Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Florida Polls close at 8:00 PM ET - the winner of the Republican presidential primary will likely be determined early as Mitt Romney has opened up a 20 point lead over Newt Gingrich in the latest poll conducted.

The Republican National Committee penalized Florida for holding their primary on January 31 by reducing their number of delegates in half. The winner-take-all primary will now be for 50 delegates instead of 99.

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Will Santorum Continue After Florida? - rumors have increased Rick Santorum will drop out of the race for the Republican Party presidential nomination. His youngest daughter, who has a rare genetic disorder, is presently battling pneumonia and Santorum is currently polling tied or behind Texas Representative Ron Paul. The Washington Post has more here.

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Republicans Plan To Add Keystone XL Pipeline to Infrastructure Funding - ensuring a battle with the White House. Interestingly, Republicans will propose 260 billion for infrastructure funding, something, President Obama wants - the hitch will be various riders to the bill attached by Republicans, including the Canada to Texas Keystone XL Pipeline. Reuters.com has more here.

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Putin Losing Ground in Bid To Win Reelection - Vladimir Putin, the former President of Russia, is struggling in his quest to return to power. His latest efforts have been aimed at vilifying the United States, in hopes this strategy will gain him Russian voter support. Politico.com has more here.

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Diplomatic Pressure Increases For Assad To Step Down - time is running out on Syrian President Assad, even as his troops battle rebels on the outskirts of the capitol. The United Nations, through a Security Council resolution, will attempt to force Assad to step down and provides steps for a transition for democracy in Syria. The NY Times has more here.

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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Romney Widens Lead in Florida - in a new Quinnipiac poll, Mitt Romney has a 14 point lead over Newt Gingrich 43%-29%. Rick Santorum and Rep. Ron Paul (Tex.) are tied for last at 11%.

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Obama To Host Google "Hangout" - today, President Obama will participate with a "chat room" type conversation which includes video. CNN.com has more here.

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Gibbs Reunites with Obama Campaign - former White House press secretary Robert Gibbs has been hired to work as a consultant for the Obama reelection campaign. Politico.com has more here.

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Democrats Hopeful on Taking Back House - At a recent retreat, Democrats are optimistic on the upcoming election. Their "Drive for 25" reflects the number of seats needed by Democrats to regain a majority in the House. RollCall.com has more here.

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Syrian Revolt Spreads to Capitol - in a dramatic change of events, following the departure of Arab monitors, rebels are now on the outskirts of Damascus, where government troops are battling to secure the capitol. The days of President Assad regime may be numbered. The Washington Post has more here.

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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Romney Pulls Ahead in Florida - The Miami Herald/Tampa Bay News poll shows Mitt Romney in the lead with 42%, Newt Gingrich 31%, Rick Santorum 14% and Rep. Ron Paul (Tex.) 6%. You can read more here.

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Cain Endorses Gingrich - not an endorsement the other candidates were hoping for and not clear whether this will help Newt Gingrich much at point - has many saying "birds of a feather, ....". Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain, beset with womanizing accusations before suspending his campaign, formally endorsed Newt Gingrich yesterday. You can read more here.

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Santorum's Daughter Hospitalized - Just days before the Florida primary, Rick Santorum has returned to Pennsylvania to be with his daughter and family. The three year old suffers from a genetic disorder which over half of those born with the disorder do not survive longer than one week following birth. TheHill.com has more here.

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Maryland Governor O'Malley Budget Under Scrutiny - a new Washington Post poll shows Democratic Governor Martin O'Malley has slipped to an overall 55% approval rating in a state dominated with democratic voters. Not surprisingly, his proposals to increase the gas tax and sales tax are not viewed favorably. The Washington Post has more here.

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IAEA Inspectors In Iran - for a three day visit to attempt to resolve whether Iran is advancing efforts to obtain nuclear weapons. The International Atomic Energy Agency visit comes as tensions have risen between Iran and the West with Iran threatening to close the Straight of Hormuz. Reuters.com has more here.

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Sunday Morning "Talking Heads" Lineup

George Wenschhof



Politico.com has a quick preview above.

Mitt Romney is the only Republican candidate to not make an appearance on one of the Sunday morning shows preceding the Florida primary on Tuesday. Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum and Rep. Ron Paul (Tex.), who are all trailing Romney in recent polls, have to hope an appearance on Sunday will help swing some votes their way on Tuesday.

Budget talk and push back from Republican leaders to the State of The Union Address by President Obama is guaranteed with House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Budget committee chair Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.).

National Political Party chairs; Reince Priebus (R) and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Shultz (D-Fla.) square off and Obama political strategist David Axelrod, a regular of the Sunday morning shows, also makes an appearance.

Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.), who is supporting Romney, is paired with Fred Thompson, a Gingrich supporter.

Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, a former Republican presidential candidate also appears along with Donald Trump, who toyed with getting in the race.

Below is a list of the guests:

NBC "Meet The Press" - Rick Santorum, Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.), Fred Thompson, David Axelrod.

Roundtable with Joe Scarborough, Doris Kearns Goodwin and Chuck Todd.

CBS "Face The Nation" - DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, RNC chair Reince Priebus. Donald Trump, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.), and Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.).

Roundtable with Marc Caputo, Scott Conroy, and John Dickerson.

ABC "This Week" - Newt Gingrich and House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio).

Roundtable with George Will, Austan Goolsbee and Laura Ingraham.

CNN "State of The Union" - Rep. Ron Paul (R-Tex.), Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R- Ky.), Carlos Guiterrez and LA Mayor Antonio Villarairgosa.

Fox News Sunday - Newt Gingrich and Rep. Ron Paul (R-Tex.).

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Obama Weekly Address

George Wenschhof



President Obama continues with his theme of Congress needing to work together to build an economy built to last. He asks Americans to contact their Congressmen urging them to end the gridlock in Washington and to pass bills he proposed in his State of The Union Address.

Specifically Calling for bills requiring judicial and public service nominees to receive an up or down vote within 90 days of nomination and to ban lawmakers from insider trading.

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Republican Weekly Address

George Wenschhof



Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio criticized President Obama for making the economy worse and said the President was using "divisive rhetoric" by calling for higher taxes on the wealthy.

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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Romney Gains in Florida - a Quinnipiac poll released today shows Mitt Romney beginning to pull away from the pack with 38% with Newt Gingrich, after an initial surge, dropping nine points back at 29%. Texas Rep. Ron Paul has 14% and Rick Santorum is at 12%. Quninnipiac.com has more here.

The debate last night and recent comments blasting Newt Gingrich from former Majority Leader Bob Dole, should help Romney solidify his lead. If, Santorum finishes last in Florida on Tuesday, the pressure for him to drop out will be intense.

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4th Quarter Economic Growth Highest in 11/2 Years - the U.S. gross domestic product grew at 2.8% in the fourth quarter, up from 1.8% of the preceding three quarters. The Federal Reserve has estimated growth this year to fall between 2.2% and 2.7%. Reuters.com has more here.

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Obama Concludes Swing State Tour - the president will head home to D.C. after delivering a speech in Ann Arbor, Michigan on education. Obama will speak later in the day to House Democrats in Cambridge, Maryland where they are holding a retreat.

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Gillibrand Offers Insider Trading Bill - the senate is expected to vote on the bill next week. It is co-sponsored by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.). President Obama called for this bill to be passed in his SOTU Address. TheHill.com has more here.

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Florida CNN GOP Debate Reactions

George Wenschhof

TPM.com has their Debate in 100 Seconds Below:



No question Mitt Romney scored the victory on this one as an undisciplined Newt Gingrich was all over the place.

Santorum did better for himself, nailing Romney on his Massachusetts health care plan being the same as the plan passed by the Obama administration - problem was Mitt's defense of his plan sounded better - hm...

Paul remains more of an entertaining factor in the debates with no chance of securing the Republican Party nomination.

Other reactions:

7 Takeaways from Politico.com here.

Mark Halperin of Time.com here.

The Washington Post "The Fix" here.

TheHill.com here.

5 Things We Learned from CNN.com here.

The Obama reelection campaign continues to smile.

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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Obama Approval Ratings Rise - the NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll has Obama approval rating at 48% and disapproval at 46%. Ratings improved in three major categories: country headed in the right direction 30% up from 22%, handling of the economy 45% up from 39%, and believe economy is getting better 37% up from 30%. The Wall Street Journal has more here.

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CNN GOP Florida Debate Tonight - from 8:00 - 10:00 PM ET, the four remaining Republican contenders will face off in Florida. The latest CNN/Time/ORC poll shows Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich essentially tied with Romney at 36% and Gingrich 34%. Rick Santorum is far behind at 11%, Rep. Ron Paul 9% with 7% undecided. CNN.com has more here.

Look to see Santorum be the next to drop out following the Florida primary on January 31, endorsing Gingrich.

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Federal Reserve Likely To Buy Bonds - chairman Ben Bernanke stated interest rates would likely remain at historic low rates through 2014. To stimulate a sluggish economy, the federal reserve is also poised to invest in securities. Reuters.com has more here.

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Obama Sounding Confident on Swing State Tour - away from D.C. and in the field, the president is sounding confident following his State of The Union Address. Politico.com has more here.

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Americans Banned From Leaving Egypt - tensions remain high as the country lurches toward democracy. The current Military led government has responded in an angry manner to international rights organizations in country aiding the move to democracy. One of the Americans kept from leaving the country was the son of Ray LaHood, U.S. Transportation Secretary. The Washington Post has more here.

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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Solid SOTU Speech Frames Reelection Campaign - President Obama used his bully pulpit to highlight themes to be used in his reelection campaign. Building an economy built to last for the middle class, ending the unpopular war in Iraq and winding down the one in Afghanistan, to battling a do-nothing Congress, the death of Bin Laden and Gaddafi and the need to work together on moving America forward were all themes sure to be hear throughout the year from the Obama campaign. Text of Speech is here.

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels gave the Republican response and framed Obama as a "pro-poverty" president. Thought is increasing among Republican leaders to convince Daniels to enter into the Republican presidential primary.

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Obama Begins Tour of Swing States - immediately following his SOTU speech, the President will travel to Arizona, Iowa, Colorado, Michigan and Nevada over the next three days.

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SEALS Rescue Hostages - on his way to the podium, last night, President Obama stopped and said to defense secretary Leon Panetta "good job". What no one knew at that time was he was referring to a rescue operation conducted by Navy SEAls, freeing two hostages held by Somali pirates. One, was an American woman and the other a Danish man. CNN.com has more here.

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Romney-Gingrich Tied In Florida - the latest Quinnipiac poll has Romney at 36%, Gingrich 34%, Santorum 13% and Paul 10%. A Time/CNN/ORC poll will be released today at 4:00 PM. TheHill.com has more here.

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Who will Take Gifford's Seat - it was a touching moment last night when President Obama gave Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) a big hug prior to delivering his SOTU Address. Her resignation will be official today.

Some of the Democrats considering running for the seat are state senate minority whip Linda Aboud, state Rep. Steve Farley, and businesswoman Nan Stockholm Walden.

Republican names being floated are state senators Frank Antenori and Dave Sitton.

Democratic Party leaders are hopeful an endorsement from Giffords will help them keep what was considered a "safe" seat in the House. RollCall.com has more here.

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One Year Anniversary of Egyptian Revolution - Tahrir Square was full one year after the start of the revolution which resulted in the ouster of President Mubarak. You can read more here.

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First Reactions To Florida GOP Debate

George Wenschhof

Mitt Romney did the expected and came out whaling against rival Newt Gingrich. Newt responded in kind and the result was neither candidate came across well. Lost, in the verbal sparring between Mitt and Newt, was Texas Representative Ron Paul and Rick Santorum.

The winner in the Republican presidential primary to date continues to be President Obama.

Today, a Washington Post/ ABC News poll measuring all important favorability; shows Obama at 53%, Romney at 31% and Gingrich at 29%. Even more important, Romney's negative rating among Independents, who are a critical voting block, is up 17 points since a January 7 survey. ABC News has more here.

Following are some links to first reactions to last night's debate:

Josh Marshall of TPM.com "Quick Reax" here.

Mark Halperin of Time.com grades the candidates here.

Politico.com "6 Takeaways" here.

Aaron Blake of The Washington Post adds his thoughts here.

NY Times "Tampa, Fla Debate Fact Check" here.

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George Wenschhof

Florida GOP Debate Tonight - aired beginning at 9:00 PM ET by NBC News and moderated by Brian Williams and Tampa Bay Times political editor Adam Smith. You can read more here.

This should be interesting to watch after three separate winners in the first three contests. After, reluctantly agreeing to participate in two debates this week, Mitt Romney has signaled he will no longer be Mr. Nice Guy and will attack Newt Gingrich on his many shortcomings. Romney will also release his tax returns.

Gingrich, on the other hand will continue to attack Romney on his actions as head of Bain and for being too "liberal".

Rick Santorum, who came in a weak third in S. Carolina, has to hope he can have a moment similar to Gingrich's response to CNN John King's question about his ex-wife. It remains very doubtful Ron Paul could make it four separate winners in the first four state caucuses and primaries.

Meanwhile, the Obama reelection campaign is smiling.

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Gingrich Leads in Florida in Latest Poll - a poll released by Insider Advantage shows Newt Gingrich in front of Mitt Romney by 8 points; 34%-26%. Rep. Ron Paul has 13% and Rick Santorum 11%. You can read more here.

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State of The Union - Obama's Turn - the Republican presidential candidate primary campaign has made it easier in some ways for the President to clearly delineate the differences.

In a preview video sent to supporters, president Obama said “We can go in two directions. One is toward less opportunity and less fairness. Or we can fight for where I think we need to go: building an economy that works for everyone, not just a wealthy few.”

43-52 million viewers will tune in to listen to what President Obama has to say tomorrow evening. Politico.com has more here. And, The Washington Post has a good read here.

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Giffords Resignation Triggers Special Election - the resignation by Representative Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.). announced yesterday, will trigger a special election for the seat as well as the general election this year.

Governor Jan Brewer (R) will likely set the primary election to be held in April, followed by the general election in June. Afterward, the district will be reconfigured for the 2012 election with the primary scheduled in August. You can read more here.

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Egypt Parliament Holds Session - the opening session of the first elected parliament following the ouster of President Mubarak was held today. The first matter of business is to elect a 100 member commission to write a constitution to be put before voters in a referendum. presidential elections are scheduled to take place in June, when the Generals are expected to step down. You can read more here.

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Arab League Says Syrian President Assad Should Step Down - the Arab League will keep monitors in Syria for another month and would like to see Assad step down in favor of a unity government. Reuters.com has more here.

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First Thoughts on S. Carolina Primary Results

George Wenschhof

One thing is certain, and that is my thoughts the Republican primary would quickly end after Florida, with Mitt Romney, the nominee, were wrong.

With a strong 14 point win in South Carolina, Newt Gingrich has now made the January 31 Florida a battleground state for the Romney campaign. One would think the Gingrich campaign should send a thank you to CNN S. Carolina Debate moderator John King, who started out the debate with a question about Newt's ex-wife.

Although Rick Santorum came in third with 17%, he and Texas Representative Ron Paul 13%, will stay on to cause further consternation in the Republican presidential race.

The problem the Republican Party has at this point is none of their four candidates can beat President Obama. This realization comes, even with the economy continuing to be the number one issue of voters.

The Republican candidate battle to wear the "conservative" crown also highlights the silliness of politics today. Instead of focusing on how to bring Americans together with ideas on how to solve problems we all face today and move forward, the effort to date has been divisive and poisonous; driving Americans against each other.

All of which only serves to continue the obstructionist style of politics witnessed in Washington today.

It is painfully obvious Romney just doesn't have the magical "it", Gingrich has more baggage than a fully loaded 747 airliner, Santorum looks like a confused college student and Paul? - well, he is in a universe all his own.

Speculation is earnest, another candidate will come forward, perhaps Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, who gives the Republican response to President Obama's State of The Union address this week.

All of which continues to put a smile on the Obama reelection campaign.

Some thoughts of others follows:

First reactions from Josh Marshall TPM.com here. He continues to believe Romney will be the eventual GOP nominee - I agree, providing another candidate does not enter the contest.

Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post has his "five lessons learned from S. Carolina debate" here.

Politico.com has "South Carolina primary results - 9 Takeaways" here.

CNN.com adds their "5 Things we learned from South Carolina primary" here.

Jeff Zeleny of The NY Times adds his take here.

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Sunday Morning "Talking Heads" Lineup

George Wenschhof

On Sunday, most of the discussion will focus on the outcome of the Republican primary in S. Carolina today. Rick Santorum will appear on two of the morning political talk shows, hoping he had a good showing in S. Carolina. In addition, some of the "usual suspects" from S. Carolina such as Rep. James Clyburn (D) and Senators Lindsey Graham (R) and Jim DeMint (R) will be guests on the morning shows.

Other notables include House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), who is battling to stay in his position, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (R), a Romney supporter and Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour (R), one who considered running for president who is currently catching heat for pardons he recently issued.

Unfortunately, for Santorum, Gingrich is receiving the latest "surge" vote, meaning Santorum could well end up last behind Texas Representative Ron Paul.

If, Santorum does come in last, he will need to reassess staying in the race. Santorum also has a problem with his appearance. He comes across looking like a college student and hardly presidential.

A win by Newt Gingrich in S. Carolina, followed by Santorum withdrawing and endorsing Gingrich would change the dynamics in the republican primary. Florida would suddenly become a tough state for Romney to win, even with his money and organization.

Politico.com has a quick video preview of the morning shows below:



Below is a list of the Guests:

NBC "Meet The Press" - Gov. Chris Christie (R-N.J.). Roundtable with Joe Scarborough, Mike Murphy, Katty Kay, and Chuck Todd.

CBS "Face The Nation" - Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Gov. Haley Barbour (R-MI). Roundtable with Joe Klein, John Dickerson and Kelly Evans.

ABC "This Week" - Rick Santorum. Roundtable with George Will, Matthew Dodd, Ron Brownstein, and Katrina vanden Heuvel.

CNN "State of The Union" - Rick Santorum, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.)

Fox News Sunday - House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio)

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Obama Weekly Address

George Wenschhof

President Obama discusses the moves he has made without the help of Congress to grow the economy and create jobs. In his State of The Union Address next week, the president will provide his blueprint for building a strong and lasting economy.



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Republican Weekly Address

George Wenschhof



Representative Jeb Hensarling ( R-Tex.) delivers the Republican weekly address, using his time to highlight the upcoming State of The Union Address to be given by President Obama. Hensarling says it is time for truth telling by the President "and the sad truth is that the president's policies are making our economy worse."

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GOP CNN Debate Reviews

George Wenschhof

Newt Gingrich, displaying his feisty side, essentially won the debate at the very start when he admonished CNN moderator John King for asking about remarks made by his second wife. The conservative audience, showing a disdain for the media, gave him huge applause for his remarks.

Mitt Romney held his own, except for explaining why he will not release his tax returns until April. Romney was able to effectively question why Republicans were attacking him for being a successful businessman. Look to see the date Romney releases his tax returns moved up if Newt wins S. Carolina on Saturday.

Rick Santorum managed to get in a few digs on Gingrich, especially in regard to the Congressional Banking scandal, which took place during the years Gingrich served in Congress, but otherwise, was outclassed by the other candidates. Texas Representative Ron Paul had his moments, but said nothing of significance to rise above the other candidates.

Public Policy Polling released a two day poll today which shows Gingrich at 35%, Romney at 29%, with Paul and Santorum at 15%. You can read the full results here.

While, Santorum had his best debate to date, look to see him drop out after S. Carolina and endorse Gingrich - Especially, if he finishes fourth behind Ron Paul. A win in S. Carolina and the endorsement of Santorum would give Gingrich the anti-Romney boost needed for him to seriously compete in the Florida primary at the end of the month.

Mark Halperin of Time.com has his candidate grades here.

Politico.com has 6 Takeaways here.

Chris Cillizza of The Washington Post has his winners and losers here.

and CNN.com has five things they learned from debate here.

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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Unemployment Claims Drop to 4 Year Low - the Labor Department reports claims fell 50,000 to the lowest level since April of 2008. Reuters.com has more here.

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GOP Presidential Candidate Debate Tonight - 4 Candidates Remain as Perry Drops Out - will a desperate Newt Gingrich continue his vicious attacks on Mitt Romney? The debate comes just days before the S. Carolina primary to be held Saturday. It begins at 8:00 PM ET and will be hosted by John King.

Texas Governor Rick Perry polling poorly in S. Carolina will announce this morning he was dropping out of the race. Stay tuned to see if Perry will endorse.
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Gingrich Closes in on Romney in S. Carolina - Politico.com reports in a poll released today, Newt Gingrich is at 30%, just 7 points behind Mitt Romney who received 37%. Texas Representative Ron Paul has 11%, Rick Santorum 10% and Texas Governor Rick Perry 4%. Politico.com has more here.

The Evangelical support for Santorum did not appear to help him and you can color Perry gone after the S. Carolina primary on Saturday (Perry announced he was dropping out this morning).

Gingrich and Santorum have to be hoping the supporters of Perry will go their way. It is more likely, they will be split.

Let's see if ABC Nightline airs the interview with Gingrich wife number two, and if so, if it has any affect on the results in the primary Saturday.

If, Romney win the S. Carolina primary, it could all be over after the Florida primary scheduled for the end of this month.

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Iowa Caucus Results in Question - certification, (sort of-see below) will come today and show Rick Santorum with a 34 vote lead over Mitt Romney. Romney was declared the winner by 8 votes on the night of the caucuses.

However, results from 8 caucuses are missing and will never be certified. TheHill.com has more here.

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Obama Announces Keystone XL Pipeline Decision - in a widely expected announcement, the president said he will not be able to approve the project in the narrow two month window given him by Congress when they passed the two month payroll tax extension.

TPM.com has a good read here on how Republican angling led to the president rejecting the project. Obama had previously delayed a decision, wanting more study before making a decision after the politics of an election year.

The Washington Post has a good read here on Five Myths About The Keystone XL pipeline.

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Pakistan Supreme Court Gives Prime Minister Two Weeks To Respond - at issue is the Supreme court's desire to proceed with old charges of corruption against Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari. Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has two weeks to present his defense of contempt of court charges. You can read more here.

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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Walker Recall Election Underway - One million signatures turned in on Tuesday by Democrats makes the recall a reality for incumbent Wisconsin Governor Republican Scott Walker. Targeted for his anti-union busting legislation, the governor will now face a special election. Democrats are likely to have a primary to determine their candidate to face Walker. TPM.com has more here.

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Romney Needs To Release Tax Returns Now - hoping to put off disclosure until after his receives the Republican Party nomination, Mitt Romney has given fodder to his Republican opponents and the Obama reelection campaign. His off hand disclosure he has only paid 15% taxes, will not sit well with working men and women across the country. Politico.com has more here.

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Obama Ponders Raising Taxes on 250K or 1 Million Earners - in his upcoming budget, President Obama will be proposing raising taxes, the question will be on whom? TheHill.com has more here.

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O'Malley To Propose Tax Increase on $100,000+ Earners - taking another page from the President Obama administration manual, the Maryland Democratic Governor and chair of the Democratic Governors Association is proposing a tax on workers making more than $100,000 to pay for the state's budget shortfall. The Washington Post has more here.

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Pakistan Rejects Visit by U.S. Envoy - another sign the stability in the country is fragile, at best. The relationship with the U.S., an ally, has been strained as the U.S. has continued to use Drones to attack Taliban militants in Pakistan. This comes, as the military, the civilian government, and courts are battling over who is in charge. Reuters.com has more here.

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First Thoughts on S.Carolina GOP Debate

George Wenschhof

While, Mitt Romney was the brunt of attacks all night, he remains the front runner. Newt Gingrich fared better than Rick Santorum in the contest to win the "conservative" vote. Texas Governor Rick Perry came across better and got in a good question as to when Romney is going to release his tax returns. But, Perry's days as a candidate are numbered. Texas Representative Ron Paul, remains a moon beam candidate, who has no chance to capture the Republican Party nomination for president.

In case you missed it, TPM.com has a 100 Second Highlight below:



Mark Halperin of The Page has his debate grades here.

Chris Cillizza of The Washington Post has his winners and losers here.

Politico.com has 8 takeaways from the debate here.

Michael Shear of the NY Times points out "time is running out for Romney's rivals" here.

President Obama continues to be the winner in the Republican presidential debates to date - his reelection campaign team has to be smiling.

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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Obama celebrates Martin Luther King Day with Community Service - the President and First Family will participate in a community service project in the D.C. area today. A tradition started as a way to honor Martin Luther King's legacy. TheHill.com has more here.

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Huntsman Drops Out and Endorses Romney - a move I expected following a disappointing third place finish in New Hampshire. Republican Jon Huntsman will make the announcement at a press conference from Myrtle Beach, S. Carolina this morning. You can read more here.

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S.C. State Senator Tom Davis Endorses Paul - furthering damaging the prospects of a win by Rick Santorum in the S. Carolina primary. Davis is a fiscal conservative with tea party support. CNN.com has more here.

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Romney Leads Latest National Poll - A Fox News Poll of the republican presidential candidates has Romney at 40%, Santorum 15%, Gingrich 14%, Paul 13%, Perry 6% and Huntsman at 5%. You can read more here.

Look to see Texas Governor Rick Perry be the next one to drop out, most likely following a disappointing finish in the S. Carolina primary.

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Pakistan Issues Contempt Order Against Prime Minister Gilani - adding more intrigue to an already volatile condition. Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has refused judicial orders to begin government prosecution against President Asif Ali Zardari on an old money laundering case.

The struggle for control of Pakistan between the government, military and the judicial system is one to keep an eye on. The Washington Post has more here.

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City of Frederick Hotel – What’s The Rush?

George Wenschhof

The idea for a hotel and convention center located in downtown Frederick is hardly a new one and actually dates back over thirty years to the days when Democrat Ron Young was mayor of The City of Frederick, Maryland.

Today, the absence of coordination and defined purpose for the project put forth by City of Frederick Republican Mayor Randy McClement threatens to derail a potential crown jewel project. This project could serve as an anchor, alongside the bustling Carroll Creek development, further strengthening an already vibrant downtown.

Muddying the future of a downtown hotel has been an unfortunate series of recent events ranging from a bungled request for a lobbyist, a signing of a poorly communicated memorandum of understanding and the floating of the idea of raising the hotel tax from three to five per cent.

Determining the feasibility, where to locate it and how to pay for it would all seem like reasonable steps to follow before proceeding haphazardly on a project of this magnitude.

After the feasibility of the project is determined, what is needed for a project of this significance is to hold open discussion on what role the city should take (partnership role and with whom, whether to purchase site, providing some level of funding, waiver of permitting fees, reduced taxes, etc.), allowing for public input, leading to consensus on the way to proceed.

A task force appointed by the mayor has done a lot of solid work, only to have its efforts soiled by these latest series of events.

The unsubstantiated request for a lobbyist by City of Frederick Republican mayor Randy McClement received intense public criticism, including from this writer, and according to several sources, the lobbyist has withdrawn his request, illustrating the inappropriateness of the request.

The rush to sign a memorandum of understanding, which took place at the last mayor and board meeting, left many wondering why this was needed now and what, if any, obligations were attached to it.

What followed, was the announcement by Democratic state delegate Galen Clagett (District 3-a) asking the Tourism Council of Frederick County to support his intention to file a bill to increase the hotel tax in Frederick County, raising an estimated $700,000 annually.

In a lengthy interview, Clagett informed me of his intention, saying he believed the city should own the land where the hotel would be built. He added he further believed future hotel tax funds received after the hotel site was paid, could be used for the construction of an aquatic center located in the recently acquired city park land, and a theater in the round on a portion of Carroll Creek.

All wonderful ideas, but apparently put forward without support. During a telephone interview with Democratic state senator Ron Young (District 3), he said ”asking county hotels to pay for competition against them does not make sense and he would not support it.” Young added he did not believe the other city delegate; Republican Pat Hogan would be in favor of raising the tax either, making it unlikely the county state delegation would support the idea.

Also, left out in the rush to push a raise in the county hotel tax were a discussion and a vote of approval by the mayor and board on the idea. Let’s not forget city voters may not like the idea of buying land for a hotel at a time when city coffers are strained.

Young said he strongly supports the construction of a downtown hotel and still believes a convention center would also work, but other funding sources need to be considered.

The updated feasibility study and the memorandum of understanding is needed to request a one million grant from the state stadium authority.

It would appear the board of directors of The Tourism Council would be wise to delay a vote of support on the increase of the Frederick County hotel tax.

The mayor’s executive assistant; Josh Russin explains the mayor wants to move forward on this project in this term and roughly spelled out the process the mayor wished to follow. Russin indicated the needed economic update of the feasibility study will be received in March.

Included in the process Russin sent me, was a Request For Information (RFI), which would be utilized to identify the land the hotel would be built on. Interested owners of appropriate parcels of land located downtown could submit their property for consideration. A “to be determined” rank and review criteria would be used by a city committee who would select the parcel.

Democratic Alderman Karen Young, who was the first to object to the hiring of a lobbyist, said she was concerned about the proposed site selection process, preferring a professional with specific hotel/convention center experience, be utilized to determine the optimum site. She suggested the consultant being used to update the feasibility study be considered to help identify the site, as they are experienced in this field.

She also stressed to me her support of the overall project.

The good news surrounding the concept of a downtown hotel is that much support exists. The Chamber of Commerce and the Tourism Council of Frederick County are two significant organizations who have signaled overall support of the project.

What is needed now is for the mayor to slow the process down and take control of this project. Communicating more effectively with city voters and all parties involved is a must.

First, the update of the feasibility study needs to be received, reviewed and shared with the public. If, this shows the project is doable, the mayor should move forward with his board of alderman, the other stakeholders in this project and the public to determine what role the city will play.

Then, a reasonable timeline to implement the project should be developed.

A project of this size is sure to have lots of intrigue, ranging from politicos wanting to leave a legacy to property owners jockeying to have their site selected.

All the more reason the mayor needs to conduct the process with care and full transparency. This would help ensure a successful project with the greatest benefit for the city and its residents.

Speed is not the issue – doing it right is.

Stay Tuned….

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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Romney Leads By 21 in S. Carolina Poll - the Reuters/Ipsos poll released today shows Mitt Romney with 37%, followed by Ron Paul and Rick Santorum tied at 16%. The lower tier of republican presidential wannabees had Newt Gingrich in fourth place with 12%, Texas Governor Rick Perry at 6% and Jon Huntsman last at 3%. Reuters.com has more here.

The S. Carolina primary is January 21.

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S. Carolina "The State" Newspaper Endorses Huntsman - a plus for the Jon Huntsman campaign struggling for survival in the rapidly approaching primary. The Columbia newspaper said in part "There are actually two sensible, experienced grownups, and while Mr. Romney is far more appealing than any of the other choices, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman is more principled, has a far more impressive resume and offers a significantly more important message." TheHill.com has more here.

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Social Conservatives Back Santorum - yesterday, in a vote held in Texas, the majority of the 150 participants voiced support for Rick Santorum. Coming, a week before the S. Carolina primary, it remains to be seen if this endorsement will give the Santorum campaign a boost. Politico.com has more here.

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Spotlight On Israel Concerning The Role of Women - the NY times has a must read today on how the rights of women is taking center stage in Israel. Read more here.

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UN Chief Says Syria Must Stop Violence - Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in a speech delivered in Beirut said the Arab Spring has shown people will no longer accept tyranny. he urged Syrian President Assad to stop killing his people. You can read more here.

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Sunday Morning "Talking Heads" Lineup

George Wenschhof



Politico.com has a quick video preview of the Sunday morning discussion above.

As one would expect, the discussion will focus on the Republican presidential primary and the next contest in S. Carolina on February 21. Stephen Colbert shows up on ABC "This Week" - is he really running for President?

Below is a list of the morning shows and their guests.

NBC "Meet The Press" - Newt Gingrich, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and Representative Tim Scott (R-S.C.).

ABC "This Week" - Governor Rick Perry(R-Tex.) and Stephen Colbert.

CBS "Face The Nation" - Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum. Senator Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), and Jodi Kantor, author of "The Obamas".

Fox News Sunday - Rick Santorum, Rick Tyler, senior adviser to pro-Gingrich super pac, and Chris Chocola, president of Club For Growth.

CNN "State of The Union" - Governor Rick Perry (R-Texas), Obama campaign strategist David Axelrod, Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.), and Bob Jones III, chancellor of Bob Jones University.

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Obama Weekly Address

George Wenschhof



President Obama continues to push for "insourcing" of jobs. He said he will be proposing tax breaks for businesses who bring jobs home and eliminate tax breaks for companies who send jobs overseas.

The president also promoted his plan to merge six U.S. government trade and commerce agencies.

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Republican Weekly Address

George Wenschhof



Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) says it is time to get moving on the Keystone XL Oil Pipeline project. He purports the pipeline project would help the economy and strengthen national security.

Under the terms of the two month payroll tax extension, President Obama has until February 21 to decide on whether or not to approve the project.

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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Obama Requests 1.2 Trillion Increase in Debt Limit - the expected move, a result of an earlier negotiated debt ceiling increase. Republicans in congress forced this one to come in an election year, hoping it would damage the president. TheHill.com has more here.

Under, the earlier reached deal, this increase can only be blocked if both the House and Senate reject it. Unlikely, with a Democratic controlled Senate. If, Congress blocked it, President Obama can veto.

In spite of Republican bluster, do not look to see this debt ceiling increase stopped.

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Obama Proposes To Shrink Government - In a move timed to overshadow the request for a 1.2 Trillion debt ceiling raise. The president wants to merge six trade and commerce agencies resulting in savings of 3 Billion over ten years. One thousand jobs would be lost if the merger took place. The Washington Post has more here.

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Americans Want Obama, Not Republicans To Set Course For U.S. - the latest Gallup poll shows Americans want Obama to set the direction the country takes over the next year. Obama received 46% and Republicans 42%. Gallup.com has more here.

This comes after a Gallup poll showing 40% of Americans viewed themselves as conservatives, 35% as moderates and only 21% as liberal.

The two polls would seem to indicate moderates are breaking for Obama. Voters the president will need to win reelection.

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U.S. Warns Iran on Straight of Hormuz - the Obama administration has communicated with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that closing the Hormuz straight is a red line and would provoke a response. The NY Times has more here.

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Pakistan Prime Minister Fears Army Coup - the political situation in Pakistan is as bad as it gets with a panicked Prime Minister Yousuf Reza Gilani asking Britain for help. You can read more here.

The Supreme Court, defying orders from the government has also opened charges against President Asid ali Zardari. All of which has led former President Musharraf, in self imposed exile in Britain, to announce he will return to Pakistan for the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Stay tuned...

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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Unemployment Claims Up - so much for the good news ringing in the new year. The latest figures from the U.S. Labor Department indicate filings had risen to a six week high, further illustrating the economy remains fragile. Reuters.com has more here.

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Obama Campaign Raises 68 Million Last Quarter - anyone for campaign finance reform? 42 million was raised for the campaign, 25 million for the Democratic National Committee and 1 million for state parties in key states.

Overall, the Obama campaign raised over 220 million in 2011. in contrast, the Republican frontrunner; Mitt Romney's campaign raised 56 million in 2011.

The Obama campaign raised 750 million for the 2008 election, fueling speculation one billion will be raised for the 2012 election. You can read more here.

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Red, White and Blue Fund To Spend 600K To Support Santorum in S. Carolina - the super-pac will spend the money on ads supporting Rick Santorum in the state.

CNN.com has more here.

Anyone for campaign finance reform?

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Bolton Endorses Romney - former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton has endorsed Mitt Romney for president.

“I think Gov. Romney is the person who can best lead the party, best articulate our conservative principles and is most likely to beat Barack Obama.”

Politico.com has more here.

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Romney-Bain and the Republican Party - interestingly, it was Romney's statement "I enjoy firing people" which has drawn the most attention in the Republican primary to date. Leading candidates trailing the eventual Republican nominee to criticize Romney for his capitalistic statement.

Newt Gingrich reacted by saying “I think, there's a real difference “between people who believed in the free market and people who go around, take financial advantage, loot companies, leave behind broken families, broken towns, people on unemployment”.

Problem is, this has been a long time Republican Party mantra. It makes for interesting times when you have a Newt Gingrich, who is battling for the conservative vote in S. Carolina, take a Democratic Party position on an issue.

It is doubtful attacking Romney over firing people will win you votes from the conservative voters in S. Carolina.

Democratic party operatives have to be smiling....

E.J. Dionne Jr. has a good read in The Washington Post today.

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Keystone XL Pipeline - The Next Battle - the agreement on the two month payroll tax extension included a provision President Obama decide within the 60 days on whether to move forward on the controversial pipeline.

Republican leaders plan to exploit the split between Obama backers. Union leaders say the project will create jobs while environmentalists say the project is fraught with problems.

TheHill.com has more here.

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U.S. Needs To Stay Focused On Pakistan - a critical country and fragile ally in a world region beset by change. Who's in charge is the volatile question to be decided.

The NY Times has an excellent editorial here.

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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Romney Hard To Beat - after back to back wins in Iowa and New Hampshire, it is clear Mitt Romney will be difficult to beat in the race for the Republican Party nomination for President. On top of a solid (39%) win in New Hampshire, the Romney campaign reported raising 25 million in the last quarter of 2011.

While Romney is downplaying his chances of winning the next Republican primary in S. Carolina, reminding everyone he came in fourth there last time, all of the other candidates staying in the race will benefit Romney.

Santorum's hope for a bounce after a close second showing in Iowa turned out to be a thud as he finished fifth (9.3%) in New Hampshire finishing closely behind Newt Gingrich (9.4%) as they battle for the conservative mantel.

Texas Governor Rick Perry should have stuck with dropping out after Iowa, finished with less than 1% of the vote, banking on a good showing in S. Carolina.

Huntsman finished a weak third with 17% and should have dropped out. Instead, he said the showing was a "ticket to ride" to S. Carolina, where he is likely to fare as Perry did in New Hampshire.

Ron Paul, by finishing second with 23% continues to be an annoyance, who has no chance of securing the Republican Party nomination.

If, Romney wins conservative S. Carolina on the 21st, it will be hard to stop him. At this point, none of the other candidates are positioned to stop Romney, leading the anti-Romney folks to scramble for another candidate.

Meanwhile, the Obama campaign is smiling.

Stay Tuned....

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Obama Hosts "Insourcing Jobs Forum" - today, at the White House, President Obama will hold a forum with business leaders and experts to discuss what can be done to insource jobs to America. WhiteHouse.gov has more here.

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Maryland General Assembly Opens Session - away we go on a 90 day session sure to garner the attention of voters. Raising taxes, especially the gas tax and Democratic Governor O'Malley's push to pass gay marriage in Maryland will surely catch the ire of some voters in the state. Also, the controversial PlanMaryland, implemented by the governor by executive order along with proposed limits to home construction with septic systems will also receive discussion. The Washington Post has a good preview of the session here.

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First Lady Denies White House Feuds - in response to a book out by NY Times reporter Jodi Kantor who wrote Michelle Obama was often at odds with advisers to the president. She said she is tired of being portrayed as "some kind of angry black woman". The NY Times has more here.

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Car Bomb Kills Iran Nuclear Scientist - Iran has blamed Israel for the attack, ratcheting up the tension surrounding the fear Iran is developing a nuclear arms program. Reuters.com has more here.

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Pakistan Fires Defense Minister - adding to the turmoil in this nuclear armed country. Tensions between the army and government remain high as parliamentary elections in March near. You can read more here.

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Arab Monitor Resigns and Leaves Syria - expressing his dissatisfaction of the monitoring process. You can read more here.

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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

First in The Nation Primary Underway - following the caucus in Iowa by one week, New Hampshire voters will participate in an open primary where voters can cast a ballot for candidates in any political party.



The question is now by how much will Mitt Romney win, and who will come in second. His comment at a morning event "I enjoy firing people" will haunt Romney, but not likely to be seen in this election as it came just before the voters go to the polls.

Anything, less than second place and you can say good-bye to the Huntsman campaign. Then, it becomes bragging rights for who claims the conservative mantel between Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum. Texas Governor Rick Perry may surprise with a better showing than expected, but very doubtful. Ron Paul will also be battling for the second place prize, but with no chance of securing the Republican Party nomination, he remains an annoyance.

The next primary in S. Carolina will be significant as the battle for conservative support will be intense and with 11 days to campaign, the candidates will be doing their best to damage each other.

First Results in from New Hampshire from Dixville Notch where nine votes were cast just after midnight. Romney and Huntsman each received 2 votes, Paul and Gingrich each had 1 vote and President Obama won with 3 votes. The voter party registration was 4 Undeclared, 3 Republicans and 2 Democrats.

Stay tuned...


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Romney Leading in Gallup Polls - showing a majority (59%) of conservatives and moderate liberals favor Mitt Romney. Gallup.com has more here.

This follows two days after a Gallup poll showing 6 of 10 believe Romney will win the Republican nomination.

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Daley Out as Chief of Staff - in an expected move, William Daley has resigned and Jack Lew has been named to replace him. Replacing Rahm Emanuel has proven to be difficult for the president and Obama has to hope Jack Lew, who was the OMB Director, will be the answer during an upcoming difficult election year.

Replacing Lew will be difficult as Senate Republicans are angry over the Cordray recess appointment. The Washington Post has more here.

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Supreme Court Hears Texas Redistricting - lost, in the clamor surrounding the republican presidential primary race is how the redistricting in Texas is playing out. Texas received 4 new seats in the House based on the Census and where they will fit in the state and which political party will benefit is at issue. Politico.com has more here.

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Interesting Times at City Hall

George Wenschhof

One has to wonder these days, what is going on in city hall in The City of Frederick, Maryland?

Republican Mayor Randy McClement followed his bizarre scheduling of a city workshop on an ill advised discussion on a vote by mail election, held days before Christmas, with an equally disturbing request for $28,000 to pay for a lobbyist, held just days after the New Year celebration.

Advancing the idea of a hotel/convention center to be built in downtown Frederick is a good idea. It has the support of the Frederick Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Frederick Partnership as well as Frederick Tourism.

In addition, a symbolic memorandum of understanding was reached between the city and county governments; the signing of which was a mere formality. Bipartisan support is also there from the Frederick County state delegation, signaling strong support to assist in obtaining available state funding for the project.

However, once again the Mayor has clearly shown an inability to effectively advance an issue by consistently failing to communicate with his board of aldermen and with the voters who put him in city hall.

The latest request for money to pay for a lobbyist was hastily put together and poorly justified, with the belief the votes were there for quick passage. Interestingly, the lobbyist job duties listed by the mayor were mostly administrative in nature and easily handled by existing staff.

The renegotiation of existing airport leases to bring them to market rate is but one of the administrative duties listed to justify the hiring of a lobbyist. This is a federal requirement for the release of 13.6 million in federal funds for the planned airport expansion. This requirement has been known for some time and the fact this has not been done reflects poorly on the mayor.

With the Frederick county state delegation already on board, a lobbyist is not needed for this project.

Standing in the way of quick approval for the lobbyist request was Alderman Karen Young, who in spite of support from her three Democratic colleagues on the board, cried foul and asked the simple question; “Why was this needed”?

A good question considering the wheels had already been greased for advancement of a hotel/convention center in downtown Frederick.

When I spoke with Alderman Young she told me she had never been talked to in regard to the hiring of a lobbyist. Young has made no secret she is weighing the possibility of running for mayor in 2013. All the more reason Mayor McClement should have spoken to her.

What is needed, more than a lobbyist, according to multiple sources is an update of the feasibility study for the project which was done several years ago. At a cost of around twenty-five thousand, the update is needed to help secure available state funding for the project.

The mayor would be wise to drop the ill advised request for a lobbyist and instead clearly explain the need for an update of the feasibility study, asking for private and public funds to pay for it.

Two years into his first term, Mayor McClement continues to shun the media, refusing to hold press conferences and only communicating with his board of aldermen by holding individual monthly meetings with his executive assistant always present.

This is a less than satisfactory manner, to accomplish anything of merit, for the citizens of Frederick. Instead, his approach has led to many questionable outcomes.

Whether, it was the long dragged out clumsy Request For Proposal for the lease of Harry Grove Stadium which resulted in a less than satisfactory lease for city taxpayers, the lengthy and inconclusive Fraternal Order of Police negotiations, a bicycle path to nowhere on W. Seventh Street, a highly questionable vote by mail proposal, the inability to secure millions in federal funds for the airport expansion and now a unexplainable need for a lobbyist, the mayor continues to fail to exhibit the basic management skills required of his office.

The City of Frederick deserves better leadership - voters should demand it.

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