After the Bachmann surge and the Perry flameout, the boom and bust pattern of would-be Romney-slayers in the GOP primary battle became familiar to most election observers. After Cain’s moment in the sun it became conventional wisdom. And now with Newt it’s almost a cliche.

But it’s one thing to see it in general and it’s another to see it graphed out in front of you. The charts below are from the beta version of the new TPMPolltracker, slated to be released next month.

First is Iowa. Read More

Is Newt’s rise to frontrunner status just the last or latest in the boom and bust cycle of would-be Mitt-slayers in the GOP presidential contest? Or is he the end of it?

TPM Reader MO thinks it’s Newt’s to lose … Read More

Benjy Sarlin does the electoral math.

Woman uses pepper spray to fight off competing shoppers at Wal-Mart.

According to an interview in The New York Times, Mitt Romney’s longtime hair stylist, Leon de Magistris, there is no gel, mousse or other ‘product’ in Mitt’s hair.

So either this is a white lie on the part of the stylist or we need to seriously consider the possibility that Mitt’s body has naturally occurring shellack-o-genic properties.

Thoughts?

The office of former Senator and now-Kansas Governor Sam Brownback (R) complains about a critical tweet from a Kansas high schooler, lands the teenage girl in the principal’s office.

Campaign in 100 Seconds: Whatever Happened to Michele Bachmann.

Cop, Shopper turn to pepper spray to brave Wal-Mart Black Friday.

Pepper spray isn’t the only non-lethal crowd control technique taking off at Wal-Marts today. Now we have a shopper Tasered at a Wal-Mart in Alabama. Watch.

Bringing together Gingrich’s two great ambitions — being president and selling books.