Palin Not Running In 2012

Former Alaska Governor told conservative radio host Mark Levin Wednesday that she will not be seeking the Republican nomination for President.

Levin made the announcement via Twitter and read a statement written by Palin on the air.

Palin’s decision to bow out of the race puts an end to over two years worth of White House buzz. While Palin declined to follow the traditional routes of most would-be candidates, she kept speculation alive by refusing to officially decline a run and hosting a small bus tour earlier this year.

The announcement comes on the heels of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s decision to stay out of the race. Her exit means that the GOP field has essentially solidified.

Christie To Announce 2012 Intentions

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie will address reporters at 1:00 pm today to officially announce whether or not he’ll run for president.

National Review reports: “New Jersey Republicans tell National Review Online that Gov. Chris Christie will not run for president. The governor, they predict, will make this clear at a press conference this afternoon.”

The New York Times’ Michael Shear also reports that the location of Christie’s press conference — the state capital of Trenton — could mean that he is not planning on running for the GOP nomination.

South Carolina Moves Up Primary Date

A top South Carolina Republican Party official announced Monday that the state’s GOP primary will take place earlier than was previously planned.

The move comes in response to Florida’s decision to schedule its GOP primary on January 31 of next year.

In a statement, South Carolina GOP Chairman Chad Connell revealed the news that the Palmetto State will hold its primary on January 21.

“South Carolina Republicans have a thirty year track record of picking the eventual Republican Presidential nominee. We will continue that historic tradition on January 21, 2012,” Connell said.

The announcement likely means that Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada will all schedule their primaries in January, ahead of South Carolina and Florida.

Click here to read more…

Christie Team Assessing 2012 Run

* NYT reports his political advisers are working to determine whether they could move quickly enough to set up effective political operations in Iowa and New Hampshire

* Challenges: raising money and spending it effectively - meeting filing deadlines, hiring staff members, recruiting volunteers, putting together a travel schedule, devising a media campaign

* They say it’s just “due diligence’ and no formal planning will begin unless he decides to run

** Those pushing him include Rupert Murdoch, Henry Kissinger, Nancy Reagan and William Kristol

** He’s under a lot of pressure and political strategists say the next week to 10 days is key and he needs to decide then

** His weight has become a public issue - but with so many Americans overweight or obese, maybe they’d see him as an everyman?

* Herman Cain says he’s too liberal and conservative voters won’t like his positions on immigration, climate change and immigration

Rick Perry's New Problem

* Texas Gov Rick Perry spent Sunday on the defensive - a report in WaPo about a West Texas hunting camp he once leased with his father with a racial epithet in its name

*** It’s the latest controversy to dog him - he also said on Saturday in New Hampshire he’d send US troops into Mexico to combat drug violence there - his campaign’s tried to walk that back, but not been clear whether he’d do it with or without cooperation

* The word “Niggerhead” was painted in block letters across a large rock flanking the property’s entrance - Perry’s called the name “offensive”, says his father painted over it shortly after leasing the land

** Problem is seven people cited in the story say differently and it remains unclear when or whether Perry dealt with the name while using the camp

* Herman Cain says “There isn’t a more vile, negative word than the n word and for him to leave it there as long as he did it’s just plain insensitive to a lot of black people in this country”

* Perry’s camp’s put out several statements trying to do damage control

* David Axelrod, chief strategist for Obama’s re-election, said “campaigns are like an MRI for the soul - whoever you are, people eventually find out, time will tell whether this comes to reflect him or not”

** Perry in New Hampshire tried hard to counter the perception that he’s soft on immigration over the weekend, taking tough questions from voters