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Albert R. Hunt / Bloomberg:
Tension in Hillaryland Grows as Plan Goes Awry: Albert R. Hunt — Dec. 10 (Bloomberg) — To appreciate Hillary Clinton's fundamental political problem, consider the 11 Democrats from Philadelphia who gathered last week to discuss the U.S. presidential race, almost all of whom would vote for her in a general election.
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online, MSNBC, The New Republic, PrairiePundit, The Strata-Sphere and New York Post
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Gina Smith / The State:
Winfrey wows crowd — 29,000 attend Columbia rally for Obama — In what Sen. Barack Obama described as the best-attended rally of the political season for any candidate, more than 29,000 attendees jammed Williams-Brice Stadium Sunday. — Media mogul Oprah Winfrey rallied the crowd of supporters …
Discussion:
MSNBC, CNN Political Ticker, Newsweek, Shakespeare's Sister, The Heretik, TPM Election Central and The Politico
Katharine Q. Seelye / The Caucus:
Oprahpalooza in South Carolina — (Photo: Jeremy M. Lange for The New York Times) — COLUMBIA, S.C. — It was a staggering sight. Upwards of 29,000 people at a political rally. And the Democratic primary in South Carolina is not until Jan. 26. — The Double O Express …
Matt Apuzzo / Associated Press:
Libby to drop appeal in CIA leak case — WASHINGTON - Former White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby is dropping his appeal in the CIA leak case, his attorney said Monday. — Libby, the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, was convicted of perjury and obstruction for lying …
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The Corner:
re: Libby's Appeal — Statement by Theodore Wells, Counsel for I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby — Today Mr. Libby has filed a motion to dismiss the appeal from his conviction. The notice of appeal had been filed before President Bush commuted Mr. Libby's sentence last summer.
Discussion:
Think Progress
Opinion Journal:
The Paygo Farce — Democrats admit it was all a big confidence game. … Well, as Emily Littela, the half-witted Gilder Radner character on Saturday Night Live, would have put it: "Never mind." Last week Congressional Democrats formally renounced their ballyhooed budget pledge to offset …
Discussion:
The Opinionator, Heading Right, Right Voices, Captain's Quarters, PoliGazette, PrairiePundit, Betsy's Page and The Strata-Sphere
Daily Mail:
Students stone police in Iran riot — Students defied a clampdown on protests in Iran yesterday by tearing down the gates of Tehran university. — They chanted slogans against President Ahmadinejad and carried placards saying "Live free or die", "No war, no fascism" and "Women must decide their fate, not the state."
Michael J. Totten:
After the Battle of Al-Fajr — FALLUJAH, IRAQ - Fallujah is known as the City of Mosques. It is also a city of walls, and of war. — It was a quieter city than most after the initial invasion in 2003. There was less looting than in Baghdad, and the mayor was pro-American.
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online
Thomas M. Defrank / NY Daily News:
Rudy Giuliani plays defense on 'Press' — WASHINGTON - Rudy Giuliani, on the hot seat Sunday for the most exhaustive grilling of his presidential campaign, doggedly insisted that death threats against then-girlfriend Judith Nathan prompted the NYPD to launch her taxpayer-funded chauffeur services.
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Paul Krugman / New York Times:
Henry Paulson's Priorities — By Bush administration standards, Henry Paulson, the Treasury secretary, is a good guy. He isn't conspicuously incompetent; and he isn't trying to mislead us into war, justify torture or protect corrupt contractors. — But Mr. Paulson's actions reflect the priorities of the administration he serves.
Daniel J. Wakin / New York Times:
Philharmonic Agrees to Play in North Korea — Adding a cultural wrinkle to the diplomatic engagement between the United States and North Korea, the New York Philharmonic plans to visit Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, in February, taking the legacy of Beethoven, Bach and Bernstein to one of the world's most isolated nations.
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Ned Parker / Los Angeles Times:
Iraq calmer, but more divided — The U.S. troop buildup has brought down violence, but that has failed to spark cooperation among politicians. If anything, the country appears more balkanized into ethnic and sectarian enclaves. — BAGHDAD — The U.S. troop buildup in Iraq was meant …
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Lyle Denniston / SCOTUSblog:
Court eases cocaine sentencing — The Supreme Court on Monday gave federal judges new authority to set sentences for crack cocaine crimes below the range of punishment set by federal guidelines — a major restoration of flexibility for trial judges in drug cases.
Mike Allen / The Politico:
GOP launches first attack invoking Hillary — The Republican Party has launched its first use of unflattering images of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) to motivate voters in two congressional special elections this week, marking the beginning of what could be a year-long barrage of ads …
Jason Linkins / The Huffington Post:
Lawrence O'Donnell Loses His Ever-Loving Mind on McLaughlin — A sane, if highly flawed, discussion of Mitt Romney's "Faith In America" speech on the McLaughlin Group was cold-cocked into the realm of crazy-faced anger by guest panelist Lawrence O'Donnell this morning, who started off by criticizing Romney …
Peter Baker / Washington Post:
Bush Knows Well the Hazards of the Trail — P resident Bush has forsworn any more commentary on the election to succeed him, at least until the nominations are settled. But he seems more than a little wistful as all these senators and governors travel the campaign trail without him.
Wall Street Journal:
U.S. Mortgage Crisis Rivals S&L Meltdown — Toll of Economic Shocks May Linger for Years; A Global Credit Crunch — The home has long been the bedrock asset of most American families. Now, its value has become the biggest question mark hanging over the global economy and financial system.
Discussion:
The Big Picture