Politics

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/22/chris-christie-gingrich-embarrassment_n_1222009.html Chris Christie who is a Romney supporter stated emphatically yesterday that Gingrich is an embarrassment to the party. Do you see a Romney/Christie ticket? I think that is very plausible should Romney get the nomination. But with Gingrich winning South Carolina this fight will go all the way to May unless Florida and the next big state give a decisive win to one or the other.

BREAKING: Gabrielle Giffords Giffords to resign from Congress this week. Watch her statement below and click here for the latest: http://on.msnbc.com/zEb00L

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/21/opinion/carville-republican-disaster/index.html You've got a great letter from James Carville to the GOP. You have to love his approach. And he's absolutely right. Enjoy the superbowl because that's all you will enjoy for a while. . .

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/20/jon-stewart-mocks-newt-gingrich-open-marriage_n_1218582.html If anyone saw the debate last night you saw Newt swing and HIT CNN for daring to ask a question about his ex-wife announcing later that day that Newt asked her for an open marriage. John King handled that so badly he should be removed from any future moderating opportunities. He should have phrased the question in the context of Newt's constant attack on gay marriage as the downfall of society. The link above Jon Stewart takes aim at Newt and of course all of the remaining GOP candidates.

Even though he doesn't think this issue should define his character, I think it should.

It's going to be on NBC tonight at 9 - 11 and will not be shown live on the West coast. That surprises me. But it was a change today to air it tape delayed even though the TV schedules still says "Fear Factor" at 9. These GOP debates are still the best reality TV out there. . . Here is the link for the debate live: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032553/ns/politics/#.Tx4RjJicK4g

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/21/keith-ablow-fox-news-newt-gingrich-marriages_n_1220761.html So the idiot Dr. Keith Ablow on Fox News says that Gingrich's infidelity will make him a better President. That is a stretch to say the least. I think it shows what his character is all about especially since he left both his first two wives when they were very sick. But given how marriage is not taken seriously by most straight people it seems, I suspect that everyone will forgive him except for the extreme religious right who may not. Do you think his infidelities will make him a better President?

Well isn't this interesting. @streitfeldcnn reports that Romney's campaign sent a cake on Saturday to Team Gingrich marking the 15th anniversary of Gingrich's formal reprimand by the House in 1997. See picture of the cake here, per Romney campaign source. And the report they are talking about is the report from Freddie Mac on Gingrich's involvement with the firm.

The exit poll data and the very early vote tally projects that Newt Gingrich will win South Carolina with Mitt Romney coming in second, Santorum in 3rd and Ron Paul in 4th. The vote will be close but CNN and NBC are projecting that Newt will eventually have a single digit % win in SC. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/21/newt-gingrich-win-south-carolina-primary-results_n_1220973.html#liveblog

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/us/politics/obama-to-draw-an-economic-line-in-state-of-union.html?_r=1&hp First, Obama is going to use this State of the Union to kick off his campaign for the year. You can count on that. He will also use this opportunity to draw a fine line between the Democrats and the Republicans. He hopes to paint the Republicans as out of touch with American populist opinion. And if he does it right he has a real chance of sending a great message. Then the Republicans have picked Indiana's Governor, Mitch Daniels to give the Republican response. Watch this: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/the-rachel-maddow-show/46065656 So they think Mitch D…

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/taylor-garrett/gay-republicans-a-defense_b_1217496.html?ref=gay-voices I like the new "Gay Voices" section of The Huffington Post and there are some interesting perspectives. Like this one, a gay republican defending their position of being gay AND republican. An interesting read.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/south-carolina-primary-5-things-to-watch-2012-01-19 Watching these debates and the primaries is the best reality TV there is. I thought this was a good article in how to focus your attention on the South Carolina primary on Saturday. Will the social conservatives rally around Gingrich or Romney? Will the evangelist endorsements of Santorum give him an unexpected advantage? It will be good television. I doubt anyone will drop out until after Florida at this point now that there are four left. Santorum will be the next to go most likely.

This is a great OP-ED on why Obama made the right decision on the oil pipeline delay this week. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/19/opinion/a-good-call-on-the-keystone-xl-oil-pipeline.html?_r=1&ref=opinion

As expected, although a bit earlier than I expected at least, Rick Perry has dropped out of the race and has endorsed Newt Gingrich. http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/19/perry-to-end-bid-for-presidency/?hp And tonight on ABC's Nightline, Newt's second wife drops a few bombshells (or maybe not) about their marriage and I'm sure she is hoping to damage his reputation. I'm sure she feels damaged herself and wants some level of revenge. It makes for interesting theatre. And given his constant barrage of crap against gay marriage how on earth can he look a camera in the lens and not realize how hypocritical he is being.

Will the GOP tradition continue of anointing the runner-up from four years earlier with the nomination? AuH2O got the nod after coming in second to Nixon in '72, Reagan after losing to Ford, McCain after losing to Bush II. Now Romney after losing to McCain? Looks like the base never really gets the candidate it wants, rather the establishment backed 'next in line'. Seems like the primary electorate at-large likes to see their choice make a lap around the track before placing their bet. If this turns out to be the case again then so much for the Tea Party upsetting the apple cart -- at least this time around.

This is a pretty good first ad:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ka0LMt5ciRc This garnered a lot of reaction last night during the debates.

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/15/the-fraud-of-the-tea-party/?ref=opinion Very interesting OP-ED on the fraud of the Tea Party. Of course it is from The New York Times. . .

Republican presidential hopeful Jon Huntsman will drop out of the White House race on Monday and endorse front-runner Mitt Romney, a senior campaign official said.

Why are people caring about anything she says (I guess that begs why I'm I repeating it here?)? Well I'm repeating to show the irony in its stupidity. But in case anyone cares, Snooki would endorse Donald Trump for President should he decide to run. . . She said: "I thought Trump was gonna run. But he's not, right? I would endorse him and vote for him."

Andrew Sullivan, Anglo-Irish Catholic American married gay libertarian conservative [ ], offers a novel take on Obama's long march to a second term. I can't say that I wholly agree with his thesis, but it makes more sense than the usual shrill rhetoric we get from both left and right.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/13/john-edwards-trial-delay_n_1204150.html I wonder if Edwards really has an issue or he is using this as a reason to delay his trial for whatever reason. I'm not sure I'd trust with anything at this point. And that is sad in itself.

Fred Karger, who had lived in Laguna Beach, is the only gay man running for President in the Republican primaries. You don't hear about him because he isn't polling high enough. But he was really proud of his 40% vote total over Michelle Bachmann in the New Hampshire primaries. He tweeted this last night:

OK, this is funny

I thought this was pretty spot on