2.

Analysis: President Obama Pursues Quiet Strategy Through Noise in Final Year

He came to office armed with a once-in-a-generation political movement -- powered by hope and the promise of change, all making his unlikely presidency and early accomplishments possible, ABC's RICK KLEIN writes. Now, with just one year left in a tumultuous second term, President Obama again is witnessing powerful forces, only now ones that are pushing the nation in much different directions. An anxious nation enters a political year with security and economic fears and with loud, angry voices dominating. The dynamics make for a special challenge for a lame-duck president with mixed success in moving the levers of government.

3.

Marco Rubio Steps Up Iowa Visits With Bus Tour, but Plenty of Ground Left to Cover

Rubio's visits to the state have increased significantly over the past two months: 23 events and the launching of a two-day, six-stop bus tour Tuesday. It’s a clear sign that his campaign is committed to doing everything it can to win the Feb. 1 Iowa caucuses. "While other candidates have been largely absent from Iowa in December, Marco is spending time meeting voters and doing what we need to do to succeed in February,” Rubio’s director of communication Alex Conant told ABC News, while taking a swipe at Iowa co-front-runner Ted Cruz, who hasn’t been in the state for nearly a month. Rubio sits at 14 percent in a Dec. 14 Quinnipiac University poll of likely Republican caucus-goers in Iowa, well-behind Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, who both lead him by nearly double. Although in third place in most Iowa polls, Rubio’s numbers have steadily gone up in the state, ABC's JOSH HASKELL reports.

4.

Donald Trump Expects to Win Republican Nomination, 'Otherwise We Wouldn't Be Running'

Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump said he “expected to win” the Republican nomination during an interview with ABC’s JONATHAN KARL. “Otherwise we wouldn't be running," Trump said, adding, "I like to win." Trump acknowledged that when he first entered the presidential race, he didn't expect to sustain such a large lead over his rivals. "It's a very, very big lead, so I didn't think that we would have that," he said.

5.

Half of Voters Would Be 'Embarrassed' By Trump

Fifty percent of American voters say they would be "embarrassed" if Donald Trump were president, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll released this morning, ABC's RYAN STRUYK notes. The current Republican frontrunner, whose 28 percent support in this poll tops his competition for the GOP nomination, would make 23 percent of voters "proud," the poll found. Other recent national polls have found Trump's lead for the GOP nomination at more than 20 percentage points.

The Candidates in a Minute