Top Items:
Michael O'Brien / The Hill:
Graham: GOP to blame for ‘capitulation ... of dramatic proportions’ in lame-duck — Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) lashed out at fellow Republicans Tuesday for a “capitulation ... of dramatic proportions” to Democrats and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) in the lame-duck Congress.
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers, Nice Deb, Riehl World View, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, TPMDC and Flopping Aces
RELATED:
Josh Rogin / Foreign Policy:
Jim DeMint and the war on Christmas vacation — South Carolina GOP Sen. Jim DeMint repeated today his claim that “millions of Americans” are “outraged” that Congress would dare work on major legislation, namely New START, this close to Christmas. He previously called it “sacrilegious.”
Discussion:
New York Magazine and Blogcritics
Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
Lindsey Graham: Senate owes Jon Kyl an apology for moving forward with New START
Lindsey Graham: Senate owes Jon Kyl an apology for moving forward with New START
Discussion:
Daily Kos, Washington Monthly, Wonk Room and ThinkProgress
Josh Rogin / Foreign Policy:
New START clears vote threshold; Kyl won't admit defeat
New START clears vote threshold; Kyl won't admit defeat
Discussion:
Weigel, Danger Room, Ben Smith's Blog, Eunomia, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, democracyarsenal.org, Washington Post, Salon, ThinkProgress and National Review
Peter Baker / New York Times:
Arms Treaty With Russia Headed for Ratification
Arms Treaty With Russia Headed for Ratification
Discussion:
Washington Post, Hot Air, CNN, Salon, National Review, TPMCafe, democracyarsenal.org and Opinionator
Lbentzterp / CNN:
Specter issues parting blow to Roberts, Alito — (CNN) - Sen. Arlen Specter, the outgoing Pennsylvania Republican-turned-Democrat, directed a parting blow Tuesday to members of the Supreme Court's conservative bloc. — In his final speech on the Senate floor, Specter …
Discussion:
Philly.com, The BLT, The Note, The Reaction, Doug Ross, Donklephant, Althouse, Balloon Juice and The Impolitic
RELATED:
Timothy P. Carney / Washington Examiner:
BELTWAY CONFIDENTIAL — Snarlin' Arlen snarls his way through one final angry speech — This morning I was starting to feel a bit sad about Arlen Specter's departure from the Senate. While I rooted heartily for his defeat in 2004 and 2010, I consider him to be stubbornly independent …
Discussion:
The Caucus, The Politico, Hot Air, Power Line, RealClearPolitics Video Log and Pajamas Media
Steve Wozniak / The Atlantic Online:
Steve Wozniak to the FCC: Keep the Internet Free — To whom it may concern: — I have always loved humor and laughter. As a young engineer I got an impulse to start a Dial-a-Joke in the San Jose/San Francisco area. I was aware of such humor services in other countries, such as Australia.
RELATED:
Nilay Patel / Engadget:
FCC: We didn't impose stricter net neutrality regulations on wireless …
FCC: We didn't impose stricter net neutrality regulations on wireless …
Discussion:
Android Phone Fans, TechCrunch, Firedoglake and The Moderate Voice, more at Techmeme »
Sara Jerome / The Hill:
FCC commissioners ratify net neutrality, fulfilling Obama pledge
FCC commissioners ratify net neutrality, fulfilling Obama pledge
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers, Hit & Run, Pirate's Cove and Nice Deb
David Weigel / Weigel:
Introducing: Your New Congressional Apportionment! — It's official: Here are the states gaining and losing seats (and thus electoral votes) in 2011. I've put states entirely controlled by Republicans in bold and states entirely controlled by Democrats in italics, although in some of these states …
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New York Times:
South and West See Large Gains in Latest Census — WASHINGTON — The Census Bureau rearranged the country's political map on Tuesday, giving more Congressional seats to the South and the West at the expense of the Northeast and the Midwest — changes that will have far-reaching implications for elections over the next decade.
Michael D. Shear / The Caucus:
Democrats Optimistic About Census — The conventional political wisdom is that the results of the 2010 census, announced Tuesday, are a big win for Republicans, who are largely dominant in the states where population increased. — But Democratic officials in Washington are cautiously optimistic …
Discussion:
The Fix
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:
Barbour clarifies: Citizens councils ‘indefensible’ — Haley Barbour responds to a day of criticism of his statements on race with an explanation of the comment that has drawn the most fire: — When asked why my hometown in Mississippi did not suffer the same racial violence when I was a young man …
RELATED:
Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
Conservative bloggers agree: Haley Barbour is toast — I noted here yesterday that the real problem with Haley Barbour's comments about the Citizens Councils is that they show an unwillingness to avoid urinating on the third rail of race. Today several conservative bloggers came …
Discussion:
blogs.abcnews.com, Weigel, The Politico, The Atlantic Online, Washington Monthly, Balloon Juice, No More Mister Nice Blog, TPMDC, Salon, Hot Air, neo-neocon, Betsy's Page, New York Magazine, PostPartisan, The Note, American Prospect, Outside the Beltway, FrumForum, Ben Smith's Blog and National Review
Ta-Nehisi Coates / The Atlantic Online:
Barbour Mistakes Black for White
Barbour Mistakes Black for White
Discussion:
TPMMuckraker, Outside the Beltway, The Fix, The Politico and Swampland
Brett / Majority In Mississippi:
Barbour's Speech From Philadelphia In 2004
Barbour's Speech From Philadelphia In 2004
Discussion:
Ben Smith's Blog and Hullabaloo
Michael D. Shear / The Caucus:
Last-Ditch Move to Block Repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Fails — 12:18 a.m. | Updated Just hours before President Obama planned to sign on Wednesday the repeal of the military's 17-year ban on gays serving openly in the armed forces, Republicans tried one last legislative maneuver to block the change.
Discussion:
Daily Kos and Balloon Juice
RELATED:
Josh Gerstein / The Politico:
Last-ditch McConnell 'don't ask' amendment blocked
ProPublica:
White House Drafts Executive Order for Indefinite Detention — 8:15 p.m: This story has been updated with the White House's response. — The White House is preparing an Executive Order on indefinite detention that will provide periodic reviews of evidence against dozens of prisoners held …
Discussion:
ATTACKERMAN, The Sundries Shack, Political Punch, Sky Dancing, TalkLeft, Gawker and JammieWearingFool
RELATED:
Washington Post:
Obama administration readies indefinite detention order for Guantanamo detainees — The Obama administration is preparing an executive order that would formalize indefinite detention without trial for some detainees at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, but allow those detainees …
Discussion:
Moe Lane and New York Magazine
Brian Maloney / The Radio Equalizer:
Food Fight Has Mike Huckabee Siding With Michelle Obama — HUCK YEAH — Huckabee Sides With Obama Over Palin — Though he had no comment on the calorie-count of a fried-squirrel platter, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee is readily taking sides in a nasty political food war.
Discussion:
JammieWearingFool and Hot Air
RELATED:
Meena Hartenstein / NY Daily News:
Sarah Palin mocks Michelle Obama's anti-obesity campaign on reality …
Sarah Palin mocks Michelle Obama's anti-obesity campaign on reality …
Discussion:
pandagon.net and Das Krapital
Rob Shuter / PopEater:
'Sarah Palin's Alaska' Season Two Looks Likely
'Sarah Palin's Alaska' Season Two Looks Likely
Discussion:
Cubachi, Hot Air, Telegraph, Liberty Pundits Blog and NewsBusters.org blogs
The Blaze:
GREEN MAKE BELIEVE: VAN JONES ADMITS LEFT IS ‘PRETENDING’ NEED FOR REGULATIONS IN GREEN MOVEMENT — GEAUXALREADY — Why does he still breath free air? — Report Post » — Log in to Reply — CULTUREWARRIORS — Where is the MSM? Why are they not interested in exposing the communist among us?
Discussion:
AmSpecBlog, Weasel Zippers and Tennesseans Watching …
Alex Seitz-Wald / ThinkProgress:
Fox News' Shep Smith Shames Coburn For Blocking 9/11 Bill: ‘This Is The Senator’ Blocking ‘Necessary Funding’ — It appears even loyal Fox News has turned on Senate Republicans for their obstruction of the 9/11 first responders bill. Fox & Friends demanded the bill be passed …
Discussion:
Media Matters for America, Daily Kos, Salon, The Politico, The Wire, Sky Dancing and TPM LiveWire
RELATED:
Lucy Madison / CBS News:
Coburn Moves to Block 9/11 First Responders Bill as Some Republicans …
Coburn Moves to Block 9/11 First Responders Bill as Some Republicans …
Discussion:
Mediaite, ThinkProgress, The Note, The Politico, Hot Air, Firedoglake and PointOfLaw Forum
Andrew Martin / New York Times:
In a Sign of Foreclosure Flaws, Suits Claim Break-Ins by Banks — TRUCKEE, Calif. — When Mimi Ash arrived at her mountain chalet here for a weekend ski trip, she discovered that someone had broken into the home and changed the locks. — When she finally got into the house, it was empty.
Discussion:
naked capitalism and Calculated Risk
BBC:
Transcript: The Assange interview — The founder of Wikileaks, Julian Assange, has been holed up in a mansion in East Anglia since he was released from prison last week. — He is under strict bail conditions while he fights extradition to Sweden where he is wanted for questioning about claims of sexual assault.
RELATED:
Michael Calderone / Yahoo! News:
WikiLeaks' Assange fires back at The Guardian to competitor
WikiLeaks' Assange fires back at The Guardian to competitor
Discussion:
The Wire, Tim Blair, Gawker, Feministing and Democracy Now
Cassy Fiano / The Greenroom:
Hysterics Over DADT Repeal Are An Insult To The Military — Originally posted at David Horowitz's Newsreal: — There have been a lot of different responses to the news that Don't Ask Don't Tell has been repealed. President Obama is planning to sign the bill this week.
Discussion:
Shakesville, Maggie's Farm, GayPatriot, BLACKFIVE and Associated Press
RELATED:
Richard Cohen / Washington Post:
Marine Corps commandant has to go
Marine Corps commandant has to go
Discussion:
FrumForum, AmSpecBlog, SWJ Blog and Lawyers, Guns & Money
Bryan Fischer / afa.net:
Obama wants to give America back to the Indians — President Obama likes the “U.N. Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples.” He says it can “help reaffirm the principles that should guide our future.” — The State Department added helpfully that although the declaration is not legally binding …
Discussion:
Wonkette and Little Green Footballs
WVMetroNews Headline News:
Manchin Admits Mistake and Apologizes — Senator Manchin Apologizes For Skipping Votes — U.S. Senator Joe Manchin apologized to his constituents Tuesday for missing two key votes over the weekend. — Manchin has caught heat from friends and foes alike for failing to be on the Senate floor Saturday …
Discussion:
Balloon Juice, The Hill, TPMDC, New York Magazine, HotAirPundit and Squawk Box
The Huffington Post:
Rep. Holt: Sen. McCain Objected To My Military Suicide Prevention Bill — What's Your Reaction: … WASHINGTON — In 2008, a young sergeant named Coleman S. Bean took his life. After completing his first tour of duty in Iraq, he had come home and been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).