1.) Gingrich uses logic, reason in debate — If you’re like most people, you look at Election 2012 and only one thought comes to mind: “Gosh darn it, why the heck aren’t these guys having more debates?” It’s like they read your mind! If the idea is to numb us into submission until we don’t even care anymore who the nominee is, it may be working. But we soldier on nonetheless. TheDC’s Jamie Weinstein reports:
“If former House Speaker Newt Gingrich does the impossible and somehow defeats Mitt Romney for the Republican nomination, analysts will look back and say the upset was sparked Monday night at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center… Asked by debate co-moderator Juan Williams whether he could understand why his comments that ‘black Americans should demand jobs, not food stamps’ and that ‘poor kids lack a strong work ethnic’ and perhaps should ‘work as janitors in their schools’ were insulting to Americans — especially African-Americans — Gingrich dismissed the notion out of hand. ‘No, I don’t see that,’ he said bluntly to wild applause… Williams followed up by asking Gingrich to respond to emails that suggested Gingrich intended to ‘belittle the poor and racial minorities’ with his words. ‘Well, first of all, Juan, the fact is that more people have been put on food stamps by Barack Obama than any president in American history,’ Gingrich responded to more cheers. ‘Now, I know among the politically correct you’re not supposed to use facts that are uncomfortable. Second, you’re the one who earlier raised a key point: The area that ought to be I-73 was called by Barack Obama a corridor of shame because of unemployment. Has it improved in three years? No. They haven’t built a road, they haven’t helped the people, they haven’t done anything… I believe every American of every background has been endowed by their creator with the right to pursue happiness. And if that makes liberals unhappy, I am going to continue to find ways to help poor people learn how to get a job, learn how to get a better job, and learn some day to own the job.'”
(Video here.) Wait. That’s not how it’s supposed to go. When somebody accuses you of racism, you’re supposed to apologize and then shut up. Anything else is just further proof you’re a racist. Plus, in case you haven’t noticed, these guys are all white. Well, since the left’s smear job on Cain, anyway. Sputter sputter sputter, how dare Gingrich refuse to admit he’s a racist on Martin Luther King Day, etc.
2.) Go, West! — Speaking of MLK Day, TheDC’s Jaqueline Drayer reports:
“Martin Luther King Jr. would be devastated by how President Obama has dealt with racial issues, Florida Republican Rep. Allen West wrote on Facebook Monday. This is not West’s first foray into racial politics, the Washington Examiner points out. West has previously said the Democratic Party is the modern equivalent of the southern plantation, and that Republicans have failed at ‘drawing black voters into the conservative movement.’ ‘This [2012] campaign must be about ideas, policy and the direction of this country, and the President must not hide behind a curtain of so-called racial bias,’ West wrote. ‘With all of this progress, why is it that we continue to hear charges of racism emanating from the left, and most disturbingly, from the White House itself?’ he added.”
Well, what else have they got? It’s not like Obama can run on his record.
3.) Jarrett vs. IRS? — Remember the part about the Obama administration shaming the memory of Martin Luther King Jr.? Yeah, about that… TheDC’s Neil Munro reports:
“Valerie Jarrett’s partisan speech at Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church may have violated the IRS tax rules for churches’ political activities, said a prominent free speech attorney. ‘It is problematic under current regulations,’ said Erik Stanley, a senior legal counsel with the Alliance Defense Fund, which is campaigning to roll back IRS curbs on believers’ speech… On Sunday President Barack Obama’s controversial aide, Valerie Jarrett, used the Ebenezer pulpit to tell the congregation that the jobs of teachers, police and firefighters ‘are now in jeopardy because Congress — well, let me be specific — because [of] the Republicans in Congress.’ Jarrett is a longtime aide to Obama, and worked with him in Chicago. She’s deeply unpopular among White House staff, but remains influential with the president.”
Well, who needs a president with good judgment anyway? Jarrett can rest assured that the rules don’t apply to her, though. That’s the great thing about being a Democrat.
4.) Obama and Maddow sittin’ in a tree, but only platonically — They say that way back in the days of the Roman Empire, the emperor had a servant who accompanied him as he went among the cheering masses and whispered in his ear, “Remember that you are only a man.” Which proves one thing: the Romans never had an Obama! He only surrounds himself with people who are smart enough to agree with him and tell him how great he is. And one stands out from the rest, as Neil Munro reports:
“MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow is the president’s favorite media hack, judging from official White House visitors log records. The liberal talking head has been cleared to enter the White House seven times. During three of those visits, she met with President Barack Obama in his residence or in the West Wing, usually for TV interviews. She was also cleared to attend a holiday reception, and to sit down for a discussion with Robert Gibbs while he was the White House press secretary… One of her personal visits with Obama was part of a December 2010 cattle call with other left-wing journalists including E.J. Dionne, Eugene Robinson, Ed Schultz, Frank Rich, Ezra Klein and Arianna Huffington. But two solo visits with the president is impressive for an MSNBC host with a weeknight audience of 1 million people. That’s half as many as the number who watch Fox, but twice as many as the competing audience watching CNN.”
There’s little mystery to it. Who wouldn’t leap at any possible chance to hang out with Rachel Maddow?
5.) Michelle Obama is fashionable — You got a problem with that? TheDC’s Taylor Bigler reports:
“Love her or hate her, Michelle Obama has pulled out all the stops to manicure her image during her first three years in the White House. From gorgeous gowns to simple sheaths, the first lady of style shows off all the hard work from those 4 a.m. gym sessions. There’s no doubt that she’s become a fashion icon. Take a look at Michelle’s 10 hottest moments since moving to Washington, D.C. in 2009.”
Yep.
6.) Today’s words of wisdom from Alec Baldwin’s Twitter feed — “Mitt won’t shut up about how he’s better qualified to fix the economy than O. But he’ll fix it the GOP way: we just care about less people” (NOTE: It’s unclear whether Mayor Baldwin meant “care about fewer people” or “care less about people,” but the point is that Republicans are bad and mean.)
VIDEO: Perry: “I was hoping I’d get the Huntsman girls”
To read TheDC Morning before everybody else, click here.