memeorandum: Dem congressman: Afghanistan conflict ‘not a winnable war’ (Shane D'Aprile/The Hill)

1:55 PM ET, December 4, 2010

Top Items:

Now it's all or nothing on tax cuts — Democrats failed to break a Republican filibuster Saturday of two measures that would have ended Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, forcing both parties back to the negotiating table if they want to avert a tax hike next year for most Americans.

Discussion: Associated Press, Wake up America and Washington Monthly

Patricia Murphy / Politics Daily:

Senate Republicans Block Democrats Middle Class Tax Cut Plan … Republican senators led a filibuster Saturday to block consideration of two Democratic proposals to permanently extend the expiring Bush tax cuts for all but the highest earners. — In a rare weekend session …

Discussion: CNN and ThinkProgress

J. Taylor Rushing / The Hill:

Senate rejects million-dollar tax-cut compromise in Saturday session — United Senate Republicans joined a small handful of Democrats on Saturday to defeat a pair of proposals to extend some of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts signed into law by President George W. Bush.

Jane Hamsher / Firedoglake:
Obama Using Unemployed as an Excuse to Get What He Wanted All Along

Discussion: TPMDC, Da Techguy's Blog, Sky Dancing, The Confluence, Rortybomb and Crooks and Liars

Charles M. Blow / New York Times:

She Who Must Not Be Named — This is it. This is the last time I'm going to write the name Sarah Palin until she does something truly newsworthy, like declare herself a candidate for the presidency. Until then, I will no longer take part in the left's obsessive-compulsive fascination with her …

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, Vox Popoli, Daily Kos, Balloon Juice and Prairie Weather

Shane D'Aprile / The Hill:

Dem congressman: Afghanistan conflict ‘not a winnable war’ — With President Obama on the ground in Afghanistan Friday, Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) declared the U.S.-led war in that country unwinnable. — In an appearance on MSNBC's “Hardball” with Chris Matthews, the Democrat said the war …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and The Other McCain

Andrew Malcolm / Top of the Ticket:

Was President Obama endangered by premature news reports of his arrival in Afghan warzone? — A growing flap — and concerns — over President Obama's personal safety and security in the Afghan war zone tonight, given that some American news outlets reported he was there nearly a half-hour before Air Force One actually landed.

Discussion: JustOneMinute and New York Times

Peter Baker / The Caucus:
President Obama Lands in Afghanistan for Unannounced Visit

Discussion: The Daily Beast and Daily Kos

The Huffington Post:

4 Million Americans Set To Lose Unemployment Benefits Even If Congress Passes Extension (CHART) — WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? … Even as Congress debates whether to extend emergency unemployment checks for more than 6 million Americans who are approaching the 99-week limit …

Discussion: Crooks and Liars

Peter Whoriskey / Washington Post:
Jobless rate jumps to 9.8% as hiring slows in November

Discussion: Hot Air, Big Government and Left in the West

Washington Post:

Hollywood myth-making on Valerie Plame controversy — WE'RE NOT in the habit of writing movie reviews. But the recently released film “Fair Game” - which covers a poisonous Washington controversy during the war in Iraq - deserves some editorial page comment, if only because of what its promoters are saying about it.

Discussion: Balloon Juice and Wonk Room

Fhardingj / CNN:

TRENDING: Palin book signing a tightly controlled operation — Columbia, South Carolina (CNN) - Members of the media and book-toting Sarah Palin supporters were asked to follow a surprisingly strict set of guidelines Friday as the former Alaska governor appeared in South Carolina on the final stop …

Discussion: Politics Daily, The Confluence and GOP 12

U.S. Senator Susan Collins:

SENATOR COLLINS' STATEMENT ON 'DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL' — Following the conclusion of today's Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the military's “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” policy, Senator Susan Collins released this statement: — “Like our closest allies, the United States' Armed Forces …

Discussion: Wonk Room, scottbrown.senate.gov, DISSENTING JUSTICE, Balloon Juice, Firedoglake, The Politico, Hot Air, The Plum Line, Outside the Beltway and The Hill

Michael O'Brien / The Hill:
Collins says 'Don't ask, don't tell' repeal must wait for tax cuts

Discussion: The Caucus, Box Turtle Bulletin, The Reality-Based Community and Balloon Juice

Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
Dem senator compares negotiating with GOP to talks with terrorists

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Scared Monkeys, Liberty Pundits Blog, The Politico, Cubachi, CNN and Riehl World View

Anemona Hartocollis / New York Times:

New Jersey Closer to Sales of Medical Marijuana — A standoff between Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey and advocates for medical marijuana has ended in a compromise that could put marijuana on the market for seriously ill patients by next summer. — The new regulations, announced on Friday …

Discussion: New York Magazine, Cubachi and FrumForum

Mary Clare Jalonick / hosted2.ap.org:

Hold the brownies! Bill could limit bake sales … WASHINGTON (AP) — Don't touch my brownies! — A child nutrition bill on its way to President Barack Obama — and championed by the first lady — gives the government power to limit school bake sales and other fundraisers that health advocates …

Discussion: Right Wing News, Questions and Observations, Weasel Zippers, Doug Ross and Joanne Jacobs

David Kravets / Threat Level:

Viacom Says YouTube Ruling Will ‘Completely Destroy’ Copyright — Viacom appealed Friday its unsuccessful $1 billion copyright lawsuit against Google's YouTube in a case testing the depths of copyright-infringement protection under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998.

Discussion: Techdirt and Outside the Beltway

Jamelle Bouie / American Prospect:

What's So Hard About Hardball? — Kevin Drum on the Democratic Party's congenital inability to play hardball politics: … The bigger issue, I think, is that Republicans have an astounding level of ideological unity and a keen understanding of the political dynamics at work.