Everyday we ask influential politicos to send us their top three bullet points that are driving the day’s conversation in and outside Washington:

RedState.Com Editor Erick-Woods Erickson:

- Good news for the President, at least superficially. Unemployment is below 9% for the first time since March of 2009. The underlying bad news is the labor participation rate is getting smaller. The number of people who just gave up was over 300,000. The other bad news for the President is that most sectors of the economy saw unemployment rise, but the Christmas retail sector saw unemployment fall. So, this could be temporary and could start the post-holiday season with headlines of a spike in unemployment.

- Herman Cain’s campaign is now in free fall. It has gotten embarassing just to make eye contact with his campaign. But, I think if he drops out now he will be making an admission against interest that the allegations of an affair are true. He might as well hang on.

- Put this in the “I’ll believe it when I see it” file, but after I wrote at RedState.com that there was no way Rick Santorum gets competitive, several highly regarded people emailed me that there is an underground movement of church goers in Iowa prepared to go all in for Rick Santorum. We’ll see if he can do something. I’m not sure he even knows the rationale for his race anymore.

Firedoglake.com Blogger/Founder Jane Hamsher:

- Occupy Tacoma, WA Receives Much Needed Warm Weather Gear from OccupySupply!

- California Independents Really Dislike Gingrich

- The Myth of Profligate Euro Zone Countries

Editor’s Note: The blog is a place for a freewheeling exchange of ideas and opinions. CNN does not endorse anything said by its contributors.