memeorandum: Election Central Debate Roundup (Eric Kleefeld/TPM Election Central)

12:20 AM ET, December 13, 2007

Top Items:

Fred Wins, Iowa Loses — Why Carolyn Washburn should keep her day job. — HERE WE WERE on Wednesday, a nation of political junkies gathered around our televisions to watch the candidates debate each other one last time, and we had as a moderator one Carolyn Washburn, the editor of the Des Moines Register.

Discussion: Macsmind, Flopping Aces, Blue Crab Boulevard, The Corner, Cameron's Corner, Democratic Strategist and Hot Air

Rick Klein / ABCNEWS:

ANALYSIS: Huckabee Shines in Lackluster Debate — Last Chance GOP Debate a Missed Opportunity for Would-Be Iowa Contenders — The GOP Des Moines Register debate was lackluster but good news for front-runners Mike Huckabee, of Arkansas and former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts.

Discussion: New York Times, Time, Hot Air and Eunomia

Michelle Malkin:

The Iowa GOP Debate: "A little snappier, gentlemen! ;" Update Fred Thompson's not playing the "hand show;" Update: Aggghhh! The GOP candidates are all turning green; Update: Where's the Hucka-pile-on? ; Update: Keyes the hijacker; Update: New Year's resolutions; bottom line: DUD.

Discussion: The Campaign Spot, Don Surber, Washington Wire, Right Wing News, Wake up America, Hot Air, Captain's Quarters, Stop The ACLU, Liberty Pundit, Riehl World View, TownHall Blog and The American Mind

Marc Ambinder:

First Take: The Final Republican Debate — The headline is that no one laid a glove on Mike Huckabee. And that Mitt Romney had a hell of a good afternoon. He seemed more sinewy than usual, less programmed, quite (dare we say) presidential, and even-tempered.

Discussion: MSNBC, James Wolcott's Blog, The Caucus, Political Radar, The New Republic, Spin Cycle, Fred File and Power Line

Kevin Drum / Washington Monthly:

MORE ON THE HUCK....Ross Douthat has more on the fact that Mike Huckabee is basically just making stuff up as he goes along and plainly doesn't have clue about most of the things he's asked about. Economic policy? How about a 30% sales tax? Foreign policy?

Discussion: Ross Douthat, The Corner, The Newshoggers, Matthew Yglesias and Donklephant

CNN Political Ticker:
Huckabee apologizes to Romney for Mormon comment

Discussion: The Politico and Jonathan Martin's Blogs

Eric Kleefeld / TPM Election Central:
Election Central Debate Roundup

Discussion: The New Republic

Alex Mooney / CNN:
Huckabee apologizes for comments on Mormons

Discussion: The World Wide Rant and L.A. Times

Chris Cillizza / The Fix:
A Debate in Name Only — JOHNSTON, Iowa - In a debate …

Discussion: Democratic Strategist

The Washington Post / The Trail:

Clinton N.H. Official Warns Obama Will Be Attacked on Drug Use — Bill Shaheen, Clinton's New Hampshire co-chair. (AP). — DOVER, N.H. — Billy Shaheen, the co-chairman of Hillary Clinton's campaign in New Hampshire, raised the issue of Sen. Barack Obama's past admissions of drug use …

Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:
Clinton Campagn Attacks Obama On Drugs

Discussion: the talking dog, Comments from Left Field, New York Daily News Blogs, The Opinionator and TPM Election Central

Ed Henry / CNN:

Deal would give Bush victory on war funding — WASHINGTON (CNN) — Democratic lawmakers and staffers privately say they're closing in on a broad budget deal that would give President Bush as much as $70 billion in new war funding. — The deal would lack a key provision Democrats had attached …

Discussion: The Strata-Sphere and Open Left

Alexander Bolton / The Hill:

Pelosi backs down in spending battle — In the face of stiff opposition from powerful fellow Democrats, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) has abandoned a proposal she supported less than 24 hours ago to eliminate lawmakers' earmarks from the omnibus spending package.

Discussion: Redstate, The Politico, Firedoglake, The Crypt's Blogs, Weekly Standard, A Chequer-Board of Nights …, Blue Crab Boulevard and Wake up America

Mike Soraghan / The Hill:

Pelosi buys $16K worth of flowers — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has spent $16,000 on flowers since taking office, one reason why she spent 63 percent more in her high-profile inaugural year than her low-key predecessor did last year. — Pelosi (D-Calif.) spent a little more than $3 million …

Discussion: Wake up America, Redstate and Say Anything

AlterNet.org:

The Cartoon Mitt Romney Doesn't Want You To See [VIDEO] — Posted by Oliver Willis, Oliver Willis.com at 4:32 AM on December 12, 2007. — That it's got over 500,000 views on YouTube can't help someone like Mitt Romney — I don't know enough about Mormon theology to know if this bit …

Discussion: ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES, Brilliant at Breakfast and Clayton Cramer's BLOG

Klaus Marre / The Hill:

Kucinich booted from Iowa debate — Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D) is being excluded from this week's Iowa presidential debate because he has not rented office space in the Hawkeye State, his campaign said Wednesday. — The Des Moines Register informed the campaign that Kucinich is not invited …

Discussion: The Swamp, CNN Political Ticker, THE LIBERAL JOURNAL, Booman Tribune and Cliff Schecter

Mark Murray / MSNBC:
ENTER ALAN KEYES

Discussion: The New Republic, The Caucus, TownHall Blog, The Opinionator, Sister Toldjah and Say Anything

Satyam / Think Progress:

Rep. King Decries 'Assault On Christmas,' Calls On Americans To 'Stand Up' And 'Worship Christ' — Rep. Steve King recently (R-IA) introduced legislation recognizing the "importance of Christmas and the Christian faith," despite previously opposing resolutions recognizing the Muslim celebration of Ramadan and the Hindu Diwali.

Discussion: Arkansas Online, Crooks and Liars, The Carpetbagger Report, Shakespeare's Sister, The Mahablog and Naked Politics

Michelle Malkin:
Scrooges on the Hill: Saying no to Christmas resolution

Discussion: Hot Air, Stop The ACLU and RIGHTWINGSPARKLE

David Schraub / The Moderate Voice:

Attackers Shouted "This is a Christian Country" — ...before the ten of them started beating up a group of Jews on the Q train in New York City. — 2 Comments for the post: Attackers Shouted "This is a Christian Country" — Entropy said, — And the point of this post is? — Idiosyncrat said,

Discussion: New York Post, The Debate Link and Liberty Street

Melissa Grace / NY Daily News:
Muslim hero breaks up train beating

Discussion: The Jawa Report, Liberty Street and Gateway Pundit

Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup:

Update on Ratings of Bush, Congress — Thirty-seven percent approve of Bush, 22% of Congress — PRINCETON, NJ — A new Gallup Poll, conducted Dec. 6-9, finds 37% of Americans approving of the job George W. Bush is doing as president, an improvement from his recent scores in the low 30s.

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Wake up America, Buck Naked Politics and Weekly Standard

New York Times:

Republican Presidential Debate — REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES DEBATE PARTICIPANTS: — FORMER NEW YORK MAYOR RUDOLPH GIULIANI FORMER ARKANSAS GOVERNOR MIKE HUCKABEE FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY FORMER TENNESSEE SENATOR FRED THOMPSON FORMER AMBASSADOR ALAN KEYES MODERATOR: CAROLYN WASHBURN

Discussion: Power Line

Amanda / Think Progress:

Sen. Kit Bond: Waterboarding Is Like 'Swimming' — Yesterday on PBS's Newshour, host Gwen Ifill asked Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO) whether waterboarding constitutes torture. Bond replied that the technique is actually more like "swimming": … Watch it: — Conservatives have repeatedly tried …