memeorandum: Do Manufacturers Need Special Treatment? (Christina D. Romer/New York Times)

12:25 PM ET, February 5, 2012

Top Items:

Meghashyam Mali / The Hill:

Dick Armey: Gingrich campaign turned into ‘first-rate vendetta’ against Romney — Freedom Works chairman and former Rep. Dick Armey (R-Texas) blasted Newt Gingrich for his continued tough attacks on Mitt Romney saying Gingrich was carrying out a vendetta against the Republican frontrunner.

Discussion: CNN and Politico

New York Times:

Gingrich Patron Adelson Called Open to Aiding Romney — LAS VEGAS — Sheldon Adelson, the billionaire casino executive keeping Newt Gingrich's presidential hopes alive, has relayed assurances to Mitt Romney that he will provide even more generous support to his candidacy if he becomes the Republican nominee …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, 2012 Decoded, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Patterico's Pontifications, ABCNEWS, Outside the Beltway, Politics, Politico, State of the Union, Swampland, The Raw Story, msnbc.com, Washington Post and HotAirPundit

Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:

Romney up in Colorado, close race in Minnesota — Last night's results in Nevada were bad news for Newt Gingrich and PPP's first day of polling in Colorado and Minnesota indicates things may only get worse for him in the coming days. — In Colorado Mitt Romney looks primed for another big Western win to match his one in Nevada.

Discussion: Taegan Goddard's …

Mark Z. Barabak / Los Angeles Times:

Mitt Romney cruises to victory in Nevada caucuses — Mitt Romney greets supporters during a campaign rally at Colorado Springs Fabrication on Feb. 4, 2012 in Colorado Springs, Colo. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) — Reporting from Las Vegas— Mitt Romney romped to a commanding victory Saturday …

Discussion: The Caucus, Connecting.the.Dots and Patterico's Pontifications

Julian Pecquet / Ballot Box:

Santorum looks to Tuesday's contests after Nevada drubbing — Rick Santorum is banking on a better showing in the next three races Tuesday to reenergize his struggling campaign after his last-place drubbing in Nevada's GOP caucuses Saturday. — The former Pennsylvania senator told Fox News Sunday …

Discussion: Politico

Emily Schultheis / Politico:
Facebook/POLITICO poll: Trump endorsement a net negative for Romney

Discussion: Mediaite and AlterNet

Dan Balz / Washington Post:
Mitt Romney wins overwhelming victory in Nevada caucuses

Discussion: Outside the Beltway and Saint Petersblog

Ashley Powers / Los Angeles Times:
'She's a spy!': Reporter banned from Nevada caucus

Discussion: Las Vegas Sun, Hit & Run, The Impolitic and The Political Carnival

CNN:
CNN projects Romney will win Nevada

Discussion: National Review, The Gateway Pundit, Towleroad News #gay, Fox News, The Lonely Conservative, Hot Air, Gawker, The Reaction and NationalJournal.com

New York Times:
Romney Takes a Solid Win in Nevada Caucuses, Fueling Momentum

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, The Caucus and Runnin' Scared

Cameron Joseph / Ballot Box:
Romney wins big in Nevada

Discussion: Politico, The Maddow Blog, Washington Post and The Other McCain

Megan R. Wilson / The Hill:

Watch the five most politically controversial Super Bowl ads of all time — Super Bowl advertisements have a long history of attracting political controversies, and this year is no different. — While the match-up between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants will be country's focus on Sunday …

Discussion: Politico, The Moderate Voice, Power Line and Mediaite

Gretchen Morgenson / New York Times:

A Mortgage Tornado Warning, Unheeded — After his own experience dealing with a mortgage mess, Nye Lavalle set out to learn all he could about the mortgage industry, traveling nationwide to dig into records. In 2003, he compiled a dossier of practices at Fannie Mae.

Discussion: The Big Picture, Prairie Weather and naked capitalism

Christina D. Romer / New York Times:

Do Manufacturers Need Special Treatment? — EVERYONE seems to be talking about a crisis in manufacturing. Workers, business leaders and politicians lament the decline of this traditionally central part of the American economy. President Obama, in his State of the Union address …

Discussion: The Hill, Politico and Greg Mankiw's Blog

Washington Examiner:

Barone:Obama's isolation leads to skewed decisions — It's unusual when a reporter sympathetic to a politician writes a story that makes his subject look bad. But Ryan Lizza of the New Yorker has now done this twice. — The first time was in an article last April on Obama's foreign policy …

Jordy Yager / The Hill: GOP puts oversight of Obama into high gear

Judd Legum / ThinkProgress:

Komen confirms continued involvement of Ari Fleischer on Planned Parenthood strategy — Yesterday, ThinkProgress exclusively reported Ari Fleischer's involvement — dating back at least to December — with the Komen Foundation, including issues related to Planned Parenthood.

Discussion: Washington Post, Lez Get Real and US Politics

Ross Douthat / New York Times:
The Media's Abortion Blinders

Discussion: Washington Post, TBogg, DISSENTING JUSTICE, American Thinker, Balloon Juice, Rod Dreher, Whiskey Fire, The Huffington Post, Mother Jones and Jezebel, more at Mediagazer »

Cynthia R. Fagen / New York Post:

Teen mistress addresses relationship, pol's Cold War fears in memoir — It was a chilling insight. — When the president wasn't keeping the world from descending into war, there was plenty of wild partying. One instance was a raucous Hollywood bash at Bing Crosby's desert ranch.

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland

Associated Press:

‘Occupy’ protesters march through Oakland streets — OAKLAND, CALIF. - Dozens of Occupy Oakland demonstrators burned an American flag and marched through the streets Saturday night, a week after police fired tear gas to quell violent demonstrations and hundreds were arrested following a mass break-in at City Hall.

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit and Weasel Zippers

Glenn Harlan Reynolds / Washington Examiner:

It's takers versus makers and these days the takers are winning — “Fifty thousand for what you didn't plant, for what didn't grow. That's modern farming — reap what you don't sow.” — That's a line from a song about farm subsidies, “Farming The Government,” by the Nebraska Guitar Militia.

New York Times:

Russia and China Block U.N. Action on Syrian Crisis — UNITED NATIONS — A United Nations Security Council effort to end the violence in Syria collapsed in acrimony and a veto by Russia and China on Saturday, hours after the Syrian military attacked the ravaged city of Homs …