Top Items:
Greg Sargent / TPM Election Central:
Obama On Rick Warren Pick: We Have To Be Able To Agree To Disagree — Obama, at his presser today, defends the decision to choose Rick Warren to deliver the invocation as his inauguration with a restatement of his commitment to gay rights and, more broadly, to the principles of unity that have been a hallmark of his rise to power:
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CBN.com:
Pro-Lifers Rip Rick Warren on Obama Invocation — So let me get straight to the point. — Liberals and gay activists aren't happy with Barack Obama for choosing pro-life and prop 8 supporting pastor Rick Warren to give the invocation at Obama's inaugural.
Discussion:
The Daily Dish, The Moderate Voice, Washington Monthly, No More Mister Nice Blog, Donklephant and The Impolitic
Atrios / Eschaton:
Our Bigoted Media-Industrial Complex — Being anti-gay is perfectly acceptable, and nothing pleases The Villagers more than punching hippies in the face, so it's a two-fer. — Greg Sargent: … I don't actually think it was a good step politically, even though I agree that often punching hippies …
The Huffington Post:Obama's Talking Points On Rick Warren
Discussion:
Weekly Standard, Political Punch, Wonkette, RHRealityCheck.org blogs, Swampland and Ben Smith's Blogs
Thom Hartmann / The Huffington Post:Three Cups of Tea for Rick Warren
Discussion:
Bob Cesca's Awesome Blog!
Eric Kleefeld / TPM Election Central:
Franken The Likely Winner As Minnesota Recount Heads To Finish Line — Late Update: Norm Coleman's apparent lead has been cut to a mere five votes at the close of business today, according to the running vote count from the Star Tribune, down from a 358-vote lead last night.
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, AlterNet.org, FiveThirtyEight.com, Daily Kos, The Washington Independent and MyDD
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Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight.com:
Brett Favre Beats Lizard People — Yesterday, the Franken campaign challenged this ballot, claiming that “Brett Favre” was an identifying mark: — The Canvassing Board rejected the challenge and awarded the vote to Coleman. — Today, just moments ago, the infamous Lizard People ballot came up for the Canvassing Board's review!
Discussion:
Wonkette
Michael O'Brien / The Hill's Blog Briefing Room:Minn. High Court Ruling Could Help Coleman
Discussion:
Daily Kos
Jesse J. Holland / Associated Press:
AP source: Rep. Hilda Solis is Obama's labor pick — WASHINGTON (AP) — A labor official says Rep. Hilda Solis of California will be nominated as labor secretary by President-elect Barack Obama. — The Democratic congresswoman was just elected to her fifth term representing heavily Hispanic portions …
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Harold Meyerson / American Prospect:
HILDA SOLIS IS GREAT. — What does Rep. Hilda Solis, Barack Obama's selection for secretary of labor, bring to the job? Only a record of passionate commitment to working people, a high level of political smarts, and some genuine displays of raw guts that could make her a star of American liberalism.
Discussion:
Clive Crook, The New Republic, The Hill's Blog Briefing Room, Ben Smith's Blogs, MyDD, Matthew Yglesias and AmSpecBlog
ScienceInsider:
Sources: John Holdren to be Nominated as Obama's Science Adviser — Strong indications are that President-elect Barack Obama has picked physicist John Holdren to be the president's science adviser. — A top adviser to the Obama campaign and international expert on energy and climate …
Discussion:
Climate Progress, Washington Post, Reason, Get Energy Smart!, Open Left and Discover Magazine
New York Times:
The Torture Report — Most Americans have long known that the horrors of Abu Ghraib were not the work of a few low-ranking sociopaths. All but President Bush's most unquestioning supporters recognized the chain of unprincipled decisions that led to the abuse, torture and death in prisons run …
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Glenn Greenwald / Salon:Demands for war crimes prosecutions are now growing in the mainstream
Discussion:
Group News Blog
New York Times:
Bush Weighs ‘Orderly’ Bankruptcy for Automakers — WASHINGTON — The White House said on Thursday that an “orderly” bankruptcy was one option being considered to try to rescue General Motors and Chrysler, which are seeking billions of dollars to avoid a shutdown.
Jeralyn / TalkLeft:
Another Change You Won't See From Obama — From the time Sen. Barack Obama announced his candidacy, I wrote and wrote about his record on criminal justice issues, particularly with respect to our drug laws. I didn't like what I learned and said so repeatedly.
Rod Watson / Buffalo News:
Kennedy is listening to wrong folks — Who says Camelot kid Caroline Kennedy isn't ready to be a big-time politician representing New York in the U. S. Senate? — She doesn't even have the job yet, and she's already acting like a seasoned insider. — In her first visit to Buffalo …
A.C. Thompson / The Nation:
Katrina's Hidden Race War … The way Donnell Herrington tells it, there was no warning. One second he was trudging through the heat. The next he was lying prostrate on the pavement, his life spilling out of a hole in his throat, his body racked with pain, his vision blurred and distorted.
Discussion:
Brilliant at Breakfast
Rob Stein / Washington Post:
New Rule Protects Health-Care Workers' ‘Right of Conscience’ — The Bush administration today issued a sweeping new regulation that protects a broad range of health-care workers — from doctors to janitors — who refuse to participate in providing services that they believe violate their personal, moral or religious beliefs.
Stephen Dinan / Washington Times:
Gay man backed for Navy secretary — Foes cite 'Don't ask, don't tell' — Some top retired military leaders and some Democrats in Congress are backing William White, chief operating officer of the Intrepid Museum Foundation, to be the next secretary of the Navy - a move that would put …
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Time, MSNBC, GayPatriot, Washington Monthly, The Washington Independent and Outside The Beltway
Domenico Montanaro / MSNBC:
First Read: Obama names intel czar — From NBC's Jim Miklaszewski — Sources involved in President-elect Obama's transition confirm that former Admiral Dennis Blair has been selected as the new Director of National Intelligence. — A 34-year Navy veteran, Blair was commander …
Discussion:
Hot Air
White House:
President Bush Addresses the American Enterprise Institute — Washington, D.C. — In Focus: Health Care — In Focus: Economy — MR. DeMUTH: Mr. President, what's on your mind this morning? — THE PRESIDENT: First, thanking you for being the leader that you've been, and thanking AEI for generating good thought.
Discussion:
The Corner
Todd J. Gillman / Dallas Morning News:
Former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk emerges as front-runner for Obama Cabinet post — tgillman@dallasnews.com — WASHINGTON - Ron Kirk emerged late Wednesday as the front-runner for an Obama Cabinet post handling international trade, thrusting the pro-trade former Dallas mayor …
Scott Payne / The Moderate Voice:
Meditations on Torture — I wrote a post earlier this week about the likability of George W. Bush that came in for some criticism. Some readers seem to conclude that my assertion of Bush being likable was, in some sense, an exoneration of Bush's decisions and actions as president.
Discussion:
The Daily Dish
MSNBC:
Todd NBC's chief White House correspondent — Will retain political director title in addition to new duties — WASHINGTON - NBC News announced today that Political Director Chuck Todd has been named chief White House correspondent. Joining him on the beat will be Savannah Guthrie, who has been named White House correspondent.
Joe Weisenthal / clusterstock.alleyinsider.com:
Brilliant: Credit Suisse To Pay Top Execs With Illiquid Mortgage Securities — We're shocked that nobody has suggested this before, but on its face this looks like a great idea... Credit Suisse announced today that bonuses for its top executives would be made in illiquid, mortgage-backed securities.
Discussion:
Power Line
Associated Press:
Frigid Storm Closes California Freeways, Drops Snow in Malibu — LOS ANGELES — Snow snarled major mountain highways and even dusted Malibu on Wednesday as a cold storm hit parts of California. One person was killed by a wind-related helicopter crash, and an overflowing river …
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