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 …
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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, Weekly Standard, Federal Eye, Pajamas Media, MoJoBlog, Macsmind 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:
Firedoglake, The Fix, Commentary, Political Machine, DownWithTyranny!, Scorecard's Blogs, MyDD, The Raw Story and Daily Kos
Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:
Team Obama: Richardson misled us — It looks as if Barack Obama and his transition team know how badly Bill Richardson's resignation reflects on them. They have started leaking to the press that Richardson's to blame for the embarrassing spectacle this afternoon of his withdrawal as a Cabinet nominee.
Discussion:
Washington Post
Sheryl Gay Stolberg / New York Times:
Richardson Won't Pursue Cabinet Post — WASHINGTON — Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico, President-elect Barack Obama's choice for commerce secretary, withdrew from consideration for that job on Sunday, saying a pending investigation into whether his administration gave lucrative contracts …
Mike Allen / The Politico:
Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine to head DNC — Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine has been chosen by President-elect Barack Obama to head the Democratic National Committee, a Democratic official said. — The pick is a bet that an energetic younger leader will help the party capitalize on the historic enthusiasm that swept Obama to his landslide win.
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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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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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.
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:
Discussion:
Palestine Monitor, BBC, Newshoggers.com, Right Wing News, Financial Times, Crooks and Liars, Associated Press, AlterNet.org and Think Progress
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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.
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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” …
John / Power Line:
THE HONEYMOON: OVER BEFORE IT BEGAN! — Many liberals have what strikes me as a touching faith that the election of Barack Obama will cause America to be better loved by people around the world, including those who are ideologically hostile to the United States.
Joseph Massad / ei: The Electronic Intifada:
The Gaza Ghetto Uprising — One is often baffled by the ironies of international relations and the alliances they foster. Take for example the Israeli colonial settlement that had declared war on the Palestinian people and several Arab countries since its inception while at the same …