Top Items:
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 …
Discussion:
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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, Right Wing News, TownHall Blog, Stop The ACLU, Hot Air, Riehl World View, Liberty Pundit and Cameron's Corner
Mark Murray / MSNBC:
ENTER ALAN KEYES — From NBC's Mark Murray — JOHNSTON, IA — There is one additional Republican presidential candidate who will be on the stage here at the GOP Des Moines Register/Iowa Public Television debate this afternoon: Alan Keyes. — This will be the first major debate …
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:
Des Moines Register, CNN Political Ticker, Boston Globe, Booman Tribune and Cliff Schecter
Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:
Clinton Campagn Attacks Obama On Drugs — The hints were there already, but now a Clinton surrogate is flaying Obama for his refreshing candor about past drug-use. Again: this is the politics of fear. Check out the classic Clinton defensive crouch with respect to the GOP:
Discussion:
The Opinionator, Comments from Left Field, New York Daily News Blogs and TPM Election Central
Zev Chafets / New York Times:
The Huckabee Factor — Mike Huckabee walked into the lobby of the Des Moines Marriott at 5:30 a.m. on Dec. 3, deposited an armful of dirty laundry at the desk and checked to make sure he was being credited with Marriott Rewards points toward his next stay. Then, accompanied by his wife …
Discussion:
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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.
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New York Post:
JEWS' SUBWAY HERO A MUSLIM — SAVES 'HANUKKAH' RIDERS FROM THUGS — A Brooklyn man whose "Happy Hanukkah" greeting landed him in the hospital said he was saved from a gang of Jew-bashing goons aboard a packed Q train by a total stranger - a modest Muslim from Bangladesh.
Discussion:
The Jawa Report, The Funny Farm, At-Largely, Gawker, Liberty Street, Gateway Pundit and American Footprints
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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.
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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 …
Jason Zengerle / The New Republic:
What Does Hillary Mean By "Experience"? — From today's NYT article about Hillary's struggles in Iowa, this is a bit of a damning admission from the candidate, isn't it? … Is this what Hillary means when she talks about experience—things she watched her husband do?
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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.
The Politico:
Boehner admits GOP money situation 'sucks' — One of the best things that can be said of Rep. John A. Boehner's leadership is that the head of House Republicans is no Newt Gingrich, no Tom DeLay. — The Ohio lawmaker has an affable, understated style and runs a team that has the long knives …
Dennis Ross / The New Republic:
The Can't-Win Kids — The dunderheaded public roll-out of the NIE. — The National Intelligence Estimate on Iran presents an interesting paradox: Though almost certainly the product of rigorous assessment and questioning, it may actually leave us less secure over time.
Ben Smith / The Politico:
Novak's non-scandal — So remember all the hubub and rapid-response that ensued when Robert Novak floated a mystery scandal about Obama? … Two sources tell me his column, which runs tomorrow, will report that the "scandalous information" in question arrived in the form of the attack on Obama's PAC as a …
John McCormick / The Swamp:
Obama picks up South Carolina endorsement — WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — Sen. Barack Obama's Democratic presidential campaign picked up another endorsement today, this one being from a former chairman of the Democratic Party in South Carolina. — Saying Obama could "change the course of American politics …
Associated Press:
U.S.: Fort Dix Attack Plot Suspects Promoting Terror in Jail — HADDONFIELD, New Jersey — Federal authorities say one of the men accused of planning an attack on soldiers at the Fort Dix army base gave another inmate in a federal detention center an Al Qaeda recruitment video and another wrote …