Steven Tyler rocked out his version of the National Anthem today. I thought he was just fine-- delightfully screech-y in fact, if a little off-key. The audience cheered -- it was good entertainment.

I don't think the person who posted this video on You Tube should have used the words "messed up" because he sang "a bomb bursting in air" instead of "bombs bursting in air." Big deal.

Tyler is no stranger to singing the National Anthem. Check out his Indy 500 version. It's not like they didn't know what they were getting, he's been singing it at sporting events for a decade at least.

A bail hearing is about to get started in New Zealand for Kim DotCom and the other Megaupload defendants. While we're waiting, here's some other news: Reuters reports Bob Bennett won't be representing Megaupload because his firm, Hogan Lovell, has a conflict due to representation of another client.

Bennett was working for Megaupload before the website's executives were indicted, said Ira Rothken, one of Megaupload's lawyers. Rothken said Bennett was handling matters other then criminal defense...."Who is or isn't on the criminal defense team is still being decided," Rothken said.

Former Penn. State football coach Joe Paterno has lost his battle with lung cancer. He died today.

The Washington Post interviewed him at his home recently.

Paterno’s hope is that time will be his ally when it comes to judging what he built, versus what broke down. “I’m not 31 years old trying to prove something to anybody,” he said. “I know where I am.” This is where he is: wracked by radiation and chemotherapy, in a wheelchair with a broken pelvis, and “shocked and saddened” as he struggles to explain a breakdown of devastating proportions.

RIP Mr. Paterno.

Via The Hill, A Republican operative explains:

Henry Barbour, a top Rick Perry fundraiser who endorsed Mitt Romney after the Texas governor dropped out, said Gingrich could not beat President Obama and would cost Republicans many House and Senate seats.

Barbour told The Hill that [. . . ] Gingrich [. . .] would turn the presidential race from a referendum on Obama into "the adventures of Newt Gingrich." "Newt would be a disaster as the nominee," he said. "He will put the House at risk. He will put our chances of taking the Senate down the tubes."

"He's too polarizing a figure to win the White House. He can't win independent voters and we can't win the White House without independent voters. He would be a disaster for our down-ticket candidates and our gubernatorial candidates."

Yes. Yes he would.

Speaking for me only

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."