Newt Camp: Bob Dole Broadside Is ‘Very Weird’
GOP Mayor: Obama Calm During Brewer Exchange
Romney’s Tax Return Nightmare Continues
TPM Livewire
Breaking News & Live Updates★
TPM Editors’ Blog Opinions, Context & Ideas from TPM Editors
Remember
Here's the last time Mitt Romney denied having seen an ad at the center of the campaign debate. That time it was from a Super Pac working on his behalf.
Florida Debate Live Blogging Pt.1
8:11 PM: When's the fighting start?
8:17 PM: Really good answer there.
8:18 PM: Mittdignation!
8:19 PM: Is Newt actually managing to use logic and understatement this time? That's total newtjitsu.
8:22 PM: Okay, this may be a problem for Mitt. He just said he hadn't seen this ad about Gingrich allegedly attacking the Spanish language and doubted it was his. (Here's the ad.) Well, it's his ad and actually have the 'I approve this message' tag at the end.
— Advertisement —
Where Things Stand
Three big dynamics are likely to drive the Florida primary race between now and next the election next Tuesday.
The biggest and most interesting is the growing effort by what we think of as the GOP establishment to knock Newt down hard enough in Florida that he can't get up off the canvas. Bob Dole's seering attack on Newt today and Larry Kudlow's very aggressive interview with Newt tonight on CNBC are the latest examples of the Stop Newt movement. The second dynamic is the $5 million of pro-Newt money from the Adelsons. Does it go toward a ferocious last-minute attack on Mitt? Signs point to yes. The final driving force is tonight's debate, in a primary season where the debates -- nearly 20 of them now -- have had sometimes outsize influence.
The debate starts at 8 p.m. ET. You can follow the debate here in the Editors Blog and on TPM Livewire.
Awwwkward
A local GOP official who witnessed the exchange between Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer and President Obama on the tarmac yesterday gives TPM his different account of the "awkward moment."
What Are The Other 9?
Regarding Bob Dole's broadside against Newt Gingrich, the Gingrich camp's top spox tells TPM at an event in Florida just now: "It's got to be on the top 10 list of the weirdest things he's ever written."
— Advertisement —
The Number That Scares Team Mitt
There's one big fact about the Obama presidency: the US economy has sucked all through it. Who you blame for that is the key to the American political debate. But the reality of the suck is the baseline. The President's approval on the economy has trended down over the course of the last three years.
Read More →Was Brewer an Ambush?
Did Gov. Brewer set the President up? I'm not sure. But I do think she wanted to get in his face. TPM Reader JS has another take.
Consider the possibility that Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer's airport spat with President Obama was anything but ad hoc and instead a cunningly orchestrated - and stunningly effective - tactic to neutralize the President's message of the day.Read More →
Erratic, Reckless, Grandiose
As I've told people a few times: wake me up when the Romney campaign schedules a press call with a psychiatrist. Then I'll know things are getting serious. This anti-Newt mailer sent out by the Romney campaign isn't quite that. But it's close.
The Other Shoe Drops
Former aides of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) charged criminally for campaigning while on state time back when Walker was the county executive in Milwaukee.
— Advertisement —
Arab Spring One Year Later
Images from yesterday's anniversary in Egypt.
Topsy Turvy
The last thirty days in Florida after the jump ...
Read More →Classy
Gov. Brewer (R-AZ) walks up to President on tarmac, picks a fight.
Soylent Green Is People!
Meet the Oklahoma legislator who wants to make sure you're not unwittingly eating "aborted human fetuses."
This Means (Class) War!
TPM's Michael Lester distils a day's worth of reaction to last night's SOTU into a striking 100 seconds.
Newt Pledges Moon Base
Speaking in Florida moments ago, Newt Gingrich pledged to have a permanent US base on the moon by the end of his second term as president.
Speaking for myself, that sounds awesome. But I have to assume Team Romney will grab on to that and mock him like crazy. I don't care how public/private you make it. The budgetary toll of a project like that would have to be massive. And I don't think there are any strong near term business models for doing stuff on the moon.
Damn Close
Here's the trend line of Florida since December 1st. Chart after the jump ...
Read More →Barack/Harry Tag Team?
Senate Dems work on plans to help President Obama put Republicans on the wrong side of the middle class.
Mitt: It's a Bridge Too Far!
Romney tells Univision: "I would love to be able to convince people of that, particularly in a primary in Florida. [But] I don't think people would think I was being honest with them if I said I was Mexican-American."
Awesome
NASA releases new high-def photo of Earth. Wow. See it here.
That Should Settle Things Down
Mayor of town whose police force charged with rampant abuse of Latino residents declares: Let Them Eat Tacos!
Christie Criticized Over Gay Marriage Comments
Black lawmakers in New Jersey have sharply criticized Republican Gov. Chris Christie’s comments on gay marriage.
Day In 100 Seconds: Kiss & Make Up
Tensions are running high in the run up to the final debate before the Florida primary. It’s time for Newt & Mitt to work things out.
Most Recent Latest news stories from TPM reporters
Romney's Tax Return Nightmare Worsens After Errors Found In Financial Disclosure Statements
Mitt Romney released his tax returns to put to bed discussions of his wealth and lack of transparency. Instead, they have only spawned more unanswered questions. Thursday afternoon, the LA Times reported that Romney's tax returns listed 23 funds and partnerships that did not appear on Mitt Romney's personal financial statements -- the disclosure forms candidates are required by federal law to file with the Federal Elections Commission. Romney filed his disclosure forms in August 2011. The timing of this ...Former Walker Aide Copping A Plea In Probe Of Other Ex-Aides
Here is another wrinkle in the charges filed Thursday in the investigation of former aides to Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R), from his time as Milwaukee County Executive: One of them has worked out a plea bargain, and will provide testimony against others in the investigation. The charges were announced Thursday by District Attorney John Chisholm (D). Walker's former deputy chief of staff Kelly Rindfleisch, and former constituent services coordinator Darlene Wink, are charged with illegally raising...Mayor Seems To Contradict Gov. Brewer's Story On Obama Run-In
President Obama didn't exactly walk away from Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) during their disagreement on Wednesday on an airport tarmac near Phoenix, said one of the only people to witness the exchange up close. The president simply began talking to the other two elected officials who were there to greet him. Mayor Scott Smith of Mesa, Ariz., declined to say exactly what he heard Obama and Brewer talk about during their now-infamous tiff next to Air Force One. But the mayor said he was standing right next ...Christie On Gay Marriage: Southern Blacks Would Have Been Psyched To Have Vote On Their Rights
Black lawmakers in New Jersey have sharply criticized Republican Gov. Chris Christie for comparing a ballot referendum on gay marriage to the civil rights movement thusly: "The fact of the matter is, I think people would have been happy to have a referendum on civil rights rather than fighting and dying in the streets in the South." On Thursday, New Jersey Assembly Speaker Sheila Y. Oliver (D) released a statement decrying Christie's comments, saying that he'd "better sit down with some of New Jersey's, ...Day In 100 Seconds: Kiss & Make Up
Tensions are running high in the run up to the final debate before the Florida primary, so it's time for Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney to work out their differences. As any married person will testify, when two people are that close, constant sniping and name calling will never do your relationship any favors. With a long way still to go, what, if anything can be done, to bridge the divide between the two Republican frontrunners?First 3D Cloaking Effect Demonstrated
Not seeing is believing, at least in the case of what's reportedly the world's first demonstrated cloaking of a three-dimensional object. Scientists at the University of Texas in Austin (UT) on Wednesday published a paper in the New Journal of Physics describing how they managed to cloak a 7-inch-long cylinder from every angle from a microwave scanner. The objects can still be seen from the human eye, but the team says they are working on improving the effect to make the objects truly invisible to a...Newt Camp On Dole Freakout: 'Very Weird'
Newt Gingrich's campaign staff are scratching their heads over the strongly-worded missive sent Gingrich's way by Romney backer and ultimate Republican establishment figure Bob Dole Thursday. "It's got to be on the top 10 list of the weirdest things he's ever written," Gingrich spokesperson RC Hammond told TPM at a campaign event in Jacksonville, FL. Dole, who first endorsed Romney back before Christmas, turned both barrels on Gingrich in a long statement today. "I have not been critical of Newt...Obama's Tarmac Tiff Was With Foe Partly Of His Own Making
We may never know exactly what President Obama said to Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) during his trip to the state on Wednesday, but it's clear things didn't go well. What was supposed to be a trip focusing on jobs and innovation a day after the State of the Union instead became a story about finger pointing and who said what to whom during a brief exchange on an airport tarmac.Controversial Tea Party PAC Sets Up Own Super PAC
It seems the people affiliated with the Our Country Deserves Better PAC (a.k.a. the Tea Party Express PAC) -- known for sending much of its money to the GOP consulting firm that created it -- wants to get on the "super PAC" bandwagon. The newly formed Tea Party Express Presidential Campaign super PAC intends to use its funds exclusively to make independent expenditures and raise funds "in unlimited amounts from individuals, corporations, labor organizations and/ or other political committees," treasurer ...Two Former Walker Aides Charged With Fundraising On Government Time
Two more people have been charged in the investigation of former aides to Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R), from his time as Milwaukee County Executive -- including the person whose original alleged misconduct appears to have set off the whole business to begin with. The charges were announced Thursday by District Attorney John Chisholm (D). Walker's former deputy chief of staff Kelly Rindfleisch, and former constituent services coordinator Darlene Wink, are charged with illegally raising money while in...Top Defense Dem: GOP Must Blink First To Avoid Pentagon Cuts
Despite a brewing panic among Congressional Republicans (and some Democrats) over automatic, across-the-board defense cuts set to kick in on January 1, 2013, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee says those cuts must stand unless and until Republicans relent on their anti-tax absolutism, and agree on a balanced deficit reduction package that includes higher revenue. "The purpose of the sequester is to force us to act to avoid the sequester," Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) told reporters at a ...Mitt Romney Goes After Newt Gingrich's Mental State
Mitt Romney is making the homestretch of the Florida primary race in part a battle over Newt Gingrich's mental state. Greg Sargent snagged a copy of a Romney mailing going out in Florida that paints this in stark terms: Gingrich is "Unethical. Erratic. Reckless." the mailer reads. But this is just the latest in a string of less-than-veiled hits on Gingrich's mental condition coming from Romney surrogates and Romney himself.FTC Commissioner Blasts Facebook, Google Over Privacy Violations
Federal Trade Commissioner Julie Brill publicly blasted Google and Facebook for violating user privacy during her talk Tuesday morning at a cybersecurity forum in Washington D.C., saying the companies "learned it the hard way" from the FTC that they should not change user privacy settings without getting expressed, affirmative approval from users. Ironically, Brill's comments were broadcast live to the Web on Facebook's DC page, which was livestreaming the forum. "We called Facebook out for promises...Newt Gingrich, Space Keynesian
Newt Gingrich's case for boosting federal investments into private sector space projects awkwardly embraces a core tenet of modern liberalism: the belief that government spending can help the economy. "By the end of my second term, we will have the first permanent base on the moon and it will be American," Gingrich said in Florida, explaining that it would entail "commercial near-Earth activities that include science, tourism and manufacturing, because it is in our interest." The former Speaker's...Top Dem Offshoring Expert Smells Something Fishy In Romney's Tax Code
Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) says Mitt Romney will have to make his pre-2010 tax returns available. That may sound like a predictable demand from a partisan Democrat. But it's more than that. Levin may well know more about tax avoidance strategies than anybody in Congress. In his capacity as the Democrats' top investigator he's has made extensive inquiries into the techniques businesses and individuals use, including overseas havens, to hide their money from the IRS. And what Romney's revealed so far...Colbert Mocks Obama's 'Jay Leno In Chief' State Of The Union
It's no surprise Stephen Colbert wasn't satisfied with President Obama's State of the Union address. Perhaps worst of all, it got in the way of Colbert's favorite television show, NCIS: Los Angeles. "We know this country is in deep trouble, but this clown, to him it's all a big joke," Colbert said of Obama, rolling a clip of the president joking about crying over spilled milk.Netflix Downplaying Loss Of Disney Content, Analyst Says
Netflix enjoyed a wave of good press and a bump in its stock yesterday after announcing better than expected fourth quarter 2011 earnings, including $876 million in revenue for the quarter and an additional 220,000 U.S. subscribers to its streaming service. But within the company's statement were a number of caveats, arguably the biggest of which was how Netflix was about to lose a host of popular Disney movies from its library after failing to renew its contract with Starz, which owns the licenses to...Jon Stewart On SOTU: Obama's The 'Tax Credit Oprah'
Jon Stewart on Wednesday took on the best -- and worst -- moments of President Obama's third State of the Union address. First, there was the opening line: I killed Osama bin Laden! It was a bit too early, Stewart said. "Does Rick Springfield open with 'Jessie's Girl'?" Good point. But moving on. Tax credits! For small businesses and clean energy. "He's tax credit Oprah," Stewart said. "You get a tax credit! You get a tax credit! Everybody gets a tax credit!" And then that crying-over-spilled-milk line, ...Today On The Trail: January 26, 2012
Tonight is the GOP's 19th debate, at 8 p.m ET on CNN. Tune in to TPM for live coverage. Here are ten things you need to know. Gingrich a weak match-up against Obama: A new Suffolk University poll shows that Newt Gingrich would not fare well against President Obama in Florida. Mitt Romney leads Obama 47% to 42% in the state, but Obama beats Gingrich by 9 points, 49%-40%. Obama also kills Gingrich among independents 56% to 29%. Marist goes into the Florida field: The college's pollsters started conducting...What Happens After Florida?
So what happens after the Florida primary this Tuesday? If indeed we are all in for a long, drawn-out contest, then the next four contests over the next two weeks could turn out to be crucial -- and could also contain more pitfalls for Mitt Romney. As of this writing, the polling in Florida is a mixed bag -- some surveys show Newt Gingrich taking the lead after his big landslide win in South Carolina, while others have Mitt Romney still holding on. If Newt Gingrich were to win the primary, he would...Editor & Publisher
Managing Editor
Senior Associate Editor
Associate Editor
Assistant Editor
Reporters
News Writers
Video Editor
Research Interns
Christopher Hohmuth
Tom Kludt
Publishing Intern
Christopher O’Driscoll
General Manager & General Counsel
VP, Ad Sales
Manager, Ad Operations and Sales Support
Deputy Publisher
Director of Technology
Designer/Developer
Matthew Wozniak