TOP NEWS
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| “Onto New Hampshire, let’s get that job done!” Mitt Romney told supporters before being declared the winner. |
Romney Wins Iowa Caucus by 8 Votes
By JEFF ZELENY
In the first Republican contest of the season, the top two candidates were separated by only a sliver of votes, offering Rick Santorum a chance to emerge as the alternative to Mitt Romney.
" --- A snapshot of the Republican mind-set, according to polls of voters as they entered caucus sites, found that Mr. Romney had won the most support among those who said defeating Mr. Obama was the most important quality in a candidate. Mr. Romney’s business experience, which is the spine of his candidacy, was a draw for voters concerned about the economy. Among voters who said the economy was the issue that mattered most in deciding whom to support, a plurality — about a third — said they would support Mr. Romney.---"
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/04/us/politics/santorum-and-romney-fight-to-a-draw.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha2
News Analysis
First Vote Reinforces G.O.P.'s Ideological Divide
By JIM RUTENBERG
There are now two Republicans playing Someone Else against Mitt Romney.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/04/us/politics/vote-in-iowa-reinforces-republican-ideological-divide.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha2
Overtures to Egypt's Islamists Reverse Longtime U.S. Policy
By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK and STEVEN LEE MYERS
With the Muslim Brotherhood in reach of an outright majority in Egypt's parliament, the Obama administration has begun to shift from decades of hostility toward it.
•QUOTATION OF THE DAY
"Just to be able to sell space travel as a regular part of your business, really, just how cool is that?"
LYNDA TURLEY GARRETT, whose travel agency in Saratoga, Calif., offers reservations for spaceflights.
U.S.
Complete results from Tuesday's caucuses in Iowa, with county-by-county tallies and results from entrance polls showing how different demographic groups voted. "The Iowa caucuses open the Republican nominating contest on Jan. 3. The outcome will not only set the tone for the rest of the early-voting states, but also likely start whittling down the field. Social conservatives carry significant sway, but voters say the economy and finding a candidate to beat President Obama are important factors. The changing fortunes of Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum shows how voters are searching for a nominee to confront Mr. Obama. Mitt Romney is trying to resolve questions about his appeal to conservatives. The Ron Paul campaign is real and could surprise. Organization matters, and the results will elevate -- or extinguish -- aspirations of other candidates.".
Opinion
Opinionator
Beyond Elections: People Power
By MARK BITTMAN
The presidential campaign shouldn't eclipse important protest movements already under way. " --- Whatever. We should be able to agree on this: there is an oligarchy in this country, one that uses financial strength to gain political power, one that fights and bullies for its “right” to make money regardless of the consequences to the earth or anything on it. Exxon will do all it can to prevent meaningful climate change legislation; Cargill and Pepsi will fight any improvement in agriculture or diet that threatens their profits; Bank of America would rather see homeowners go under than discuss changes in financial structures. And so on.There are two ways to fight this oligarchy: by making personal and local changes that counter its power, and by joining mass movements that protest that power. The first can be as simple as light-bulb changing (which Republicans famously detest) and salad-eating [1], though obviously it can be far more involved. The second begins with voting, but it takes more than a president, however well-intentioned, to bring about real change. Does anyone believe that Lyndon Johnson wanted to combat racism, or that Richard Nixon cared about American troops or Vietnamese citizens? No: they were forced, respectively, to support civil rights legislation and to begin ending the Vietnam War. Forced by masses of Americans marching, yelling, demonstrating, sitting in and more — Americans driven by their conscience, not by profits.---".
WORLD
Taliban Opening Qatar Office, and Maybe Door to Talks
By MATTHEW ROSENBERG
The Taliban reversed longstanding public denials that it was involved or interested in any negotiations to end its insurgency in Afghanistan.
Landmark on Twisting Path Toward Talks
Afghanistan Widens Effort to Recoup Bank's Assets
By GRAHAM BOWLEY
The new attempts to recoup money may hearten international backers by showing that the government is trying in good faith to recover money from those accused of bilking Kabul Bank.
Iran Warns U.S. Aircraft Carrier Not to Return to Gulf
By J. DAVID GOODMAN
The warning, by Iran's army chief, was the latest and most aggressive volley in a near-daily exchange of barbed statements between Iran and the United States.
• More World News
U.S.
Violent Clashes Reported in China Over Mosque Demolition
By EDWARD WONG
Residents of a village in northwestern China where hundreds of Muslims tried to defend a mosque against demolition have said that many civilians were injured when police attacked.
Legal Fight for Mother of Suspect in Arsons
By IAN LOVETT
Investigators are looking into the possibility that the man accused in an arson spree acted because his mother faced the prospect of being sent back to Germany.
Los Angeles Police Arrest Suspect in Car Arsons
Town Breathes Easier as Frozen Dead Guy and His Festival Stay Put
By KIRK JOHNSON
A mother of two bought the rights to Frozen Dead Guy Days, a festival in Nederland, Colo., inspired by a corpse that has been kept on ice for going on 20 years.
• More U.S. News
POLITICS
Electability and Principles Split Iowa Votes, Poll Finds
By NICHOLAS CONFESSORE and MARJORIE CONNELLY
A poll of voters entering the Iowa Republican caucuses on Tuesday indicated a sharp divide between defeating President Obama and representing traditional conservative principles. " --- Four in 10 voters said they were attending their first caucus, and about 40 percent of them, in turn, backed Mr. Paul. Similarly, more than 4 in 10 said they made their decision in the last few days: About a quarter of these voters backed Mr. Romney, and a third supported Mr. Santorum.
Among the nearly 30 percent of caucusgoers who said that conservative principles mattered most, 40 percent supported Mr. Paul. Almost a quarter of voters said strong moral character was the quality that was most significant; more than a third of them backed Mr. Santorum. The religious complexion of Republican caucusgoers appeared much the same as in 2008, when 60 percent described themselves as evangelical Christians. But they were less like-minded on Tuesday than in 2008, when they coalesced behind Mike Huckabee, an evangelical minister, giving him 46 percent of their vote. Evangelical Christians this year gave 30 percent of their support to Mr. Santorum and about 20 percent to Mr. Paul.---".
Iowa's Decision Night Arrives With the Air Full of the Unknown
By MICHAEL BARBARO, SUSAN SAULNY, STEVEN YACCINO and A. G. SULZBERGER
Even here, in a rural, conservative pocket of Iowa known for its unapologetic social conservatism and evangelical tilt, the caucus had a deeply unsettled feel on Tuesday night.
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| On caucus night, Rick Santorum was at the Stoney Creek Inn near Des Moines. He ran in Iowa with a small advertising budget and no speechwriter |
Out of Santorum's Lean Operation, a Muscular Result
By MARK LEIBOVICH
In pulling off a strong showing in Iowa, Rick Santorum benefited from his own persistence, a faltering field of former front-runners and a savvy strategy.
• More Political News
BUSINESS
Grading the Digital School
Teachers Resist High-Tech Push in Idaho Schools
By MATT RICHTEL
Teachers in Idaho and elsewhere have been in revolt over policy makers thrusting technology into classrooms and shifting money to unproven teaching methods.
Room for Debate: The Frontier of Classroom Technology
Fed to Publish a Forecast of Rate Moves, Guiding Investors
By BINYAMIN APPELBAUM
The Federal Reserve will publish the opinions of its governors and 12 regional presidents in an effort to help guide investors. The initial issue is to be released on Jan. 25.
Online Sales Buoy U.P.S. And FedEx
By STEPHANIE CLIFFORD
United Parcel Service and FedEx, the two major package delivery companies, have benefited as free shipping and returns have become more common among online retailers.
• More Business News
TECHNOLOGY
Analysts See Performance Issues Behind RIM's Delays
By IAN AUSTEN
Some analysts said Research in Motion's delay of a new line of phones and a BlackBerry operating system was caused by poor performance, not the need for new chips.
Snow Site Lets Chicago See if Plows Are Really in a Rut
By MONICA DAVEY
ChicagoShovels.org will track the clearing of streets and encourage residents to pitch in after storms.
Google Bases a Campaign on Emotions, Not Terms
By CLAIRE CAIN MILLER
The company is embracing advertising and promoting new businesses like the Chrome browser and the Google Plus social network in order to find revenue beyond search ads.
• More Technology News
SPORTS
Sugar Bowl: Michigan 23, Virginia Tech 20, Overtime
Michigan Prevails in an Exciting Conclusion to an Uninspiring Game
By PETE THAMEL
Though it was the first Sugar Bowl without a top-10 team since 1945, No. 17 Virginia Tech and No. 13 Michigan managed to cobble together an exciting finish and dramatic overtime.
Box Score
Quirky Running Back Keeps Hokies Amused and Defenses on Edge
Mississippi State Defensive Tackle Declares for N.F.L. Draft
By PETE THAMEL
Fletcher Cox, a third-year junior, is projected to be selected in the first two rounds.
Iowa Tackle Will Enter Draft
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| Clint Dempsey has 39 goals in five years with Fulham of England's Premier League. |
Dempsey Raises the Bar for U.S. Stars in Europe
By SANDY MACASKILL
With quick feet and sharp elbows, Fulham's Clint Dempsey has set a new standard for American players in Europe.
" ---LONDON — American soccer’s biggest name has arrived in England, hoping to live up to the reputation he made for himself on his first visit. Landon Donovan is fresh from Los Angeles, so it was understandable when he noted that sequels sometimes do not live up to the original. Not that he will not try to do even better this time around. But as Donovan begins his second stint with Everton, he will inevitably be measured against another American — Clint Dempsey — who has already proved himself in England’s Premier League. Dempsey, a 28-year-old Texan, has been playing in England for Fulham since the start of 2007. Last month, he broke the record for goals by an American in the Premier League, when he scored his 37th in a 1-0 win against Liverpool.---"
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/04/sports/soccer/dempseys-progress-raises-the-bar.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha27
Beckham Appears Likely to Stay in L.A.
Liverpool Won't Appeal Suspension of Suárez
• More Sports News
ARTS
Critic's Notebook
Why January Is the Coolest Month Onstage
By JASON ZINOMAN
Experimental theater festivals, including Under the Radar, Coil, Other Forces and American Realness, enliven New York's January.
These Actors Think You Can Probably Do It Better Than They Can
Leonardo Painting's Restoration Bitterly Divides Art Experts
By ELAINE SCIOLINO
A battle is raging over the restoration Leonardo da Vinci's "Virgin and Child With Saint Anne," pitting the Louvre against those who believe that the cleaning has been too aggressive.
Exhibition Review
She Wrote a Nation's Welcome
By EDWARD ROTHSTEIN
An exhibition on the poet Emma Lazarus, who wrote "Give me your tired, your poor," lays out the short life that led to those words.
• More Arts News
NEW YORK / REGION
A Cuomo Microscope on Capitol Renovation
By THOMAS KAPLAN
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has become architect, historian, interior decorator and custodian to manage the project, which he called a symbol that government can make citizens proud.
Slide Show: History at the State Capitol
Firebomber Picked Targets to Settle Personal Scores, Police Say
By AL BAKER
A man arrested Tuesday has confessed to attacks in Queens and on Long Island on New Year's Day, the police said.
Small and Light, Starbucks Bottles as Canisters for Bombs
Time, or Tolls? Doing the New Math for New Jersey Commuters
By JAMES BARRON
In an experiment, two reporters tried the time-versus-toll calculus: one took the New Jersey Turnpike, where tolls went up 53 percent on New Year's Day, the other took Routes 1 and 1/9, toll free.
• More New York / Region News
DINING & WINE
Pass the Large Grain of Salt
By JEFF GORDINIER
Simon Doonan's tongue-in-cheek book says straight food is heavy and gay food is lighter and more decorative. Mix the two, he advises, to stay slim.
Submit Your Questions to Simon Doonan
Lucky to Be a Leftover
By JULIA MOSKIN
Cooked beef, lamb, pork, veal and ham, chefs say, can be used in almost any dish that calls for ground meat.
Slide Show: Meatball Recipes
Restaurant Review
Wong
Asian Fusion, the Latest Chapter
By PETE WELLS
Simpson Wong has retained his eclectic palate, but the starting point tends to be Asia.
Slide Show
Diner's Journal Blog: Five Dishes at Wong
• More Dining & Wine
EDITORIALS
Editorial
Iowa Caucuses
Tuesday's contest won't settle the race for the Republican nomination for president, but it puts on display the extreme choice the party presents to voters. " --- The only good news in this primary season is that the more Americans listen to the Republican hopefuls, the more the voters will realize how out of touch these candidates are with the majority of Americans.---".
Ross Douthat: In Praise of Iowa
Editorial
Raising Standards for Head Start
A new evaluation system can help improve a crucial program for children from poor families.
Editorial
Reckless Disregard for Safety
The Senate should reject a House-approved bill to override states' limits on hidden loaded guns.
• More Opinion
OP-ED
Op-Ed Contributor
Bring Back Boring Banks
By AMAR BHIDÉ
Governments must fully guarantee all bank deposits - and impose much tighter restrictions on risk-taking by banks.
Op-Ed Columnist
Oedipus Rex Complex
By MAUREEN DOWD
Shakespeare would have a field day with all the fathers and ghosts of fathers haunting the political landscape.
Columnist Page
Op-Ed Columnist
So Much Fun. So Irrelevant.
By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
Those Republican debates sure have been a lot of fun to watch. But the candidates haven't been answering the most crucial questions.
Columnist Page
• More Opinion
ON THIS DAY
On Jan. 4, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson outlined the goals of his ''Great Society'' in his State of the Union address.
