Update: Pump fake! Looks like it’s not going to happen Thursday.

Looks like Newt is gonna be the first to enter the horse race!

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich will launch a presidential “exploratory” campaign this week, becoming the first big-name GOP candidate to take a formal step toward a White House bid.

A senior Republican official confirmed the news, first reported by ABC, to National Journal.

Gingrich already has planned two trips this month to states where the first presidential contests will take place next year: He’s scheduled an appearance in Iowa on March 7 and one in New Hampshire on March. 17.

He brings major assets — and baggage — to the 2012 campaign. But several Republicans who served with Gingrich think the pluses outweigh everything else. Read more

And so it begins…

I came across this satirical piece at JimmerPOY.com, and just had to share:

There were 25 scouts on hand to witness the jaw-dropping Jimmer Show at SDSU’s Viejas Arena on Saturday. While 24 of the scouts represented NBA teams interested in evaluating Jimmer’s basketball skills, one scout was interested in vetting the point guard from Glens Falls, NY, for a position that would take him off the court… and into the White House.

Seated among the sea of red and black, Mitt Romney and his son watched Jimmer and the BYU Cougars dominate the #4 SDSU Aztecs. Romney claimed he enjoys watching basketball and supporting his alma mater, but the anticipated 2012 presidential contender likely had different motives for attending this game.

“He wants America to get Jimmered,” an anonymous source said. “Mitt caught Jimmer-fever months ago and he strongly believes that the easiest way to the Oval Office is with Jimmer on his ticket. Jimmer as a VP candidate is a smart move.”

Read the rest here.

I guess John Thune is not the “dark horse to watch” after all…

Here is the statement that was posted on his website:

Senator John Thune (SD)

For months now, my wife Kimberley and I have received encouragement from family, friends, colleagues, and supporters from across South Dakota and the country to run for the presidency of the United States. We have appreciated hearing their concerns about where the country is headed and their hopes for a new direction.

During this time, Kimberley and I and our two daughters have given a great deal of thought to how we might best serve South Dakota and our nation. That process has involved lots of prayer.

Along the way, we have been reminded of the importance of being in the arena, of being in the fight. And make no mistake that during this period of fiscal crisis and economic uncertainty there is a fight for the future direction of America. There is a battle to be waged over what kind of country we are going to leave our children and grandchildren and that battle is happening now in Washington, not two years from now. So at this time, I feel that I am best positioned to fight for America’s future here in the trenches of the United States Senate.

I want to thank those who have encouraged us and prayed for us during the past several months. We are forever grateful for all the support.

John and Kimberley

Hopefully Thune will return the favor, and endorse Romney when it comes time!

Herman Cain Announces Presidential Exploratory Committee:

Fellow Patriots,

Welcome to the new HermanCain.com, home to my presidential exploratory committee. Here, you will find all of the important information necessary to keep up-to-date with my decision-making process as I continue to determine how God wants me to best serve our great nation.

The American Dream is under attack. In fact, a recent survey found 67% of the American People believe America is headed in the wrong direction. Sadly, this comes as no surprise to those of us who have watched an out-of-control federal government that spends recklessly, taxes too much and oversteps its Constitutional limits far too often.

While our country faces grave and complex problems, America is not lost forever. The glory of the American Dream can still be found in the hearts of those who love Her and the promise of freedom She guarantees.

America is an exceptional nation. America is the greatest idea any man has ever imagined. America is the noblest endeavor humanity has ever known. It is because of this that we have the obligation to preserve the American Dream for generations to come.

President Ronald Reagan once said: “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States when men were free.”

Fellow patriots, now more than ever, we must come together to take a stand for the future of America. I make this promise to you as I deliberate the ways in which I can do my part to restore and protect the American Dream: I would be the voice of the American People. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. I ask you to do the same for me.

Update – Herman Cain makes his announcement on Your World with Neil Cavuto

~Note from Ross
Click here to read Herman Cain’s 2008 endorsement of Mitt Romney.

I thought I’d use this slow news cycle bring to your attention that the future First Lady, Ann Romney, now has an official fan page on facebook:

Please take a second to head over there and click ‘like’. You may notice there has been a minimal amount status updates thus far from Mrs. Romney, but surely the future FLOTUS will use facebook as a tool to keep us updated on all the Romney-related happenings as election season nears. Let’s let her know how much her husband is needed in the Oval Office!

~Luke G.

WHY THE hurry, Mr. President? It’s a question we’ve asked twice before. There was a rush to pass his $787 billion “stimulus’’ to hold unemployment below 8 percent. Congress obliged, and now we are saddled with higher unemployment and crushing debt. Then there was his health care assault: no time for our representatives to even read the bill. As ObamaCare has been revealed, it has frightened business into retreating from hiring. Now the president is in a hurry again: affirm the New START treaty right away, he insists, during the lame duck session. Fall for his rush once, shame on him; twice, shame on Congress; a third time, shame all around.

A treaty so critical to our national security deserves a careful, deliberative look by the men and women America has just elected. The president is in a hurry for the same reason he has been in a hurry before: he knows that if his vaunted treaty is given a thorough review by the Senate, it will likely be rejected. And well it should be.

Those who oppose New START are troubled by the answers to the following questions:

■Does New START limit America’s options for missile defense? Yes. For the first time, we would agree to an interrelationship between strategic offensive weapons and missile defense. Moreover, Russia already asserts that the document would constitute a binding limit on our missile defense program. But the WikiLeaks revelation last weekend that North Korea has supplied Iran with long-range Russian missiles confirms that robust missile defense is urgent and indispensable.

Read More at The Boston Globe.

RedState has put together a nice list of what you can do personally to stop the START treaty from being ratified.

Just as the dems are trying to recover from the midterm ‘shellacking’, Republicans are gearing up to extend that shellacking all the way to the White House. Chris Cillizza, from the “The Fix“, reminds us who the most capable ‘shellacker’ is in his latest presidential power ranking line-up. Mitt Romney maintains the top position as most influential leader within the Republican party heading into the 2012 primaries.

“These rankings come from conversations with a variety of Republican strategists — those aligned with potential candidates and those not — as well as an analysis of fundraising potential, quality of staff, name identification, organizational ability and natural on-the-stump talent.

Here is what he had to say about Mitt Romney:

Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, spent the entire 2008 cycle trying to win over skeptics with a be-everywhere-do-everything, Energizer Bunny sort of approach to the presidential race. His style in advance of the 2012 race has been strikingly different; Romney has picked his issues — economic ones, mostly — carefully and avoided wading into every fight with President Obama or intraparty squabble. The goal seems clear: to make Romney look like the adult in the room. And, to date, it’s worked well — establishing him as a candidate of serious purposes who won’t be distracted by the shiny objects thrown in front of him. Romney also has, by far, the most intricate and able political and financial organization in the race — a machine that can instantly be turned on whenever he decides to announce for president. Challenges remain, most notably explaining to Republican primary voters why the healthcare bill he passed in Massachusetts is different from what Congress passed earlier this year.

Here is some video analysis:

h/t: Right Wingnut

Here is the full list of those that made the top ten:
1. Mitt Romney 2. Sarah Palin 3. Tim Pawlenty 4. Haley Barbour 5. John Thune
6. Newt Gingrich 7. Mitch Daniels 8. Mike Huckabee 9. Mike Pence 10. Marco Rubio

*The top five are pictured up above in order of their rank.

Ethan of TechRepublican.com noticed some interesting ads on Facebook to congratulate some GOP winners from last weeks election. I’ve gathered screen-shots of a few of them here:

Ethan also observes the following:

The gears of 2012 are rolling. I started seeing these ads the day after the election on Tuesday and I have to say that whoever came up with the campaign is a genius. Here is what I’m seeing here in PA. My guess it others are seeing similar ads around the country right now.
…
Judging by the ads it looks like they are targeting people who are fans of a high profile candidates supported by Romney’s Free Strong America PAC.
…
Whoever is running this behind the scenes is doing a great job and I would love to take a peak at the before and after stats on this campaign.

An effective social media campaign is of increasing importance these days. I’m glad to see Team Mitt is all over it!

~Luke

Summary
• Doesn’t think think that Palin would do the veep thing again.
• Obviously Romney will run in 2012.
• Romney has a good shot at getting the nomination.

Side note: You are an awesome Mitt fan if you recognize, in the background, a book that he has written.

~Luke

H/T Bosman: I hope Barney Frank gets this message too!