Top Items:
Mike Allen / The Politico:
McCain scolds GOP for whacking Obama — In a surprising rebuke to the warriors who fought for him through tough times, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Sunday sided with President-elect Barack Obama and scolded the Republican National Committee for fanning the Illinois corruption scandal.
Discussion:
Scared Monkeys, A Blog For All, JammieWearingFool, Sweetness & Light, Macsmind, Gateway Pundit and Reuters
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Mark Silva / The Swamp:
Obama team's ‘unanswered questions’ — The “unanswered questions” — as the Republican National Committee and others are calling them — will continue to haunt President-elect Obama and staff in the sordid case of the Illinois governor accused of attempting to sell Obama's Senate seat.
Jennifer Parker / George's Bottom Line:
McCain: RNC's Obama-Blagojevich Focus Not Helpful
McCain: RNC's Obama-Blagojevich Focus Not Helpful
Discussion:
The Fix, Washington Monthly, TPM Election Central, Ben Smith's Blogs, The Note, TIME.com and Chicago Breaking News
Andrew Malcolm / Top of the Ticket:
Pressure builds on Obama to release his Blagojevich contacts
Pressure builds on Obama to release his Blagojevich contacts
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, Pajamas Media, Althouse, RedState, Hot Air, Dean's World, Doug Ross and New York Times
Steven Lee Myers / New York Times:
Bush Arrives in Iraq for a Final Visit — BAGHDAD — President Bush flew to Iraq on Sunday, a final trip to highlight the recently completed security agreement between Iraq and the United States. — Air Force One arrived in Baghdad at 4 p.m. after a 10-and-a-half-hour overnight flight from Andrews Air Force Base near Washington.
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Jules Crittenden:
Victory Lap — Bush makes a last visit to Iraq. Reuters: … Either that, or they bought the distortions, outright lies and pro-jihadi propaganda they were spoonfed over the past five years by Reuters and others. Can't just let him have his victory. Don't worry, he's leaving it in good hands.
Discussion:
Kansas City Star, Mudville Gazette, Right Wing Nut House, BBC, Gateway Pundit and Dean's World
Matt Spetalnick / Reuters:
Bush makes farewell visit to Iraq
Bush makes farewell visit to Iraq
Discussion:
The Politico, Don Surber, Bloomberg, Sister Toldjah, Sky News, NewsBusters.org and Firedoglake
New York Times:
Official History Spotlights Iraq Rebuilding Blunders
Official History Spotlights Iraq Rebuilding Blunders
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, Right Wing Nut House, Outside The Beltway, The Gun Toting Liberal, Connecting.the.Dots, Taylor Marsh, The Mahablog, Prairie Weather, Washington Monthly, PoliBlog, Below The Beltway, Pam's House Blend, The Raw Story, On Deadline, Informed Comment, Think Progress, Truthdig and Buck Naked Politics
Michael Isikoff / Newsweek:
The Fed Who Blew the Whistle — Is he a hero or a criminal? — Nigel Parry / CPI for Newsweek — From the magazine issue dated Dec 22, 2008 — Thomas M. Tamm was entrusted with some of the government's most important secrets. He had a Sensitive Compartmented Information security clearance, a level above Top Secret.
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Hilzoy / Washington Monthly:
Whistleblowers — Newsweek has a fascinating story about the person who first leaked the warrantless surveillance story: … It's fascinating, and well worth reading in its entirety. For now, I want to focus on one comment by Frances Frago Townsend: … In general, I agree with Townsend.
Associated Press:
Palin's church damaged in suspicious fire — ANCHORAGE, ALASKA — Gov. Sarah Palin's home church has been badly damaged in an arson fire. — Damages to the Wasilla Bible Church were estimated at $1 million, authorities said today. No one was injured in the fire, which was intentionally set while people …
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Deborah Blum / The Huffington Post:
Why My Dog (And I) No Longer Watch CNN — In my home office we are boycotting CNN. Of course, my home office is a room at the back of my house occupied by myself and the family dog, a boxer named Dodger, who contributes by snoring musically while I work. — Nevertheless, we take this boycott seriously.
MSNBC:
Dec. 14: Blagojevich corruption scandal, U.S. economic turmoil — Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, Mary Mitchell, Chuck Todd, Jennifer Granholm, Fmr. Mitt Romney, Carly Fiorina, Lee Scott, Eric Schmidt — MR. DAVID GREGORY: Our issues this Sunday …
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New York Times:
A Champion of Wall Street Reaps Benefits — “We are not going to rest until we change the rules, change the laws and make sure New York remains No. 1 for decades on into the future.” — WASHINGTON — As the financial crisis jolted the nation in September, Senator Charles E. Schumer was consumed.
Discussion:
Commentary, Kevin Drum, NewsBusters.org, BloggingStocks, Booman Tribune, JammieWearingFool, The Big Picture, The Agonist and TPMCafe
Satyam Khanna / Think Progress:
Rove Reportedly Will ‘Help Lead’ GOP's Fight Against Eric Holder For Attorney General — Senate Republicans, including Sens. Arlen Specter (R-PA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Jon Kyl (R-AZ), are trying delay confirmation hearings for Attorney General nominee Eric Holder …
Peter Baker / New York Times:
Acid Test: The Lasting Effects of Political Poison — With memories of the Clinton impeachment in mind, Obama advisers reacted quickly to the scandal in Illinois.