Update: Newt Gingrich wins.

South Carolina exit polling numbers won't be released until the polls close. But everything else about them is being published, including that many voters decided whom to vote for in the last week and that the debates mattered, which bodes well for Newt Gingrich.

CBS says here's what to watch for. The Washington Post has this guide, essentially a county comparison according to 2008 results. Here are the 2008 Republican SC primary results, and the 2008 exit poll. [ more...]

South Carolinans head to the polls. Bob Bennett signs on to defend Megaupload. Here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

The Office of National Drug Control Policy today released its first National Northern Border Counternarcotics Strategy . The full 80-page report is here. The report is required to be submitted to Congress under the Northern Border Counternarcotics Strategy Act of 2010 (Act).

What's to come: More intelligence-gathering and sharing. [More...]

The New York Times has an article about Newt Gingrich's leadership style that voters may find very troubling in choosing a leader for the country: He doesn't take advice from others about strategy decisions -- he just marches to his own drum.

Asked in a debate here Thursday night to name one thing he might undo about his campaign, he said, “I would skip the opening three months where I hired regular consultants.”

Instead, Mr. Gingrich makes nearly all the key strategic decisions by himself, and in a manner befitting his personality — spontaneously, thinking aloud, often voicing a half-formed idea in full public view before committing to it.

[More...]

Come Saturday, it appears that South Carolinians will thrust Newt Gingrich back into the GOP race with a likely win in the GOP Presidential primary. Further, Newt is surging in the Gallup national tracking poll. What an amazing turn of events. The is truly excellent news for President Barack Obama and the Democrats.

Newt Gingrich, is, of course, unelectable. There are a number of Republican states Gingrich puts into play for Obama, including Texas. Every blue state would be safe for Obama. Many swing states would become safe. Downticket Dems would benefit from this as well as Gingrich would drag down the entire GOP ticket in blue states. Scott Brown would lose to Elizabeth Warren for sure I think.

At the very least, a nasty campaign would be assured beyond Florida if this trend holds. And progressive Dems can be bolder in their support of candidates-- with a safer electoral board, more chances can be taken across the country.

Here's hoping that is how it plays out.

Speaking for me only

President Obama sings 7 seconds of an Al Green tune at a campaign appearance at the Apollo Theater in NY. He was good! He then said to Al, who was in the audience:

"Don't worry Rev, I cannot sing like you," Obama said. "I just wanted to show my appreciation."

Etta James has died at 73. R.I.P. Ms. James.

Sen. Harry Reid announced today he's postponing the PIPA vote due to recent events. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith said he is putting the SOPA vote on hold.

Reid is still holding out hope for PIPA:

"There is no reason that the legitimate issues raised by many about this bill cannot be resolved."

The four arrested Megaupload defendants, Kim Dotcom (also known as Kim Schmitz and Kim Tim Jim Vestor),Finn Batato, Mathias Ortmann, and Bram van der Kolk, appeared in a New Zealand court yesterday and were detained pending a bond application set for Monday. The U.S. is seeking extradition on the indictment returned in the Eastern District of Virginia, and will oppose bond.

Kim DotCom says they have nothing to hide.

We don't mind if there is press coverage,' Dotcom said to Judge David McNaughton following an application by media to film the court appearance. 'We have nothing to hide.'

[More..]

So many things to talk about, so little time. Here'a a place for you. all topics welcome.

There's yet another Repbulican debate tongight. I didn't see it, but apparently Newt went off on CNN's John King for asking about the ABC News interview with his ex-wife Marianne that will air tonight on Nightline. Here's Newt:

"I think the destructive, vicious, negative nature of much of the news media makes it harder to govern this country, harder to attract decent people to run of for public office and I am appalled that you would begin a presidential debate on a topic like that," Gingrich said.

"Every person in here knows personal pain. Every person in here has had someone close to them go through painful things. To take an ex-wife, and make it two days before the primary a sign question in a presidential campaign, is as close to despicable as anything I can imagine," Gingrich said.

How clever (not.) A family values spokesman who asks his wife for an open marriage and carries on a 6 year extra-marital affair is now a victim of "personal pain." I wonder if his daughter, the one who's an expert at messaging and branding, came up with that.

The Department of Justice is tweeting its response to the attacks on its website by Anonymous.

Here, here and here:

The DOJ web server hosting http://justice.gov is experiencing a significant increase in activity, resulting in a degradation in service.

The department is working to ensure the website is available while we investigate the origins of this activity... ...which is being treated as a malicious act until we can fully identify the root cause of the disruption.

These are the first tweets by DOJ in over 10 days. [More...]