memeorandum: N.Y. Mayor Bloomberg attacks Washington, stokes the center (Dan Balz/Washington Post)

7:30 PM ET, December 8, 2010

Top Items:

Lydia Saad / Gallup:

Americans Support Two Major Elements of Tax Compromise — Liberal vs. Moderate/Conservative Democrats disagree on extending tax cuts for all — PRINCETON, NJ — Two major elements included in the tax agreement reached Monday between President Barack Obama and Republican leaders in Congress meet with broad public support.

David Dayen / Firedoglake:

Answering the Charge of “What's Plan B” for Tax Cut Deal — So, Steve Benen poses a serious question, and I'd like to give an answer. Maybe it's a moot point with the deal going down in flames, but nevertheless. … Certainly, there are those on the Hill who think “fight harder” …

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Washington Monthly, Daily Kos, Washington Post, Zandar Versus The Stupid, Political Correction RSS, msnbc.com and TPMCafe

Brian Beutler / Talking Points Memo:

Dominoes — There was something strange to me about the GOP reaction yesterday to the tax cut news. Or at least something unexpected. I hadn't made clear sense of it until I got this news late last night, but all day yesterday I couldn't shake the feeling that the whole didn't add up.

Tim Fernholz / American Prospect:

Four Ways To Make The Tax Deal Better. — Tax deal apologist that I am, it behooves me to offer some constructive criticism, too, along with a reminder that this deal isn't final until the legislative process makes it so: Congressional Democrats, unable to unify around an original proposal, may try and adapt this framework.

Discussion: The New Republic

Michael O'Brien / The Hill:
White House says Democrats partly to blame for tax-cut deal with GOP

Discussion: The Politico, CNN and Weasel Zippers

Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
LOOKING FOR PLAN B.... The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities …

Discussion: New York Times, Balloon Juice, The Hill, Off the Charts Blog, Democratic Strategist, The Reality-Based Community, Sky Dancing, The Impolitic, PostPartisan, cbpp.org, Suburban Guerrilla, Daily Kos and The New Republic

Bloomberg:
Obama's Deal to Extend High-Earner Tax Cuts Unpopular in Poll

Discussion: Roll Call, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, The Huffington Post, No More Mister Nice Blog, South Capitol Street, Mother Jones and New York Times

Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:
How Do You Compromise With Stalin? — Brian Beutler explains the Republicans' dilemma:

Discussion: Eunomia

Nimda / The Nader Page:
Letter to President Obama On Extending Bush Tax Cuts

Discussion: The Hill, The Nation and Weasel Zippers

Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
Liberal leader suggests GOP House should handle tax cuts, unemployment benefits

Discussion: The Politico, CNN and Daily Kos

Brian Beutler / TPMDC:
Two Major Conservative Obstacles Emerge To Tax Cut Compromise

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, Weigel, Guardian, The Hill, Washington Monthly, Club for Growth, Zandar Versus The Stupid, James Pethokoukis, The Reid Report, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog and ThinkProgress

Jeremy P. Jacobs / Hotline On Call:
Dems Facing Tough Races In '12 Embrace Tax Deal

Discussion: Taegan Goddard's … and The Online Office …

Megan Carpentier / TPMDC:
Maddow And Olbermann Slam Obama's Tax Cut Compromise (VIDEO)

Discussion: The Powers That Be, Indecision Forever, The Gateway Pundit, msnbc.com and The Hill

New York Times:
Biden and G.O.P. Leader Helped Hammer Out Bipartisan Tax Accord

Discussion: The Politico, Firedoglake, JustOneMinute, ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/*, The Hill, New York Times, The Huffington Post, Suburban Guerrilla, The Note, Towleroad News #gay and Clusterstock

Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:

In blow to DADT repeal, talks with Senator Collins hit wall — Senior Senate Democratic aides are in a panic this morning about the prospects for repeal of don't ask don't tell, because talks with Senator Susan Collins over her procedural demands have hit a wall, with the Democratic leadership dismissing …

Discussion: U.S. Senator Mark Pryor, Wonk Room, The Politico, Towleroad News #gay, Open Congress, Hot Air, AMERICAblog Gay, Wonkette, Outside the Beltway, msnbc.com and The Daily Dish

Brian Beutler / TPMDC:

Lieberman To Reid On DADT: Back Off, I Got This — Senate Democrats are on the precipice of getting a Don't Ask, Don't Tell repeal past a key procedural hurdle tonight. But key negotiators have grown frustrated by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and his staff for upping the pressure at a fragile moment …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Washington Monthly, Talking Points Memo and AMERICAblog Gay

Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:

Lisa Murkowski supports repeal of DADT — GOP Senator Lisa Murkowski has decided to support repeal of don't ask don't tell, her spokesman tells me, potentially adding another crucial GOP vote to the Yes column and putting 60 votes within reach. — “Her vote will depend on how free and open …

Discussion: Wonk Room, Prop 8 Trial Tracker, The Daily Dish, Raw Story, TPMDC and AMERICAblog Gay

Brian Beutler / TPMDC:

Collins Hands Reid A Final Offer On Don't Ask, Don't Tell — Here's what Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) told Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid that she needs to support a full Senate debate on the defense authorization bill (the vehicle for Don't Ask, Don't Tell repeal): 15 guaranteed votes on amendments …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, RHRealityCheck.org and National Review

Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
COLLINS POSITIONED TO KILL DADT REPEAL.... We talked earlier …

Discussion: NationalJournal.com, TPMDC, Daily Kos and Balloon Juice

Jonathan Capehart / PostPartisan:
Susan Collins: Let's make a deal on don't ask, don't tell [Updated]

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, AMERICAblog Gay, Wonk Room and Towleroad News #gay

Karoun Demirjian / Las Vegas Sun Blogs:
Reid's office: Legalizing online poker still on lame-duck agenda

Discussion: Washington Wire, The Politico, Hot Air and South Capitol Street

The Note:
Not So Fast: Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal In Peril As Talks With Collins Stall

Discussion: CNN, Ben Smith's Blog, The Hill and Maggie's Farm

Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
Murkowski signals vote to repeal military's gay ban

Discussion: The Politico, The Daily Caller and The Note

Evan McMorris-Santoro / TPMDC:
Team Collins: We're Making Progress On DADT Negotiations

Discussion: Guardian, Salon and Talking Points Memo

Ed O'Keefe / Federal Eye:
Senate procedural vote on 'don't ask, don't tell' postponed

Discussion: The Daily Dish

Aaron Sorkin / The Huffington Post:

In Her Defense, I'm Sure the Moose Had it Coming — What's Your Reaction: — “Unless you've never worn leather shoes, sat upon a leather chair or eaten meat, save your condemnation.” — You're right, Sarah, we'll all just go f**k ourselves now. — The snotty quote was posted by Sarah Palin on …

Discussion: Big Hollywood, The Note, Confederate Yankee, NewsBusters.org, Guardian, Philly.com, Outside the Beltway, National Review, Riehl World View, The Moderate Voice, The Daily Caller, The Gateway Pundit and Weasel Zippers

Maureen Dowd / New York Times:

Pass the Caribou Stew — The doomed caribou gazed calmly across the Alaska tundra at Caribou Barbie. — The female caribou could easily have escaped, since it took the Wasilla huntress six shots, two rifles and some help from her dad to bag her prey. (Giving credence to Levi Johnston's contention …

Discussion: NewsBusters.org, Right Turn, Confederate Yankee, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and Althouse

Cubachi:

Ridiculous: ADN asks whether Palin actually knows how to use a gun — H/T: Patrick's World who has a great blog post up. — Apparently the Anchorage Daily News is concerned about whether Palin can actually utilize a rifle. There has to be some sort of weekly contest among the media …

Discussion: Liberty Pundits Blog

Jake Tapper / Political Punch:

Exclusive: Sarah Palin Under Cyber-Attack from Wikileaks Supporters in ‘Operation Payback’ — The website and personal credit card information of former Gov. Sarah Palin were cyber-attacked today by Wikileaks supporters, the 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate tells ABC News in an email.

Discussion: Guardian, Ben Smith's Blog, Hot Air, Cubachi, USA Today, Clusterstock, Mediaite, Washington Post, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, National Review, BBC, HotAirPundit and msnbc.com, more at Techmeme »

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:

Bloomberg, in major speech, offers ‘a middle way’ — New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg this morning put economic substance to his pox-on-both-your-houses criticism of Democratic and Republican governance, offering his own “middle way” — and the clearest suggestion yet that he's positioning himself for the national stage.

Discussion: msnbc.com, Salon, NYC.gov and South Capitol Street

Dan Balz / Washington Post:
N.Y. Mayor Bloomberg attacks Washington, stokes the center

Discussion: The Atlantic Online

Michael Barbaro / New York Times:
Bloomberg Critiques Economic Policies

Discussion: Politics Daily and Althouse

New York Times:

Hackers Attack Companies That Hindered WikiLeaks — LONDON — A small army of activist hackers orchestrated a broad campaign of cyberattacks on Wednesday in support of the beleaguered antisecrecy organization WikiLeaks, which has drawn governmental criticism from around the globe for its release …

Discussion: Guardian, Clusterstock, Online NewsHour, The Informer, The Lede, Raw Story, ReadWriteWeb, Boing Boing, Gizmodo, GigaOM and The Firewall, more at Techmeme »

Alexia Tsotsis / TechCrunch:
PayPal VP On Blocking WikiLeaks: State Department Said It Was Illegal

Discussion: New York Times, The Lede, Guardian, Gawker, War in Context, Hit & Run, Boing Boing and The Nation, more at Techmeme »

Esther Addley / Guardian:
MasterCard hacked in WikiLeaks protest

Discussion: Associated Press, CNET News, Politics Daily, Boing Boing and News: News blog

Noam Scheiber / The New Republic:

Loose Change — Inside a shaken White House. — Of all the historical analogies urged on Obama following November's drubbing—Truman in '48, Reagan after '82, Clinton after '94—the one the White House has opted for is easily the most obscure. That would be Patrick in '10—as in Deval Patrick …

Discussion: The Angle, National Review and The Daily Dish

Jennifer Medina / New York Times:

At California School, Parents Force an Overhaul — COMPTON, Calif. — By Marlene Romero's count, her son has had just one effective teacher in his five years at McKinley Elementary School here. Most of the time, she said, he has merely shuffled through classrooms, struggling in math without ever getting extra help.

Discussion: Blog For Arizona, The Foundry, The Informer, Joanne Jacobs and Wall Street Journal

David Brown / Yahoo! Sports:

Answer Man: Luke Scott talks Nugent, hunting and Obama origin — stopped by baseball's winter meetings Tuesday and, after some harmless chatter about his team's offseason dealings, stated with conviction that President Barack Obama was not born in the United States. — Oh, yes, he did.

Discussion: The Atlantic Online and iOwnTheWorld.com

Shane D'Aprile / Ballot Box:

O'Donnell calls extending jobless benefits a ‘tragedy’ — Christine O'Donnell on Tuesday compared the “tragedy” of extending unemployment benefits to Pearl Harbor and the death of Elizabeth Edwards. — “Today marks a lot of tragedy,” O'Donnell, the Tea Party-backed GOP Senate candidate from Delaware …

Discussion: ThinkProgress, ComPost, Ben Smith's Blog, Prairie Weather, South Capitol Street, TPMDC, Wonkette, ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/*, Pam's House Blend and Hit & Run

Des Moines Register:

Grassley: Tax deal includes biofuel subsidies — The tax legislation that congressional Republicans and the White House have agreed to will include extensions of the biodiesel and ethanol subsidies through 2011, says Iowa. Charles Grassley, the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee.