memeorandum: Senate Approves Keystone XL Pipeline Bill, Testing Obama (Coral Davenport/New York Times)

11:15 AM ET, January 30, 2015

Top Items:

Why Mitt Romney Thinks He Can Win (and Jeb Bush Can't) — The data is in. For Mitt Romney, it is time to decide. — According to people familiar with the thinking of the two-time presidential candidate, Romney has now gathered all the information he needs to reach a conclusion about whether to run a third time.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, CBS DC, Althouse, US News, Raw Story, FreakOutNation, Political Wire, The Daily Caller, Politico, Associated Press and Fox News

Hugh Hewitt / The Hugh Hewitt Show:

The Romney Statement: Not Running. “I've decided it is best to give other leaders in the Party the opportunity to become our next nominee.” … I've been emailed this text of remarks Mitt Romney will be making to his supporters shortly: — Let me begin by letting you know who else is on this call, besides Ann and me.

Discussion: New York Times, Weekly Standard, Business Insider and National Review

The Daily Beast:

Mitt Romney Is Running for President — Mitt Romney will call senior donors at 11am EST Friday to give them “an update” on his campaign plans. Sources have told the Daily Beast that the former Massachusetts governor will announce his intention to explore another run for the White House.

Discussion: Outside the Beltway, Political Wire, National Review, Wall Street Journal and Shakesville

Jon Ward / Yahoo! News:

Mitt Romney says he will not make 2016 White House bid — WASHINGTON - Mitt Romney wanted to go out on his terms. — The former Massachusetts governor and two-time presidential candidate pulled back from the brink of a third only after determining that he could position himself as going out on top.

Politico:

Mitt Romney to announce next steps on 2016 in 11 a.m. call — Mitt Romney will share his decision on whether to run a third time for the White House Friday, according to sources close to the former governor. — Major supporters of the 2012 Republican presidential nominee received …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Outside the Beltway, Political Wire and Joe. My. God.

Mike Allen / Politico:
Rand Paul ‘secret tape’ dings Jeb, Hillary on dynasty

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, Bloomberg Business, Fox News, The Daily Caller and Mediaite

Dana Blanton / Fox News:
Fox News Poll: Romney remains top of GOP field, Clinton leads Democrats

Discussion: Bloomberg Business, CNN and Political Wire

Lauren French / Politico:
President Obama: Mitt Romney cares about poverty? 'That's great ... Let's do something about it.'

Discussion: Bloomberg Business

CNN:
Romney to tell supporters his 2016 plans Friday

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, NBC News, National Review and Bloomberg View

New York Times:

Netanyahu Is Talking to Leading Democrats to Little Effect So Far — WASHINGTON — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has been reaching out to leading Capitol Hill Democrats to try to ease criticism over his coming address to Congress, but has made little progress.

Discussion: The Daily Banter, Haaretz, Balloon Juice, Washington Post, Talking Points Memo, The Times of Israel and Prairie Weather

Jeffrey Goldberg / The Atlantic Online:

Israeli Ambassador: Netanyahu Never Meant to Disrespect Obama — Ron Dermer, the Israeli ambassador to the U.S. (Reuters) — Earlier this week, shortly after I published a lengthy post critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his ambassador to the United States, Ron Dermer …

Discussion: JP Updates and LewRockwell

Speaker.gov:
Background on Invitation to Prime Minister Netanyahu

Discussion: The Times of Israel and Talking Points Memo

Andrew Porter / SportsRadio 94WIP's Wing Bowl 23:

Wing Bowl Exclusive: Cataldi Releases Never Before Seen Footage Of Christie Falling In-Studio — PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Never before publicly-seen footage of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie falling off his chair during an in-studio appearance at SportsRadio 94WIP was released Friday morning during 94WIP's Wing Bowl 23.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Politico, Political Wire, Mediaite, Philly.com and New York Magazine

Arit John / Bloomberg Business:

Obama, HuffPost Blogger, Tells Democrats to Get News Elsewhere — President Obama has a new piece of advice for House Democrats: don't get your news from The Huffington Post. — During his talk at the group's retreat in Philadelphia on Thursday, Obama asked members of his party …

Discussion: The Hill, Politico and Washington Post

George E. Condon Jr / National Journal:

Yes, President Obama's Budget Is a Big Deal — White House finally embraces power of the oft-mocked, ‘dead on arrival’ document — Even before he submits his budget, President Obama is hearing loud and clear from Republicans that it is already “dead on arrival.”

Discussion: Washington Post

Coral Davenport / New York Times:
Senate Approves Keystone XL Pipeline Bill, Testing Obama

Discussion: Firedoglake, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Hit & Run and Daily Kos

Justin Sink / The Hill:
White House defends decision to ditch college tax proposal

Discussion: Weekly Standard

TMZ.com:

Suge Knight — Arrested for Murder in Hit and Run (UPDATE) — ARRESTED FOR MURDER — In Hit and Run — EXCLUSIVE — 4:15 AM PT — Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... after interviewing Suge Knight, cops have formally arrested him on murder charges, and his bail has been set at $2 million.

Discussion: CBS Los Angeles, KTLA, Yahoo Movies, Gawker, Mediaite, Jezebel and Hinterland Gazette

Jamelle Bouie / Slate:

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's divisive message for winning the White House. — By the somewhat tamer standards of the Midwest, Scott Walker's speech to the Iowa Freedom Summit last Saturday was a smorgasbord of red meat. In just 20 minutes, the Wisconsin governor shed the persona that brought …

Discussion: The Federalist, BREITBART.COM, Hot Air and The Atlantic Online

Politico:
Republicans brace for 2016 free-for-all

Discussion: Fox News

Cameron Joseph / The Hill:
Buzz builds around Walker

Discussion: Bloomberg Business and Hot Air

John Amato / Latest from Crooks and Liars:

Anti-Muslim Protesters Shout Islamophobic Insults At Muslims In Texas Capitol — Texas Muslim Capitol Day is a good thing and has been going on since 2003. Its function is to have Muslims in the community meet lawmakers and learn about the political process.

Discussion: Raw Story and Talking Points Memo

The Texas Tribune:
Rep to Staff: Ask Muslim Visitors to Pledge Allegiance

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, TPNN, The Gateway Pundit, Mediaite, Gawker, Jezebel, The Times of Israel, Molly White, Politico, The Huffington Post, US News and New York Magazine

Politico:

Elizabeth Warren backers fund poll stoking Hillary Clinton doubts — A group of major liberal donors who want Elizabeth Warren to run for president have paid for a poll intended to show that Hillary Clinton does not excite the Democratic base and would be vulnerable in a 2016 general election.

Discussion: Washington Post, The PJ Tatler, Instapundit, Fox News, Business Insider, Bloomberg Business, Bloomberg View, Taylor Marsh, Outside the Beltway and OnPolitics

Catherine Thompson / Talking Points Memo:

5 Points On How New York State Got So Damn Corrupt — How quickly the mighty fall: less than a week after longtime New York state Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D) was arrested on federal corruption charges, his fellow Democrats have decided to replace him.

Discussion: The PJ Tatler

A.B. Stoddard / The Hill:

GOP is back at the edge — When it comes to the Republican Party's immigration divide, the more things stay the same, the more they stay the same. — The 2016 campaign has begun, and Jeb Bush, a pro-reform candidate, is believed to have raised the most money.

New York Times:

No Case for Killing the Medical Device Tax — In seeking to dismantle the Affordable Care Act piece by piece, congressional Republicans have placed a high priority on repealing a tax on medical devices that would raise some $29 billion over the next 10 years to help ensure that health reform will not increase the deficit.

Discussion: John Hawkins' Right Wing News

Byron York / Washington Examiner:

Public opinion left out of picture in Obama immigration drive — Gallup recently asked adults around the country a very simple question about immigration: Are you satisfied, or dissatisfied, with the level of immigration into the United States today? Are too many immigrants coming? Too few?

Discussion: John Hawkins' Right Wing News

Jonathan Allen / Bloomberg Business:

Hillary Clinton Faces Scrutiny for Use of Private Jets — Don't Miss Out — (Bloomberg) — Hillary Clinton took more than 200 privately chartered flights at taxpayer expense during her eight years in the U.S. Senate, sometimes using the jets of corporations and major campaign donors as she racked up $225,756 in flight costs.

Discussion: Hot Air, Weekly Standard and Politico