Today’s a bittersweet day here at TPM. It’s the last day here for Ben Craw, our longtime video editor. To celebrate Ben’s departure, somewhat at my expense, here’s one of Ben’s most popular creations, a blooper reel of outtakes from the old TPMtv daily show. Read More

Scott Roeder is convicted on all counts for the murder of Dr. George Tiller.

James O’Keefe has posted a statement on Andrew Breitbart’s Big Government site conceding that his Landrieu office caper might not have been the best idea: “On reflection, I could have used a different approach to this investigation, particularly given the sensitivities that people understandably have about security in a federal building.”

But he spends most of the post on what now appears to be part of his defense strategy: blasting the media for its coverage of the story. “The public will judge whether reporters who can’t get their facts straight have the credibility to question my integrity as a journalist.”

Job growth significantly lags GDP growth. But the news today that the economy grew at a 5.7 percent pace in the fourth quarter shows the dangers for congressional Republicans in banking on bad economic news as their main 2010 campaign strategy.

A new poll shows voters are evenly divided on whether or not they like Sarah Palin … in Alaska.

Rep. Steve Buyer (R-IN) is retiring. Last year Buyer was perhaps not quite engulfed but seriously singed by a scandal involving his dodgy foundation. The foundation was nominally intended to provide scholarships to deserving youth but in fact seemed primarily geared to supporting Buyer’s golfing lifestyle. See our complete reporting on the scandal at TPMMuckraker.com.

The “National Tea Party Convention” has been unraveling, with sponsors pulling out and speakers canceling their appearances. But will Sarah Palin still show up to address the Nashville event and collect her reportedly lucrative speaking fee? “You betcha.”

Among political professionals, including some Democratic operatives, we’ve detected a contrarian take on the true impact of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision on corporate contributions. According to this view, political campaigns are already so saturated with corporate cash that any new money flowing in as a result of Citizens United will be like adding a thimble of water to the ocean. Zack Roth has been talking to the pros and has our report.

Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR): “It’s very possible that health care is just a stalemate and you can’t solve it this year.” That and the day’s other political news in the TPMDC Morning Roundup.

Paragons of fiscal discipline, every Senate Republican today voted against reestablishing “pay-as-you-go” budgeting rules that mandate that any new spending must be paid for. The rule passed on a 60-40 party line vote.