Top Items:
Patrik Jonsson / Christian Science Monitor:
Sarah Palin will headline first-ever Tea Party Convention — Sarah Palin's appearance is a coup for a movement now getting grudging respect from mainstream commentators. But will the feisty Tea Party movement coalesce with the GOP's old guard? — Atlanta
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Mark Leibovich / New York Times:
The First Senator From the Tea Party? — Charlie Crist's perma-tanned face bears none of the strain you would expect from the archetype of the embattled Republican. Politicians are supposed to keep up appearances, but Crist is especially convincing, one of the more earnest politicians you will see, whether or not he means it.
Discussion:
msnbc.com, GOP 12, Weekly Standard, Prairie Weather, Michael Calderone's Blog and The Buzz
Room for Debate:
What's the Outlook for Democrats? — Lorenzo Morris of Howard University joins the discussion. He says the change in the national electorate from President Obama's election may carry through the midterm races. — Democratic Senators Christopher Dodd of Connecticut and Byron Dorgan …
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Kyle Trygstad / Politics Nation:
Pomeroy Will Not Run For Senate
Pomeroy Will Not Run For Senate
Discussion:
The Plum Line, George's Bottom Line, Commentary, TPMDC, Pajamas Media and The Other McCain
Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
‘DROPPING LIKE FLIES’?.... Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) is retiring.
‘DROPPING LIKE FLIES’?.... Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) is retiring.
Discussion:
New York Times, PostPartisan, TPMDC, The Huffington Post, Washington Post, Liberal Values, Donklephant, The Reality-Based Community, Ben Smith's Blog, Matthew Yglesias, Associated Press, Democratic Strategist, PoliBlog, The Moderate Voice, Open Left, Newsweek Blogs, Wake up America, The Plum Line, The Note, Megan McArdle, JOSHUAPUNDIT, Lawyers, Guns and Money, Outside The Beltway and Sister Toldjah
Byron York / Washington Examiner:
White House: We will NOT discuss broken C-Span promise — On Tuesday, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs declined to answer questions about the president's campaign commitment to hold health-care negotiations on C-Span. Gibbs said he had not seen a letter from C-Span's Brian Lamb …
Discussion:
Power Line, Pajamas Media, The Lonely Conservative, YID With LID, Carol's Closet, TigerHawk and Riehl World View
RELATED:
Jennifer Rubin / Commentary:
Lincoln's “Retirement” May Be Involuntary — Sen. Blanche Lincoln is in trouble, still: … The White House and the Democratic leadership have been telling their colleagues that health care is their political salvation, the only way of heading off the coming tidal wave election.
Discussion:
RedState
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Rasmussen Reports:
Election 2010: Arkansas Senate Race — 2010 Arkansas Senate Race Still A Referendum on Lincoln — As 2010 begins, the numbers for Senator Blanche Lambert Lincoln are pretty much the same as last year's while she prepares to face Arkansas voters in November.
Discussion:
Daily Kos, Scared Monkeys, Real Clear Politics, Scorecard's Blog, A Certain Enthusiasm, Hot Air, Politics Nation and TPMDC
New York Post:
White House budget director ditched pregnant girlfriend for ABC News gal — President Obama's budget guru has a secret love child — with the woman he jilted for his hot new fiance, The Post has learned. — White House budget director Peter Orszag's ex, shipping heiress Claire Milonas …
Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:
“Sick” Of The Israelis And The Palestinians — Ben Rhodes has denied that Rahm said this to the Israelis. Well, it sure sounds like Rahm. — More to the point, who wouldn't be sick of the Israelis and the Palestinians at this point? — I too am sick of the Israelis for their contempt …
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Natasha Mozgovaya / Haaretz:
Emanuel: U.S. fed up with Israel, Palestinians
Emanuel: U.S. fed up with Israel, Palestinians
Discussion:
Reuters, Jerusalem Post, Pundits Blog, Think Progress, Arutz Sheva, Ben Smith's Blog, JOSHUAPUNDIT, Coteret, Jeffrey Goldberg and Israel Matzav
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:
An opening for Arnold? — Here's the best rumor I've heard today, inspired in part by the fact that Arnold Schwarzenegger has, of late, been saying nice things about the president at every turn and by the announcement that Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter is retiring.
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Stephen Power / Wall Street Journal:
Salazar to Toughen U.S. Drilling Rules
Salazar to Toughen U.S. Drilling Rules
Discussion:
Federal Eye, Public Policy Polling, The Note, Climate Progress, MyDD, Weasel Zippers, Think Progress and Wonk Room
Reuters:
Obama ‘Frustrated’ By ‘Slow’ Confirmation For Nominees, Expected To Re-Nominate — WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? — President Obama is increasingly frustrated with the slow pace of confirmation for his judicial and executive appointees, according to White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.
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Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
RE-NOMINATIONS.... Conservative obstructionism has blocked votes …
RE-NOMINATIONS.... Conservative obstructionism has blocked votes …
Discussion:
ACS Blog
Andrew Breitbart / Big Journalism:
‘You Are a Bad, Bad, Bad Journalist’ — I couldn't believe I was having this conversation. It felt like a scene from a movie that conveniently ties plot points together when two critical characters in the storyline share a moment of implausible significance - where the intrepid reporter finally runs his target to ground.
Chris Zavadil / Fremont Tribune:
Nelson: We should have waited on health care — Sen. Ben Nelson said Tuesday it was a mistake for the Obama Administration to take on massive health care reforms in 2009, and suggested efforts would have been better spent addressing the economy. — Nelson, who provided the crucial 60th vote …
Brian McGrory / Boston Globe:
Where's Martha Coakley? — If you're a registered voter in Massachusetts, your friendly Democratic Senate candidate, Martha Coakley, is sticking her thumb in your eye. — Coakley, in exquisitely diva-like form, is refusing all invitations to debate her Republican opponent in the race …
Gene Fynes / D.C. Wire:
GOP Congress members wade into same-sex marriage debate — Thirty-nine congressional Republicans, including House Minority Leader John Boehner (Ohio) and Minority Whip Eric Cantor (Va.), have filed an amicus brief in D.C. Superior Court calling for a voter referendum on whether to legalize same-sex marriage in the District.
Discussion:
Think Progress, AMERICAblog Gay, Box Turtle Bulletin, Minnesota Independent and TPM LiveWire
New York Times:
Paterson Speech Chastises Lawmakers — ALBANY — In a strikingly blunt State of the State address, Gov. David A. Paterson chastised the lawmakers seated before him on Wednesday for spending the state into near-ruin and standing by as a plague of political corruption destroyed New Yorkers' trust in their government.
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:
Arnold blasts health care bill: ‘Trough of bribes, deals and loopholes’ — So scratch that thing about cozying up to the White House. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, in California's perpetual budget hell, blasted the elements of health care legislation that impose new burdens on the states in his State of the State speech today:
Discussion:
The Page
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Sebastian Rotella / Los Angeles Times:
U.S. learned intelligence on airline bomb suspect while he was en route — U.S. border enforcement officials came close to stopping the attempted bombing of a Northwest Airlines jet while the suspect was en route to Detroit on Christmas Day, new data show. — Reporting from Washington …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo
Jane Hamsher / Firedoglake:
Top 20 Democrats Who Could Lose Their Seats over Health Care Vote — Embattled Democratic Rep. Vic Snyder (AR-02) — I've been going over the list of Republican challengers, to try and figure out which present the most serious threats to those who voted “yes” on the health care bill the first time it went through the House.
ABCNEWS:
Exclusive: Air Marshal Surge in ‘Race Against Time’ — U.S. Fears More Airplane Bombers Are in the Terrorist Pipeline. — President Barack Obama has ordered a “surge” of federal air marshals to be in place by Feb.1 in what officials said was a “race against time,” with other suicide bombers believed …
Ari Savitzky / FairVote.org:
Rhode Island Legislature Overrides Electoral Reform Vetoes — FairVote Catalyst for Major Wins for Youth Pre-registration, Elections for U.S. Senate Vacancies — Paul Fidalgo, FairVote communications director - paul@fairvote.org / 301-270-4616 — The Rhode Island State Senate and House …
BBC:
Five die in Egypt church attack — At least five Coptic Christians have been killed in a drive-by shooting outside a church in southern Egypt, officials say. — The shooting came as worshippers left the church in Naj Hammadi after a midnight mass on Coptic Christmas Eve.
CNN:
14 terror suspects mistakenly kill themselves — Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) — Fourteen suspected terrorists died Tuesday night when the bus they rigged with explosives blew up prematurely, police said. — The explosion occurred as the suspects were riding the bus in the province of Kunduz, said police chief Abdul Raziq Yaqobi.
Pundit Review Radio / BLACKFIVE:
DHS Comments On Yon Post (?!?) — Well, down in my short little post on Mike Yon's latest problems with the Border Bullies as he calls them, Johnnie von Bernhardi pops up to accuse Mike of lying, and me and all conservatives of flying off the handle. Since he hasn't posted since July …