If you're watching the Florida Republican Debate, here's a place to comment.

Unlike in SC, the crowd tonight will be allowed to hoot and holler.

Steven Tyler did a better job on the national anthem. The immigration debate is now about grandmothers. Mitt's father was born in Mexico, his mother in Wales. Mitt 1, Newt 0 on immigration, though he wasted it because at the end, they were saying the same thing. Romney looks refreshed, Newt looks worn and like he could use a few weeks at a health spa. [More...]

Newt Gingrich has taken $10 million (so far) from a PAC funded by Las Vegas billionaire Sheldon Adelman and his wife.

What's Newt doing with the money? He's bought $6 million of ad time in Florida.

Newt, of course, pretends people power is fueling his campaign:

"Gov. Romney will have vastly more money than I will," Gingrich said, but suggested he has more grassroots support. "People power beats money power every time."

Adelson owns, among other things, the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas. I'm crossing that one off my list of places to stay.

The Romney Campaign has sent out a summary of the tax returns it will be releasing today.

Mr. Romney reported $21.7 million in income. He paid $3 million in federal taxes, slightly more than the $2.98 million he made in charitable donations. At least $1.5 million of his charitable donations went to the Mormon Church.

Of Mr. Romney's 2010 income, he noted a capital gain of $12.6 million, taxable interest of $3.3 million, ordinary dividends of $4.9 million and smaller sums of gains and losses on business income, refunds and other income.

His tax rate comes out to 14%. Why so low? The rate on investment income (15%) is lower than the rate for salaried income (35%.) Who is responsible for the big disparity?

That preferential rate for investment income, which was instituted as part of the Bush tax cuts to spur investment, is the basic reason why the Mr. Romney and his wife have an effective rate of around 15%.

His off-shore investments are not tax shelters. He pays the capital gains rate on those. He's worth between $84.8 million and $264.7 million. [More...]

The Republicans debate yet again tonight in Tampa.

For those of you watching, here's a thread to discuss it.

In other Repbulican news, it looks like Newt's tax returns have "issues."

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...]

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."

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.

Marianne Gingrich, the second of Newt Gingrich's three wives, is ready to unload. ABC News has the interview, which as of now, it plans to air on Nightline Thursday night. Excerpts should be available during the day. They aired a short clip Weds. night with the teaser that she says "there are things voters need to know." The only direct quote is of her saying that Newt looked directly at her and told her "Calista doesn't care what I do." The interviewer asks her what that means, and then cuts out before her answer. Guess we'll find out tomorrow.

Marianne Gingrich as spoken out before. [More...]

Jon Huntsman is dropping out of the Republican race for President. He will endorse Mitt Romney.