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By Alexander Burns (@aburnspolitico, aburns@politico.com)


POPPING OVERNIGHT - ROMNEY MAKES HIS CASE: Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney insisted he's made "no decision" on 2012 during a Fox News interview and said he was still unsure about his timeline for the presidential race. But Romney also acknowledged he's "doing all the things we need to keep the option open" - and began laying out an argument for why Republicans should choose a candidate with a background more or less like his. "I do believe that it would be helpful if at least one of the people who's running in the Republican field had extensive experience in the private sector - in small business, in big business, working with the economy," the former Bain executive said. "Because frankly, not just solving the near-term problem of unemployment - people not getting checks - is gonna require someone with that experience, but also long-term."


MORE - Romney, who does not appear on television nearly as often as many of his potential GOP rivals, called the next president's economic training a national security issue. "We've got to have a strong economic foundation to make sure we can stay ahead of the challenges we face, like a strong China," he told Sean Hannity. "We're going to have to stay so far ahead that nobody ever questions the capacity of America to stand by the forces of freedom in the world." POLITICO's Kasie Hunt has more: http://politi.co/g9zS9S


As David Keene finds his next gig, Joe Biden returns to the fundraising circuit and Martha Coakley sees the humor in it all, here's POLITICO's Morning Score: your daily guide to the permanent campaign.


SNEAK PEEK - BUT WILL IT PLAY IN KENOSHA? Wisconsin Democrats have seized on Rep. Paul Ryan's State of the Union response as an opportunity to go after the House Budget Committee chairman back at home, producing a video aimed at highlighting Ryan's plan to introduce health care vouchers as a substitute for Medicare. "I don't like him at all," one senior citizen told Democrats outside the Kenosha Senior Center. "That guy's nuts. He's crazy. ... He's a multi-millionaire and he doesn't give a damn about us." Democratic spokesman Graeme Zielinski intros the video: "They might love him on Fox News. Here's what they think of him back home." Watch it here: http://bit.ly/eq6gSY


MORE - WHY DEMS LIKE HIM - Ryan is not vulnerable in his House district, as it's currently drawn: Even in the Democratic wave year of 2008, he racked up a 29-point victory margin. But Ryan's expanding national profile - and enthusiastic advocacy for austere cuts in spending and entitlement programs - has only made him a more inviting target for Democrats in Wisconsin and elsewhere. The state party is also distributing thousands of "wacky vouchers" in the 1st Congressional District and elsewhere, mocking Ryan's proposal to overhaul Medicare. "Good for ½ colonoscopy," reads one. "Good on Tuesdays through March." See the vouchers (designed by a former editor at The Onion) here: http://politi.co/fMYjVs ; here: http://politi.co/ef3vjP ; here: http://politi.co/f3tpPr ; and here: http://politi.co/gixHBp


THE 2012 SCORE - PALIN'S CASH: Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin had $1.3 million in the bank at the start of 2011 - and shows little sign of spending it like a presidential candidate. Andy Barr reports that Palin's "filing shows no indication that Palin has started to ramp up for a potential presidential run, as no new staff shows up on SarahPAC's expenses - which remain very low compared to a campaign of even moderate size. Her PAC spent nearly $230,000 for the period between the end of the campaign and end of the calendar year, and over $2.6 million in 2010. Palin raised $275,000 during the six-week reporting period, bringing her total to $3.5 million for the year. ... SarahPAC has not contributed to any other political organizations since the end of the campaign and did not carry any debt into the new year." http://politi.co/elzPcx


HALEY ON THE GROUND: Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour called a trip to South Carolina yesterday a "chance to meet old friends and to meet others who are involved in our party" as he weighs his options for the 2012 cycle. The Spartanburg Herald-Journal: "Barbour was in the Upstate for two private meetings with Republican activists, community leaders and donors in Greenville and Spartanburg - key areas for any GOP candidate hoping to claim the primary in a state that historically has played kingmaker in the Republican presidential nominating process. ... Henry Barbour, the governor's nephew who is considered an increasingly powerful player in the Republican Party, said Wednesday's meetings in the Upstate were all about planting the flag and letting people know that his uncle is 'seriously invested in it.'" http://bit.ly/eXZkPB


ELSEWHERE IN THE STATE - WHO WILL COMMENT FIRST? South Carolina legislators have introduced a law aimed at blocking foreign law - including religious law, like Sharia - from being cited in American courts. Human Events reports that state Rep. Wendy Nanney, "who introduced the bill in the House with 20 sponsors and co-sponsors, says that 'in speaking with several family court judges, I've learned that foreign law has been invoked here in S.C.' She adds, that foreign law includes not just foreign religious law, but foreign secular law from various countries." http://bit.ly/hJ5hZn


CABLE BAIT - LONG WAY FROM WASHOE: Defeated Nevada Senate candidate Sharron Angle wouldn't rule out a presidential campaign during a visit to Iowa Wednesday night, telling the Des Moines Register: "I'll just say I have lots of options for the future, and I'm investigating all my options." More from the paper: "Angle will not be making the trip to New Hampshire. Instead, in brief remarks to the crowd [at a movie premiere], she said she'll be caring for her 88-year-old father. But she didn't rule out the possibility of returning to Iowa soon." http://bit.ly/fMWhNt


TODAY - BIDEN BACK ON THE CIRCUIT - From the White House guidance: "At 5:00 PM, the Vice President will attend a reception for the Democratic National Committee. This is closed press."


CHANGE COMES TO THE ACU: The American Conservative Union is preparing for new leadership as the organization's signature event, CPAC, looms just a few weeks away. POLITICO's Byron Tau: "Keene allies insist that the move is unrelated to the group's discovery of an apparent theft by Keene's ex-wife, its former bookkeeper, or to the political conflict [over CPAC's inclusion of the gay conservative group GOProud] ... Keene is expected take over as president of the National Rifle Association after leaving ACU. ... Vying to replace Keene is the former head of the Florida Republican party, Al Cardenas, whom the group's critics are hitting for backing Florida governor Charlie Christ's Senate run over conservative darling Marco Rubio." Cardenas told World Net Daily: "You may not be aware of this but Marco Rubio was a shining star attorney in my law firm and he considers me one of his key mentors." http://politi.co/fbWtlE and http://bit.ly/dPltgf THE HOUSE CAMPAIGN - DOMINOES IN CONNECTICUT: Democratic Rep. Chris Murphy's decision to run for Senate has prompted an early start to the campaign for his congressional seat and several Republicans are already moving toward the race. The Danbury News Times: "Two of the three Republicans who fought in primary for their party's 2010 nomination for the U.S. Representative from the 5th District are back in the hunt. ... [Navy veteran Justin]Bernier is the second Republican to officially announce he's seeking the seat. Mark Greenberg, a wealthy Litchfield businessman, said back in November he'd run again. And the winner of the .August GOP primary -- former State Sen. Sam Caligiuri of Waterbury -- has given indications that he'll join the race as well. ... On the Democratic side, House Speaker Chris Donovan of Meriden said last week he'd be interested in running for the seat. First Selectman Mary Glassman of Simsbury has also been mentioned ." http://bit.ly/fzwjbO
TWISTING SLOWLY, SLOWLY IN THE WIND: If Florida Rep. David Rivera was hoping for backup from the GOP leadership as he struggles with a corruption investigation, he's going to need a new plan. Asked about Rivera's ethics problems, House Speaker John Boehner sidestepped the question: "As I understand it, the allegations against Mr. Rivera, they don't involve any of his congressional service." The Miami Herald says Boehner continued: "When something like that is happening, you generally let the process work itself through, I have confidence in our judicial process." http://bit.ly/htDt3d


POLL OF THE DAY - THE WEST VIRGINIA SPECIAL: The court-ordered gubernatorial election in West Virginia this fall has the potential to be very competitive - but only if the right candidates get into the race. PPP tested four Democratic prospects (acting Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, Secretary of State Natalie Tennant, Treasurer John Perdue and state House Speaker Rick Thompson) against three Republicans (Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, former Secretary of State Betty Ireland and state Sen. Clark Barnes). The results: "If Shelley Moore Capito enters the race she will be the immediate front runner ... She starts out with leads ranging from eight points over Tomblin ... to 25 over House Speaker Rick Thompson at 54-29. ... Republican chances of winning don't appear to be very good without Capito in the race though. Tomblin has good approval numbers for his short stint as Governor ... Earning co-front runner status on the Democratic side with Tomblin is Tennant. She has comparable name recognition to him and is also overwhelmingly popular with the voters who know her." http://bit.ly/gf8klJ


CHICAGO UPDATE - WHAT CONFLICT OF INTEREST? Crain's Chicago Business reports that state Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke won't recuse herself from the Rahm Emanuel residency case, even though her husband is an influential local politician who supports one of Emanuel's opponents. Crain's: "'Aren't we beyond that? Women have minds of their own. We have spouses in every kind of business. Are we returning to the days of Myra Bradwell?' she said, referring to the Illinois suffragette who was initially denied the right to practice law because she was a woman. ... Ms. Burke is the wife of powerful Chicago Alderman Ed Burke (14th), who has voiced support for mayoral candidate Gery Chico. ... She told me the Supreme Court had been watching the residency case and fully expected it would land on them to decide." http://bit.ly/elhiCA


THE FUN PART - "Rahm Emanuel unleashed: Fake feed a Twitter hit" - POLITICO's Molly Ball: "@MayorEmanuel's Twitter bio describes him as "'our next motherf--ing mayor. Get used to it, a-holes.' Nobody knows who is behind it, but whoever it is clearly has a detailed grasp of Chicago politics, a lot of free time and a flair for the surreal. On Monday, after the supposed apartment-trashing, the story continued. @MayorEmanuel took a solitary walk in the cold to clear his head, then sat down under a bridge by the Chicago River. Taking a liking to a duck with a mustache-like marking, he named him Quaxelrod. ... The real Emanuel is aware of the account, which his staff follows and tells him about. 'I think it's hilarious,' Emanuel told Crain's Chicago Business earlier this month." http://politi.co/gjIIb8


CODA - QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Twice now in the past year, the voters have said they want me to stay as attorney general." - Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley, citing a special kind of mandate at the start of her new term http://bit.ly/fPwZ4H

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