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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
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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

Lindsey Graham: Senate owes Jon Kyl an apology for moving forward with New START
Discussion:
Daily Kos, Washington Monthly, Wonk Room and ThinkProgress


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

Arms Treaty With Russia Headed for Ratification
Discussion:
Washington Post, Hot Air, CNN, Salon, National Review, TPMCafe, democracyarsenal.org and Opinionator

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
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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

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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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.

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

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 …
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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

Barbour Mistakes Black for White
Discussion:
TPMMuckraker, Outside the Beltway, The Fix, The Politico and Swampland

Barbour's Speech From Philadelphia In 2004
Discussion:
Ben Smith's Blog and Hullabaloo

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
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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
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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


FCC: We didn't impose stricter net neutrality regulations on wireless because Android is open — Rest assured that we're working on a full analysis of the FCC's major net neutrality decision today, but the Commission hasn't actually released the full text of the order yet …
Discussion:
Android Phone Fans, TechCrunch, Firedoglake and The Moderate Voice, more at Techmeme »
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FCC commissioners ratify net neutrality, fulfilling Obama pledge
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers, Hit & Run, Pirate's Cove and Nice Deb


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
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Sarah Palin mocks Michelle Obama's anti-obesity campaign on reality …
Discussion:
pandagon.net and Das Krapital

'Sarah Palin's Alaska' Season Two Looks Likely
Discussion:
Cubachi, Hot Air, Telegraph, Liberty Pundits Blog and NewsBusters.org blogs

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 …

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 Wire, Sky Dancing, TPM LiveWire and The Hill
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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


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


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.
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WikiLeaks' Assange fires back at The Guardian to competitor
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The Wire, Tim Blair, Gawker, Feministing and Democracy Now

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
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Marine Corps commandant has to go
Discussion:
FrumForum, AmSpecBlog, SWJ Blog and Lawyers, Guns & Money

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

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

SPECIAL JANUARY PREVIEW: The Democrats and Health Care — The passage of Barack Obama's health-care legislation in the spring of 2010 proved profoundly injurious to the president and his party in the November midterm elections. Studies conducted at Stanford University and the University …
Discussion:
Power Line

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).