Top Items:
Joe Biden / 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 …
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JustOneMinute and The New Republic
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New York Times:
Tax Deal Suggests New Path for Obama — WASHINGTON — President Obama announced a tentative deal with Congressional Republicans on Monday to extend the Bush-era tax cuts at all income levels for two years as part of a package that would also keep benefits flowing to the long-term unemployed …
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Ben Smith's Blog, Washington Monthly, Firedoglake, Economix, CNN, Capital Gains and Games blogs, Fox News, Online NewsHour, New York Magazine, Hot Air, Wonkette, Connecting.the.Dots, Swampland, The Atlantic Online, The Hill, ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/*, Salon, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Guardian, The Baseline Scenario, FiveThirtyEight, Taegan Goddard's …, Open Congress, The Confluence, The Sundries Shack, The Politico, New York Times, Hullabaloo, The Note, Rortybomb and Unfogged
Ezra Klein:
An imperfect, but not-that-bad, deal on the tax cuts — The White House and the Republicans are pretty close to a final deal on the Bush tax cuts. Here are the specifics, though it's worth saying that as near as this is to completion, it's still not done, and so it could change:
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National Review, Commentary, Rortybomb, Mother Jones, Firedoglake, Peter Daou, Zandar Versus The Stupid, Balloon Juice, The Caucus, Economist's View, NPR, Felix Salmon, ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/*, Brilliant at Breakfast, The Huffington Post, Eunomia, No More Mister Nice Blog, The Plum Line, Daily Kos, Washington Post, The New Republic, Taylor Marsh, Philly.com, Sadly, No! and Economix
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 …
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Greg Mankiw's Blog, TPMDC, EconomistMom.com, AMERICAblog News, Guardian and Daily Kos
Jennifer Rubin / Right Turn:
Obama sells out the left: a Republican win on taxes — There really is no other way to say it: the Republicans won, the liberal Democrats lost, and the president sided with the Republicans. The subject, of course, is an agreement to extend all the Bust tax cuts.
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 …
Discussion:
Ezra Klein, The White House, Outside the Beltway and National Review
Ezra Klein:
Wonkbook: Everything you need to know about the Bush tax cut deal — I'll admit it: I didn't think they had it in them. A temporary extension of the Bush tax cuts? Sure, they could manage that. Fear is a powerful motivator in Washington, and nothing scares politicians like the threat of a tax hike on their constituents.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, TPMDC, Suburban Guerrilla, The Politico, Economist's View and Eschaton
Shailagh Murray / Washington Post:
Tax-cut deal reached between Obama, Republicans — President Obama and congressional Republicans agreed Monday to a tentative deal that would extend for two years all the Bush-era income tax breaks set to expire on Dec. 31, continue unemployment benefits for an additional 13 months …
The Politico:
Liberal Dems to Obama: fight harder — Resentments between President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats that began simmering even before their midterm disaster are nearing the boiling point on Capitol Hill, as liberals make clear that Obama's efforts to strike a lame-duck deal …
Discussion:
Top of the Ticket, Taylor Marsh, Hot Air and The Other McCain
Pejman Yousefzadeh / A Chequer-Board of Nights …:
Extending the Bush Tax Cuts
Extending the Bush Tax Cuts
Discussion:
South Capitol Street
Byron York / Washington Examiner:
In tax defeat, Dems pay the price for old tricks
In tax defeat, Dems pay the price for old tricks
Discussion:
Betsy's Page
Scott Wilson / Washington Post:
Obama's tax cut extension part of strategy to show bipartisanship
Obama's tax cut extension part of strategy to show bipartisanship
Discussion:
The Fix, Right Wing News and Prairie Weather
Peter Baker / New York Times:
In Tax Deal With G.O.P., a Portent for the Next 2 Years
In Tax Deal With G.O.P., a Portent for the Next 2 Years
Discussion:
ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/* and Arkansas Blog
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:
The Note, McClatchy Washington Bureau, New York Times and Pajamas Media
Pat Garofalo / ThinkProgress:
Obama Agrees To Extend All Bush Tax Cuts And Cut Estate Tax In Deal With Republicans
Obama Agrees To Extend All Bush Tax Cuts And Cut Estate Tax In Deal With Republicans
Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
Sen. Durbin: Dems could ‘walk out’ on tax cut deal
Sen. Durbin: Dems could ‘walk out’ on tax cut deal
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Washington Post, Roll Call and The Hill
Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Obama sends Biden to Capitol Hill to sell tax deal to angry Dems
Obama sends Biden to Capitol Hill to sell tax deal to angry Dems
Discussion:
Right Turn
New York Times:
British Court Denies Bail to Assange in Sex Inquiry — LONDON — Julian Assange, the founder of the beleaguered WikiLeaks anti-secrecy group, was denied bail by a London court on Tuesday and said that he would resist extradition to Sweden where he faces questioning in connection with alleged sex offenses.
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Guardian, Wall Street Journal, The Hill, Raw Story, FP Passport, Wonkette, The Nation, pandagon.net, NewsBusters.org, CNN, Boing Boing, The Lede and Prairie Weather, more at Mediagazer »
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BBC:
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange arrested in London — Julian Assange denies sexually assaulting the two women — The founder of the whistle-blowing website Wikileaks, Julian Assange, has been arrested by police in London. — The 39-year-old Australian, who was the subject of a European arrest warrant …
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CNN, Guardian, Sky News, The Other McCain, DISSENTING JUSTICE, Gawker, Don Surber and European Tribune, more at Mediagazer »
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?
Discussion:
The Huffington Post, The Gateway Pundit, New York Magazine and LewRockwell.com Blog
NPR:
British Judge Denies Bail For WikiLeaks Founder — A British judge has denied ball for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who told a London court that he intends to fight attempts to extradite him to Sweden on sex-crime allegations. — Judge Howard Riddle told Assange that he had …
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland and Mediaite, more at Mediagazer »
Christopher Hitchens / Slate:
The WikiLeaks founder is an unscrupulous megalomaniac with a political agenda.
The WikiLeaks founder is an unscrupulous megalomaniac with a political agenda.
Discussion:
Yahoo! News, The Daily Caller, Hot Air, JOSHUAPUNDIT, Tim Blair, Daniel W. Drezner, Telegraph and New York Times, more at Mediagazer »
BBC:
Wikileaks' Visa payments suspended
Wikileaks' Visa payments suspended
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CNET News, The Huffington Post, TPMMuckraker and Salon, more at Techmeme »
Anthony Faiola / Washington Post:
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange arrested on Swedish warrant
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange arrested on Swedish warrant
Discussion:
Hot Air, Kirk James Murphy … and Wake up America
Associated Press:
Visa suspends all payments to WikiLeaks
Visa suspends all payments to WikiLeaks
Discussion:
The Politico, Politics Daily and The Firewall
Associated Press:
Elizabeth Edwards gravely ill with cancer — WASHINGTON (AP) — Elizabeth Edwards over the past six years has seen her husband's presidential ambitions thwarted, retreated from public life as their marriage disintegrated over his affair, then emerged to advocate for changes …
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The Jawa Report, WTVD-TV, Feministing, TalkLeft, Pam's House Blend and Balloon Juice
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Condoleezza Rice / Wall Street Journal:
New Start: Ratify, With Caveats — The treaty helpfully reinstates on-site verification of Russian nuclear forces, but senators should make it clear to Moscow that they don't see it as limiting U.S. missile defenses. — When U.S. President Bush and Russian President Putin signed the Moscow Treaty in 2002 …
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The Politico, Washington Monthly, ThinkProgress and Wonk Room
Aharding / CNN:
TRENDING: Waters to ask House to investigate ethics committee — Washington (CNN) - Rep. Maxine Waters, D-California, will offer a “privileged resolution” as early as today calling on the House to investigate the ethics committee for its handling of her case.
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The Hill
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Jonathan Allen / The Politico:
Maxine Waters wants House to scope Ethics panel
The Star-Ledger Editorial Page:
Christie's bully act getting old — Two years ago, when Chris Christie announced he was running for governor, he dismissed questions about his days as the Godzilla freeholder — when he breathed fire on almost every issue, insulted Morris County colleagues and needlessly stomped on countless toes.
Julian Assange / TheAustralian:
Don't shoot messenger for revealing uncomfortable truths — WIKILEAKS deserves protection, not threats and attacks. — IN 1958 a young Rupert Murdoch, then owner and editor of Adelaide's The News, wrote: “In the race between secrecy and truth, it seems inevitable that truth will always win.”
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New York Times, The Nation and Examiner, more at Mediagazer »
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Caroline Overington / Media Diary:
‘The truth will always win’ - Julian Assange writes
‘The truth will always win’ - Julian Assange writes
Discussion:
Guardian, Mediaite, Raw Story and Clay Shirky, more at Mediagazer »
Wall Street Journal:
U.S. Unloads Citi Stake for a $12 Billion Profit — The U.S. Treasury sold the last of its Citigroup Inc. common shares in a $10.5 billion offering that capped the government's biggest bank bailout of the financial-market meltdown. — The stock sale, which was finalized Monday evening …
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msnbc.com and Taegan Goddard's …