Top Items:
Associated Press:
Richardson withdraws as Commerce nominee — New Mexico governor cites pending investigation of business dealings — New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson on Sunday announced that he was withdrawing his nomination to be President-elect Barack Obama's commerce secretary amid a grand jury investigation …
Discussion:
The Jawa Report, The Huffington Post, The Gun Toting Liberal, The Politico, The Sundries Shack, Washington Monthly, The Fix, Reuters, Change.org's Blog Network, MSNBC, Hot Air, rubber hose, THE LIBERAL JOURNAL, Philly.com, Don Surber, BitsBlog, TigerHawk, PoliGazette, Wizbang, Michelle Malkin, JOSHUAPUNDIT, Swampland, Firedoglake, The Mahablog, The Field on the Narcosphere, Outside The Beltway, Think Progress, Riehl World View, Hotline On Call, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Scared Monkeys and The Economic Populist
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Dschabner / Political Punch:
Obama Team Feels Richardson Wasn't Forthcoming About Investigation Before Being Offered Commerce — Sources tell ABC News that officials on the Obama Transition Team feel that before he was formally offered the job of commerce secretary, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson was not forthcoming …
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, Runnin' Scared, Federal Eye, The Sundries Shack, Weekly Standard, Macsmind, MoJoBlog, Pajamas Media and NO QUARTER
Michael D. Shear / Washington Post:
Va. Governor Kaine to Become DNC Chairman — Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine will become chairman of the Democratic National Committee later this month, serving as the top political messenger for Barack Obama's administration even while he finishes his final year in the governor's mansion, several sources said.
Discussion:
Commentary, Political Machine, The Confluence, Firedoglake, DownWithTyranny!, Scorecard's Blogs, MyDD, The Raw Story, The Reaction, The Fix and Daily Kos
Andrew Malcolm / Top of the Ticket:
Billygate: Why Obama dumped Gov. Richardson now — New Mexico Democratic Gov. Bill Richardson withdrew his name as Commerce Secretary-designate this afternoon for the new administration of President-elect Barack Obama. — With an almost audible sigh of relief barely two weeks …
Sheryl Gay Stolberg / New York Times:
Richardson Won't Pursue Cabinet Post
Richardson Won't Pursue Cabinet Post
Discussion:
The Politico, Liberal Values, Cafe Hayek, Open Left, Ben Smith's Blogs, Gothamist, Swing State Project and The Raw Story
Wall Street Journal:
Obama Eyes $300 Billion Tax Cut — WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama and congressional Democrats are crafting a plan to offer about $300 billion in tax cuts to individuals and businesses, a move aimed at attracting Republican support for an economic-stimulus package and prodding companies to create jobs.
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Mike Allen / The Politico:
Obama plans to unveil big tax cuts — Aiming to foster bipartisan support for his record-setting economic stimulus, President-elect Obama plans to propose huge tax cuts for businesses and middle-class workers that will total about 40 percent of the package, or up to $310 billion, congressional officials said.
Scott Shane / New York Times:
For Israel, Chance to Strike Before an Ally Departs — For nine days, as European and United Nations officials have called urgently for a cease-fire in Gaza, the Bush administration has squarely blamed the rocket attacks of the Palestinian militant group Hamas for Israel's assault …
Discussion:
Balkinization
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Simon Tisdall / Guardian:
Barack Obama's silence on Gaza is damaging his reputation — Barack Obama's chances of making a fresh start in US relations with the Muslim world, and the Middle East in particular, appear to diminish with each new wave of Israeli attacks on Palestinian targets in Gaza.
Martina Stewart / CNN:
Leading Democrat: Bush 'the worst president we've ever had' — WASHINGTON (CNN) - As the nation prepares for the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama, a leading Democrat is not letting up in his criticism of President George W. Bush. — “I really do believe President Bush …
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Chris Welch / CNN:
Panel to declare Franken winner of Senate race — MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (CNN) — A state election board on Monday will announce Democrat Al Franken has defeated Republican incumbent Norm Coleman in Minnesota's U.S. Senate race, state officials told CNN Sunday.
RELATED:
Eric Kleefeld / TPM Election Central:
Reid To Coleman: It's Over. Concede.
Reid To Coleman: It's Over. Concede.
Discussion:
AMERICAblog News
Gideon Levy / Haaretz:
And there lie the bodies — The legend, lest it be a true story, tells of how the late mathematician, Professor Haim Hanani, asked his students at the Technion to draw up a plan for constructing a pipe to transport blood from Haifa to Eilat. The obedient students did as they were told.
Martin Kramer / Sandbox:
Israel's Gaza strategy — In the fog of war, it isn't just the truth that falls casualty. So does common sense. Quite a few pundits seem to think that Israel lacks a strategy in Gaza. But unlike the Lebanon war of 2006, this war has been planned in advance, and every stage has been war-gamed.
RELATED:
Siun / Firedoglake:
Gaza Update: Cluster Bombs — There's more evidence today of Israeli use of cluster bombs, originally noted by Laura Doty at Oxdown. The Times of London features a photo in it's coverage (see Gaza Conflict slide show) with the following description:
RELATED:
Adam Nagourney / New York Times:
Virginia Governor Is Named D.N.C. Chief — WASHINGTON — Gov. Tim Kaine, of Virginia, who was a top contender to be President-elect Barack Obama's running mate, has been tapped by him to become the next chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Democrats familiar with the decision said Sunday.
Discussion:
FiveThirtyEight.com
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Michelle Malkin:
Who says conservative bloggers don't do reporting? — Before we fully launch into the action-packed first week of 2009, I want to provide you with a year-end wrap-up of original blog reporting on this site and across the conservative blogosphere. Why? Well, over the weekend …
Discussion:
Don Surber
Media Matters for America:
Is NBC going to help Coulter sell this book? — As Media Matters for America has noted, author and syndicated columnist Ann Coulter recently announced that she is scheduled to appear on the January 6 broadcast of NBC's Today to promote the release of her new book, Guilty: Liberal “Victims” …
Stable Hand / The Jawa Report:
Influential Hamas Leader Sheikh Hassan Yousef's Son Renounces Islam — FNC documentary “Escape from Hamas” featured the son of Yousef, Mosab Hassan Yousef. Yousef now faces death for renouncing Islam and converting to Christianity. — Yousef, when asked; “Can the Palestinians and Israel live in peace?”:
Robert Pear / New York Times:
Justices' Ruling in Discrimination Case May Draw Quick Action by Obama — WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama and Democrats in Congress are planning swift action to overturn a Supreme Court decision that made it much harder for people to challenge discrimination in employment, education, housing and other fields.