PM Note: 3 Days to ABC Debate, 14 Years for Blagojevich, Romney Not Subtle With Faith, Family Ad, and the Newt Archive
Good Day Iowa - 3 Days before the ABC / Yahoo / DM Register, WOI, Iowa GOP debate, and 27 days before the caucus, Shush Walshe rounds up everything Iowa: http://abcn.ws/twr4A1
Bad Day for Blago - Gets 14 years, quotes Kipling - Chris Bury was there: http://abcn.ws/umuqY2
Romney's Pivot - A man of "constancy" - A new Romney ad makes no mention of Newt Gingrich, but the theme of constancy, his repeated references to being married once and having one religion bring to mind Gingrich's three wives and three religions. More here from Jon Karl and Huma Khan. http://abcn.ws/vyQEwE
It's a stark move and was predicted yesterday by John Berman, who laid out how the Romney campaign is pivoting to deal with Gingrich. http://abcn.ws/s61GGW
The Forgotten Candidate: Ron Paul Gathers Momentum, Has Sights Set on Newt Gingrich- http://abcn.ws/ve8c0Q
Perry Accuses Obama of "War on Religion" - Rick Perry had his own values and religion ad up today. It attacked President Obama for waging a "war on religion" and criticizes the policy of gay men and women serving openly in the military. http://abcn.ws/u8VBJJ
Perry's ad doesn't mention Romney, but saying "I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a Christian," could be code to some conservative voters about Romney's religion.
Plan B - The decision by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius not to allow Plan B "emergency contraception" on store shelves could have repercussions for Obama with his base. http://abcn.ws/rJqrnI
Gingrich Files for Ohio Ballot After All: http://abcn.ws/udKcRW
Frontrunner - If there was any doubt Newt Gingrich is the Republican frontrunner, take a look at these new early state numbers from Time and CNN
-Newt Gingrich leads Mitt Romney by 13 percent in Iowa, 33% to 20% Paul (17%), Perry (9%), Bachmann (7%)
-Gingrich leads Romney by 23 percent in South Carolina, 43% to 20% Perry (8%), Bachmann (6%), Paul (6%)
-Gingrich leads Romney by 23 percent in Florida, 48% to 25% Paul (5%), Bachmann (3%), Huntsman (3%)
-Gingrich trails Romney by 9 percent in New Hampshire, 35% to 26% Paul (17%), Huntsman (8%)
Full results: http://ti.me/sDAgvw
Newt Archive - Huma Khan charts his road to the top and tumultuous four years as Speaker before unceremoniously leaving the House: http://abcn.ws/shrhof
Nightline Newt Archive - Chris Bury and Cokie Roberts' full episode of Nightline on Newt Gingrich in 1995 is great out of the archive. Part 1 - http://abcn.ws/vgODaD Part 2 - http://abcn.ws/uhxlmM Part 3 - http://abcn.ws/thedVv
Politics and Prose: Top 7 Politicians Moonlighting as Fiction Writers - Newt also inspired us to look at politicians who write fiction. http://abcn.ws/w07mn8
Boehner and Gingrich are Buds - Boehner, who once tried to unseat Gingrich as Speaker, says the two are simpatico - http://abcn.ws/tHotec
Wait, Wait, Don't Nominate Me (It might break the law) - Gingrich and Romney named potential cabinet choices - raising eyebrows with names like John Bolton and potentially running afoul of the law. Matt Negrin reports: http://abcn.ws/t7kEbB
Santorum Says Obama Has Loose Lips - At the time President Obama gained plaudits for appearing cold as ice and joking his way through the White House Correspondents Dinner even as the CIA had Osama bin Laden in its sights. Today Rick Santorum criticized Obama for not keeping Bin Laden kill to himself - http://abcn.ws/sxsrFR
Obama Israel Policy Takes Hits But Unlikely to Alter Jewish Vote - Presidential candidates at the forum took shots at Obama for his policy towards Israel and recent comments made by members of his administration, but that's not likely to sway too many Jewish voters away from the Democratic party. http://abcn.ws/uj8VFs
Holidays on the Hill? For the second time this week President Obama suggested Congress would need to stay in town over the holiday if they can't pass an extension of the payroll tax cut. He would have to cancel his planned annual Hawaiian vacation. Sunlen Miller has the details: http://abcn.ws/vvmnnM
Obama Won't Trade Payroll Tax Cut for Pipeline - Things didn't get any easier today when Obama rejected any attempt to tie the payroll tax credit to the Keystone pipeline. That declaration came, uncomfortably, during a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Reports Devin Dwyer: Republicans insist Obama is playing politics with a project that has strong bipartisan support, including from labor unions, and which would help boost the lagging economy. Harper has also publicly pressured the administration to approve the deal. http://abcn.ws/sTDgJA
Patient Whistleblower Exposes $150 Million Medicaid Fraud - Amy Bingham reports on a real-life David versus Goliath story, a 63-year-old wheelchair-bound Medicaid patient took on the multi-billion-dollar healthcare giant Maxim Healthcare. And he won. Today the House Oversight Committee heard the saga of how Richard West exposed Maxim's widespread Medicaid fraud and helped government officials reclaim millions for the cash-strapped program. http://abcn.ws/s6xRR5
White House Pushes Cordray Nomination Ahead of Senate Vote - Mary Bruce reports: The Senate is set to vote on Cordray's nomination tomorrow, but Republicans have said they will block the former Ohio Attorney General from leading the agency unless it undergoes structural changes. "We want accountability for this agency, which has none today as it's structured," Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., said Tuesday. "This is not about him. It's about the structure of this, a powerful - I think a monster, as far as future regulation, to over- regulate our economy, create more regulations and fewer jobs." http://abcn.ws/rIeEix
The other side on Cordray - GOP Objections to the Consumer Board and White House Non Response - http://abcn.ws/utZWwO
Budget Guru Works to Repair Broken Budget Process - John Parkinson reports that considering the political obstacles of a Democrat in the White House and Democratic majority in the Senate, Paul Ryan is looking for ways around the budget process. http://abcn.ws/sFVyWi
Voters Flee Democratic Party in Swing States - Independents on the rise: http://abcn.ws/sujpXN