The other night, the impossible happened: We learned something new about Mitt Romney.

It was near the end of Iowa Night, and Lawrence O’Donnell, discussing Rick Santorum’s Italian-grandfather anecdote, observed that in politics, you don’t say things like that by chance. In Santorum’s case, you say that to draw implicit contrast with somebody else’s grandfather. Or, in this case, great-grandfather.

The story, briefly, goes like this: Mitt’s great-grandfather Miles Romney was an old-school Mormon. A Big Love Mormon. A Mormon who bequeaths you not just a great-grandfather and great-grandmother, but a lot of step-great-grandmothers, whatever you call them.

(And what do you call them? Love Grannies?)

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Title: “The Harbinger: The ancient mystery that holds the secret of America’s future”

Author: Jonathan Cahn

Rank: 14

Blurb: “Is it possible… That there exists an ancient mystery that holds the secret of America’s future? That this mystery lies behind everything from 9/11 to the collapse of the global economy? That ancient harbingers of judgment are now manifesting in America? That God is sending America a prophetic message of what is yet to come?”

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Newt hates Mitt. Ron hates Jon. Rick hates everyone who has joy in their life. Sounds like the premise for a zany Armageddon sitcom, or our GOP Debate Open Thread/Pie Fight. Or both.

Our guest columnist is Joe Klein, who argues that Jon Huntsman is a credible candidate because Joe Klein said so.

But Huntsman’s real sin is deeper than that: his is a vitriol-free candidacy. There is no gratuitous sliming of Barack Obama or his fellow Republican candidates. There is no spurious talk of “socialism.” He pays not the slightest heed to the various licks and chops that Rush Limbaugh has made into stations of the cross for Republican candidates. He is out-of-step with the anger that has overwhelmed his party and puts it at odds with the vast, sensible mainstream of this country. Because he has refused to engage in such carnival tactics — because he hasn’t had any oops! moments, extramarital affairs, lobbying deals with Freddie Mac or flip-flops — the media have largely ignored him. That makes us complicit in a national political calamity. But Republican voters have been complicit, too: a conservative party that doesn’t take Huntsman seriously as a candidate has truly lost its way.

Next week: Joe Klein on why it’s a crying shame that America doesn’t elect position papers.

Two Candidacies, Two Planets [Time, via Sully]

This samizdat video was posted Wednesday by “NHLiberty4Paul”, a new YouTube account apparently not formally associated with the Ron Paul campaign — and not, to be clear, necessarily a Dr. Evol supporter. Near as we can tell, the video conclusively proves that speaking a foreign language immediately disqualifies you from American politics.

[via Weigel]

Early Thursday:

“Political cartoons are a part of American culture. It’s hard to see how [Kansas legislator] Mike O’Neal poking fun at himself and forwarding a lighthearted political cartoon about the first lady’s extravagant spending of taxpayer funds during a time when many Americans are financially struggling is newsworthy,” [O’Neal spokesbot Alyson] Rodee said.

Later Thursday:

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXUphyeOjko

[via Know Your Meme]