Top Items:
New York Times:
Obama Defiant in Defending Tax-Cut Plan as ‘Good Deal’ — WASHINGTON — President Obama, facing a Democratic revolt over his tax accord with Republicans, defended the package on Tuesday, saying his party's lawmakers ought to support it as a “good deal for the American people” …
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Ezra Klein:
How the White House cut its deal and lost its base — If you look at the numbers alone, the tax cut deal looks to have robbed Republicans blind. The GOP got around $95 billion in tax cuts for wealthy Americans and $30 billion in estate tax cuts. Democrats got $120 billion in payroll-tax cuts …
Discussion:
TaxVox and National Review
Paul Krugman:
The Deal — So the tax deal is out. Obama extracted some concessions, with the big surprise being a payroll tax cut. How much better do these concessions make the thing? — Well, for starters we have the two-year extension of the Bush tax cuts. As I pointed out yesterday …
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars, The Politico, Free exchange, The Huffington Post, The Note, TPMDC, Rortybomb, CNN, ThinkProgress, New York Times, The Daily Dish, AmSpecBlog, Ezra Klein, Pajamas Media, The Reality-Based Community, Real Time Economics, The New Republic, Swampland, New Deal 2.0, Ben Smith's Blog, FiveThirtyEight and Peter Daou
The Huffington Post:
Mary Landrieu: ‘Obama-McConnell’ Plan Is ‘Almost Morally Corrupt’ — WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? … WASHINGTON — Sen. Mary Landrieu, a conservative Democratic from Louisiana, lashed out Tuesday at President Obama's deal with congressional Republicans that allows tax cuts for the wealthy to be extended for two years.
Discussion:
Ben Smith's Blog, Firedoglake, Taylor Marsh, Colorlines, Daily Kos and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion
The Hill:
Pelosi escalates criticism of tax-cut deal — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) escalated the Democratic criticism of the tax cut deal President Obama struck with Republicans and singled out the GOP-favored estate tax proposal as “a bridge too far.” — Pelosi, speaking to reporters …
Discussion:
National Review
Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
Sen. Durbin: Dems could ‘walk out’ on tax cut deal — A bloc of Senate Democrats could decide not to support a White House-brokered deal on tax cuts and unemployment benefits, thereby putting the plan in danger, according to the second-ranking Senate Democrat.
Discussion:
Washington Post, The Hill, Roll Call, Outside the Beltway, CNN, Wonkette, Ben Smith's Blog and James Pethokoukis
Jake Tapper / Political Punch:
Senior White House Official: ‘We Wanted a Fight,’ too. Congressional Dems 'Wouldn't Throw a Punch' — Vice President Biden heads to Capitol Hill today to lobby Senate Democrats to support the tax cut compromise, as President Obama faces criticism from congressional Democrats …
Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
Poll: Obama supporters strongly opposed to deal extending Bush tax cuts — Okay, we now have our first poll measuring the impact on the Democratic base of Obama's support for a temporary extension of all the Bush tax cuts. Suffice it to say this is a major, make-or-break issue …
Discussion:
NationalJournal.com, New York Post, Power Line, Slate, The Atlantic Online, Hot Air, TPMDC and Eunomia
Russell Berman / The Hill:
Pelosi attacks Obama-GOP tax plan as House Dems signal fight
Pelosi attacks Obama-GOP tax plan as House Dems signal fight
Discussion:
The Hill, CBS News, Pundits Blog, PERRspectives, Daily Kos, The Page and Grasping Reality …
Jennifer Bendery / Roll Call:
Tax Deal Opponents Shut Down White House Phones
Tax Deal Opponents Shut Down White House Phones
Discussion:
Hot Air, Raw Story and The Gateway Pundit
Patrick O'Connor / Washington Wire:
Landrieu: ‘Obama-McConnell Plan’
Landrieu: ‘Obama-McConnell Plan’
Discussion:
Taegan Goddard's … and Cafe Hayek
Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:
Tax deal a good, not great, bargain for Republicans
Tax deal a good, not great, bargain for Republicans
Discussion:
Outside the Beltway, Commentary, South Capitol Street, msnbc.com and driftglass
Shane D'Aprile / Ballot Box:
Sen. Bill Nelson on board with tax cut deal
Sen. Bill Nelson on board with tax cut deal
Discussion:
Palm Beach Politics
First Read / msnbc.com:
Bush tax cuts just 37 percent of the total deal
Bush tax cuts just 37 percent of the total deal
Discussion:
The New Republic
Greg Mankiw / Greg Mankiw's Blog:
The Tax Deal — I am generally pleased with the compromise …
The Tax Deal — I am generally pleased with the compromise …
Discussion:
Felix Salmon
Sam Youngman / The Hill:
Left sees tax surrender, says Obama reelection bid now crippled
Left sees tax surrender, says Obama reelection bid now crippled
Discussion:
CNNMoney.com, The Politico, McClatchy Washington Bureau, Washington Post, Commentary and The Note
Raleigh News & Observer:
Cancer claims Elizabeth Edwards — Elizabeth Edwards, author of ‘Saving Graces’ , greets and autographs copies of her book for the community in 2006. — Elizabeth Anania Edwards, who became a national figure in her fight against cancer and as a partner in her husband John's political career, died today.
Discussion:
Taegan Goddard's …, Crooks and Liars, Taylor Marsh and Mediaite
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The Politico:
Elizabeth Edwards dies of cancer — Elizabeth Edwards died at her Chapel Hill, N.C. home Tuesday. She was 61. Courtesy — Elizabeth Edwards, who remade the role of the political spouse for a new media age, died Tuesday after a six-year struggle with cancer at her home in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Discussion:
The Hill, Ben Smith's Blog and CNN
Robert D. McFadden / New York Times:
Elizabeth Edwards Dies of Cancer at 61 — Elizabeth Edwards, who as the wife of former Senator John Edwards gave America an intimate look at a candidate's marriage by sharing his quest for the 2008 presidential nomination as she struggled with incurable cancer and, secretly, with his infidelity …
Discussion:
Close Read and Raw Story
Reuters:
Elizabeth Edwards dies — (Reuters) - Elizabeth Edwards, a best-selling author and the driving force behind her husband John Edwards's political career before it was destroyed by his infidelity, died on Tuesday at age 61. — Edwards died of cancer on Tuesday morning at her home in Chapel Hill …
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice
CNN:
Elizabeth Edwards, 61, dies after long struggle with cancer
Elizabeth Edwards, 61, dies after long struggle with cancer
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Ben Smith's Blog, Hot Air and Michelle Malkin
Elizabeth Edwards / WTVD-TV:
Elizabeth Edwards dead of cancer at 61
Elizabeth Edwards dead of cancer at 61
Discussion:
Blog For Arizona and Patterico's Pontifications
Patricia Sullivan / Washington Post:
Elizabeth Edwards dies; political spouse, author succumbs to cancer at 61
Elizabeth Edwards dies; political spouse, author succumbs to cancer at 61
Discussion:
Reliable Source and Online NewsHour
Richard Pendlebury / Daily Mail:
The Wikileaks sex files: How two one-night stands sparked a worldwide hunt for Julian Assange — A winter morning in backwoods Scandinavia and the chime of a church bell drifts across the snowbound town of Enkoping. Does it also toll for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange?
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Glenn Greenwald / Salon:
Anti-WikiLeaks lies and propaganda - from TNR, Lauer, Feinstein and more
Anti-WikiLeaks lies and propaganda - from TNR, Lauer, Feinstein and more
Discussion:
TheAustralian, Guardian, The Lede, Media Diary, The Moderate Voice, Right Turn, Newshoggers.com, Examiner and Towleroad News #gay, more at Techmeme »
Guardian:
WikiLeaks: US Senator Joe Lieberman suggests New York Times could be investigated
WikiLeaks: US Senator Joe Lieberman suggests New York Times could be investigated
Discussion:
Slate, Media Diary, CNN, National Review, Firedoglake, Threat Level, Salon, Mediaite, Hullabaloo, ThinkProgress and Techdirt, more at Mediagazer »
Naomi Wolf / The Huffington Post:
Julian Assange Captured by World's Dating Police
Julian Assange Captured by World's Dating Police
Discussion:
Associated Press, Raw Story, The Awl and AMERICAblog News
Katrina vanden Heuvel / Washington Post:
Obama: On the way to a failed presidency? — Ronald Reagan famously quipped that the Democratic Party left him before he left the party. Like many progressive supporters of Barack Obama, I'm beginning to have the same feeling about this president. — Consider what we've seen since …
Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
Obama administers a stern scolding to lefty critics — I noted this morning that Obama's strategy going forward will be to position himself as Washington's lone resident adult in a town full of squabbling children on right and left, and at his presser just now, Obama offered a surprisingly stern …
Discussion:
The Fix, Alan Colmes' Liberaland and Ben Smith's Blog
Simmi Aujla / The Politico:
GOP taps Hal Rogers for House Appropriates Committee Chair — House Republicans have tapped Rep. Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) to be chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, setting up an old bull appropriator with a history of earmarking to deliver on the anti-spending tea party platform that carried the GOP to victory this fall.
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Molly K. Hooper / The Hill:
Rep. Hal Rogers wins chairmanship of powerful Appropriations Committee
David Kurtz / Talking Points Memo:
Seminal Moment — Let's be honest with each other here: Presidential press conferences are usually news voids into which a lot of ink and chatter are dumped. — But Obama's press conference this afternoon will be seen as a turning point if not in his Presidency then in how we understand and perceive him and his approach to politics.
Discussion:
South Capitol Street and The Daily Dish
Jake Tapper / Political Punch:
President Obama to Democrats: It's Not Enough to Have ‘a Purist Position’ and Feel ‘Sanctimonious’ — We Need ‘Victories for the American People’ — ABC News' Jake Tapper and Sunlen Miller report: — A feisty President Obama came to the White House briefing room to defend his tax cut compromise …
Discussion:
Taegan Goddard's …
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Sam Dillon / New York Times:
Shanghai Test Scores Stun Educators — With China's debut in international standardized testing, students in Shanghai have surprised experts by outscoring their counterparts in dozens of other countries, in reading as well as in math and science, according to the results of a respected exam.