Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - May 16, 2011

Election 2012: Posturing, Posing and Press Releases:

MIKE HUCKABEE won't be running for president in 2012.
The former governor of Arkansas made the announcement during a live broadcast of his show on Fox News: "All the factors say go, but my heart says no," he said.
Editors' notes: Of course Huckabee's not running. He'd lose too much income! (He even admits that). Cynicism aside, can you blame the guy? The stress and scrutiny of running is almost as tough as the job itself --in some ways, even tougher because we're all so tacky, tasteless and immature about the whole thing. Why subject your family to that? It's almost as if there are two very serious questions you have to consider: Do you want to be president? Do you want to run for president? Which is worse? Is it worth one to do the other?(Maiman)
--I think MIKE HUCKABEE would rather be a kingmaker. And with his pull among Evangelicals, he just might be... again. Remember that back in 2007, his criticim of the Mormon faith stoked some very bad blood with MITT ROMNEY's candidacy and the nation's Mormons. With Romney in the race again and the possibility of another Mormon --JON HUNTSMAN-- getting in the race, will they have to kiss Huckabee's "ring" to have shot? And let's also remember that Huckabee is also an ordained minister. That makes him unelectable to a lot of the country. (Pacelli)

Post-bin Laden:

Everyone was having a good laugh this weekend over the porn stash found in OSAMA bin LADEN's compound. (U-S officials broke the news Friday).
The porn was described as a "fairly extensive" collection of recorded videos. Since the compound had no internet connection, they were probably acquired elsewhere and delivered by couriers, but officials didn't (or wouldn't) say whether bin Laden was doing the viewing.

What was this guy watching? (Maiman):

--"Debbie does Dubai"
--"Goats Gone Wild!"
--"Being Bad in Abbottabad"
--"Between the Sheiks"
--"Shake Your Tali-Bon Bon"
--"Deep Goat"
--"The Highly Explosive Blow Up Dolls"
--"Whora Bora"
--"Wet Veil Competition, volume 4"
--"I Can See Your Nose!"
--"72 Virgins and One Very Exhausted Ron Jeremy"
--"Jihadda Have It"

This weekend's hot movies (Rentrak via Variety):

"Thor" continued to pull in big bucks this past weekend, racking up more than $34 million in its second weekend. Meanwhile, the debut of "Bridesmaids" did better than expected, beating "Fast Five" at the box office for second place.
And look out this weekend, because "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" opens in wide release. Insiders believe this could be the first $100-million-dollar opening of the summer, with the star power of JOHNNY DEPP and PENELOPE CRUZ. In general, ticket sales for Hollywood movies have been down 18 percent, so movie studios are looking to "Pirates" to signal the beginning of what they hope will be a stronger summer.
5. "Rio," $8 million,
4. "Priest 3D," $14.5 million, (debut),
3. "Fast Five," $19.5 million,
2. "Bridesmaids," $24.4 million, (debut),
1. "Thor," $34.5 million.