Newt Gingrich told Rush Limbaugh today that he hadn’t been talking about Paul Ryan’s Medicare plan when he made his “social engineering” remark Sunday. “There was no reference to Paul Ryan in that answer,” Gingrich said. Meanwhile, Gingrich is drawing crowds during his whirlwind tour of Iowa.
Tim Pawlenty raised over $800,000 last night.
Mitt Romney slammed President Obama for his speech on the Mideast, saying in a statement that Obama “had thrown Israel under the bus.” Romney, who will be heading to South Carolina this weekend to talk to small business leaders, announced today that he had hired David Raad, who worked on George W. Bush’s 2000 South Carolina campaign.
Michele Bachmann could rival President Obama when it comes to getting small-donor (under $200) contributions if she opts to run for president.
An Indiana GOP strategist says that Mitch Daniels will decide about 2012 by the end of this month.
Jon Huntsman embarked on his five-day New Hampshire trip today.
Willie Nelson un-endorsed Gary Johnson.
When it comes to site hits, Herman Cain is ahead of Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty (but behind Newt Gingrich).
Rick Santorum blasts the Obama administration’s foreign policy as “confused and dangerous.”
On the lighthearted side …
Newt Gingrich’s cell phone ringtone is ABBA’s Dancing Queen. After his phone went off in an Iowa event, Gingrich told reporters that he loves the Mamma Mia movie and said that he loved “the energy and the excitement” in the Dancing Queen sequence.
Sarah Palin’s eldest son, Track, recently married high school girlfriend Britta Hanson, a nursing student. “Our families couldn’t be happier!” the two sets of parents said in a joint statement to People.