The Morning Qwickie

Top U.S. Story: Barack Obama and Mike Huckabee say, "I told y'all I was gonna bump like this!" Both surge to lead in Iowa according to a poll taken by the Des Moines Register. [The Washington Post]

Top World Story: Oh no he di' int! President Hugo Chavez failed to get a referendum passed that would let him be president of Venezuela forever and ever. [The New York Times]

Other Exciting News:

Mitt Romney is not Tom Cruise

We know Mitt Romney is not Tom Cruise because (1) his marriage is real, (2) he doesn't put his feet on Miss Oprah's couch, and (3) he's not in a cult.  But because some blockheads can't get this through their thick sculls, we're all going to have to endure his upcoming and couldn't-be-anything-but-boring speech on Mormonism.  God help us. [AP]

Larry Craig can't keep it on the down low

Ain't no lovin' like Larry Craig's lovin' 'cuz Larry Craig's lovin' don't stop.  Geez, how many times is Craig going to be caught with his pants down? Eight of his of his luv-vahs have come forward to kiss and tell. [CNN]

He's Ba-aaack... 

Imus returns to radio later this morning at 6 am.  At least it's not TV. His face doesn't exactly go with breakfast. [AP]

A Russian smack down

President Vladimir Putin's party totally kicked some you know what in Russia's parliamentary elections, taking two thirds of the vote.  Now that his party fully runs the joint, word is that Putin sees term limits as just a little bump in the road to eternal power. [CNN]