk, The New Republic, Washington Post and Paul Krugman

Chicago Tribune:

Sen. Mark Kirk undergoes surgery after suffering stroke — U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk underwent surgery today at Northwestern Memorial Hospital after suffering a stroke, his office said. — “On Saturday, Senator Kirk checked himself into Lake Forest Hospital, where doctors discovered …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, The Daily Caller and The Gateway Pundit

Wallacegw / CNN:

TRENDING: Paul skipping primary night in Florida — (CNN) - Want more proof Rep. Ron Paul is looking past Florida to February's contests? Well, here it is. — While the Republican presidential candidate and longtime congressman from Texas will attend both of the GOP debates being held …

Discussion: GOP 12 and Orlando Sentinel

Jonathan Easley / Ballot Box:
Gingrich tops 40 percent in Rasmussen Florida poll

Discussion: The Other McCain

Fred Lucas / CNSNews:

Obama Defends Roe v. Wade As Way for ‘Our Daughters’ to Have Same Chance As Sons to ‘Fulfill Their Dreams’ — (CNSNews.com) - President Barack Obama says the 39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade is the chance to recognize the “fundamental constitutional right” to abortion and to …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and The Gateway Pundit

Rick Santorum / Wall Street Journal:
My Fight for Life — The other Republican candidates simply check the pro-life box.

Discussion: The Hill, The Politico, Campaign 2012 and New York Magazine

Mark Steyn / National Review:

The Man Who Gave Us Newt — The nature of this peculiar primary season - the reason it seems at odds with both the 2009-2010 political narrative and the seriousness of the times - was determined by Mitt Romney. Even if you don't mind RomneyCare, or the abortion flip-flop, or any of the rest …

Discussion: GOP 12, Jay Bookman, Wonkette, Betsy's Page, Ricochet Conversations Feed and News Desk

Lydia Saad / Gallup:

U.S. Economy Most Toxic of 24 Issues — Scope of government and U.S. morality also rankle Americans — PRINCETON, NJ — As President Barack Obama prepares his annual address to Congress, Americans are broadly dissatisfied with the state of the nation in several specific issue areas …

Discussion: The Politico, Hot Air, Don Surber, Weasel Zippers and National Review

Igor Volsky / ThinkProgress:

Santorum Promises To Outlaw Gay Civil Marriage Because It Does Not Reflect 'God's Will For Us' — Rick Santorum told CNN's Piers Morgan on Friday that he would never change his opposition to same-sex marriage because it does not reflect “God's will for us.”

Discussion: Towleroad News #gay

The Politico:

Mitt faces a perfect mess — Perfect resume, perfect looks, perfect family, and a perfect roster of skilled campaign operatives and blue-chip endorsements: Mitt Romney has them all. — Yet he comes out of his drubbing in South Carolina with a perfect problem.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice