Top Items:
Reid Wilson / The Hill:
RNC candidate distributes controversial Obama song — RNC candidate Chip Saltsman's Christmas greeting to committee members includes a music CD with lyrics from a song called “Barack the Magic Negro,” first played on Rush Limbaugh's popular radio show. — Saltsman, a personal friend …
Toby Harnden / Telegraph:
CIA give Afghan warlords Viagra in exchange for information on Taliban — The CIA has secured co-operation from ageing Afghan warlords by providing them with an unusual incentive - Viagra. — “Whatever it takes to make friends and influence people - whether it's building a school or handing out Viagra …
RELATED:
Ezra Klein / American Prospect:
THE LITTLE BLUE PILL GOES TO WAR. — According to the BBC, the CIA has come up with a surprisingly effective inducement to get information for warlords in Afghanistan: Trade them Viagra. The younger tribal leaders know about the drug already, but the older chiefs often don't, and for them, it's a godsend.
Jaketapper / Political Punch:
Obama Visits Marine Corps Base for Christmas — FROM ABC NEWS' SUNLEN MILLER IN HAWAII: — President-elect Obama stopped by the Marine Corps base in Hawaii Kaneche Bay where servicemen and -women were eating Christmas dinner in Kailua Thursday evening. — “Just wanted to say hi …
RELATED:
Hugh Hewitt / Townhall.com:
Signals From The New C-in-C — The president-elect dropped in on some Marines stationed in Hawaii yesterday, a fine gesture of appreciation for the military he will soon be leading. — The Los Angeles Times reported in a separate article, however, that “President-elect Barack Obama's transition team …
Discussion:
Power Line
Paul Steinhauser / CNN:
Poll: 75% of Americans glad Bush is done — CNN Deputy Political Director — (CNN) — A new national poll suggests that three out of four Americans feel President Bush's departure from office is coming not a moment too soon. — Seventy-five percent of those questioned …
RELATED:
Times of India:
Pak textbooks build hate culture against India — Text: — The empowerment of terror in Pakistan has not happened overnight. This is the logical culmination of the politics and policies pursued by Pakistan for years now. — Terrorism in Pakistan has its roots in the culture of hate …
Discussion:
Pajamas Media
RELATED:
Joel Stein / Los Angeles Times:
Republicans are blinded by love — Lefties just don't have the same feeling about America as the hard right does. — Idon't love America. That's what conservatives are always telling liberals like me. Their love, they insist, is truer, deeper and more complete.
Karl Rove / Wall Street Journal:
Bush Is a Book Lover — A glimpse of what the president has been reading. — With only five days left, my lead is insurmountable. The competition can't catch up. And for the third year in a row, I'll triumph. In second place will be the president of the United States.
Nitya Venkataraman / ABCNEWS:
American Shores Face Threat of Rising Sea Level — Report Projects 4-Foot Rise in Global Sea Level by End of Century — An Iditarod without snow, Florida's coastal towns lost forever to the Gulf of Mexico, wheat farmers in Kansas without crops. — What sounds like the climatic end …
RELATED:
BBC:
Zimbabwe child malnutrition rises — Acute child malnutrition in parts of Zimbabwe has increased by almost two-thirds compared with last year, aid agency Save the Children says. — In a new report, the UK-based agency said “some children are wasting away from lack of food”.
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:
Kennedy: Would have run earlier if her name weren't Kennedy, ‘dismayed’ by own voting record — Caroline Kennedy, diving in on an otherwise slow news day, also spoke to NY1 News, making her case as an “unconventional” choice for the Senate, responding to the suggestion that she's only in the race …
Discussion:
TPM Election Central
Jackie Calmes / The Caucus:
A Water Park, but No Pool — HONOLULU - In the news-free zone that is Barack Obama's pre-inaugural Hawaiian vacation, this passes for a bulletin: The president-elect ditched his “press pool” of media minders to take his daughters to a water park on Friday morning.
New York Times:
Burning Coal at Home Is Making a Comeback — SUGARLOAF, Pa. — Kyle Buck heaved open the door of a makeshift bin abutting his suburban ranch house. Staring at a two-ton pile of coal that was delivered by truck a few weeks ago, Mr. Buck worried aloud that it would not be enough to last the winter.
Aron Heller / Associated Press:
Israel transferring humanitarian aid to Gaza — JERUSALEM - Israel renewed its transfer of humanitarian aid into Gaza on Friday despite continued rocket and mortar fire from the coastal strip and rising expectations of a large-scale Israeli military campaign against Gaza militants.
RELATED:
Senior Data Journalist, NY — 
Manager - Publishing Editorial, Manila — 
Oil Reporter, Singapore — 
Newsperson - State Govt. & Politics, CA — 
Business Reporter, SC — 
State Government Reporter, WA — 
Climate Crisis Columnist — 
Multimedia Journalist, CA — 
Community Engagement Mgr., DC — 
Senior California Politics Reporter, CA — 
Staff Writer - Business, NY — 
Team Editor - Opinion, ON — 
Assistant Correspondent, DC — 
Climate & Weather Reporter, MN — 
Senior Tech Editor, Remote US — 
Lead Business Reporter, TN — 
Managing Editor, WA — 
Private Credit Reporter, NY — 
Trending News Reporter, TX — 
City Correspondent, London — 
Legislative Reporter, CA — 
Reporter, PA — 
Visual Editor, Remote — 
Staff Writer, MI — 
Senior Political Reporter, DC — 
California Playbook Writer, CA — 
National Investigative Reporter, NY — 
Business & Gaming Reporter, NV — 
Coastal Climate Reporter, SC — 
Environment & Energy Reporter, CT — 
Coordinating Editor, OR — 
Editor, Remote US — 
Business Reporter, WA — 
Editor-in-Chief, AZ — 
