memeorandum: Gov. Christie praises his administration for work done after … (Ginger Gibson/New Jersey Online)

9:20 AM ET, January 1, 2011

Top Items:

Gov. Christie praises his administration for work done after blizzard, chastises mayors for local efforts — TRENTON — At his first public event since a blizzard slammed the state, Gov. Chris Christie praised state workers and his administration for their response to the storm and said he wouldn't have done anything differently.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Firedoglake, Don Surber, Thurman Hart, Paul Mulshine, Metropolis, Washington Wire, Paul Krugman and No More Mister Nice Blog

David Seifman / New York Post:

Mayor Bloomberg admits that failing to tackle blizzard was ‘character building’ — The Blizzard of 2010 may have forever dented Mayor Bloomberg's popularity. — The mayor admitted today that the botched snow removal effort this week was a “character building” experience for him.

Discussion: Gothamist and JammieWearingFool

David Seifman / New York Post:

Mayor Bloomberg admits that failing to tackle blizzard was ‘character building’

Jeff Poor / The Daily Caller:

Not a fan: Krauthammer calls Palin ‘rather weak’ and gives her ‘no chance of winning’ in 2012 — Is the idea that former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin could be America's next president laughable? Not only to many on the left, but also to conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer.

Discussion: Pajamas Media, Weasel Zippers, The Right Scoop and Outside the Beltway

Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:

Sarah Palin's Nomination Chances: A Reassessment — In November 2009, I wrote an article entitled “10 Reasons That Sarah Palin Could Win the Republican Nomination.” The article wasn't necessarily arguing that she was the favorite to take the nomination, but it did suggest she had a credible chance at it.

Discussion: Daniel W. Drezner

Jonathan Bernstein / The Plum Line:

Is Sarah Palin toast? — Thanks, again, to Greg for inviting me and to everyone for reading — and Happy New Year to all. — Before I go, I'll just do a bit of blogging on everyone's favorite subject, the Sage of Wasilla. Nate Silver had an interesting aside in a recent post that's stuck with me over the last few days:

Discussion: The Political Carnival

Wall Street Journal:

The Liberal Reckoning of 2010 — The year voters saw the left's unvarnished agenda and said no. — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid sent out a press release last week headlined “111th Congress Accomplishments.” It quoted a couple of Democratic Party cheerleaders calling …

Discussion: Moe Lane and Commentary

Byron York / Washington Examiner: Obamacare mess is legacy of Dems' moment of power

BBC:

Nigerian capital Abuja hit by barracks bomb — Victims of the explosion were taken to a morgue in the Nigerian capital — Several people have been killed by a bomb blast at a bar near a barracks in Nigeria's capital, Abuja. — Nigeria's president condemned the attack …

Discussion: Jihad Watch

Richard Mauer / Anchorage Daily News:

Miller ends challenge in US Senate race — Republican Joe Miller said today, nearly two months after Alaskans concluded voting, that he is giving up his fight challenging the election of Sen. Lisa Murkowski. — Miller thanked his supporters and said the time has come to accept the …

Discussion: TPMDC and Politics Daily

McClatchy Washington Bureau:

2011 looks grim for progress on women's rights in Iraq — Men view a Baghdad display that warns that women who don't wear the hijab, or traditional Muslim head covering, will be punished in the afterlife. The display, which depicts women engulfed in flames, was erected by Islamist leaders …

Discussion: Jihad Watch and Prairie Weather

Charles Johnson / Little Green Footballs:

Fox News Stokes the Climate Change Denial Machine — Fox News continues promoting anti-science rubbish to the rubes, with an article about Eight Botched Environmental Forecasts. — What do you notice about these “botched forecasts?” The most recent one they could find dates back to 2000, and all the others are much older.

Discussion: Da Techguy's Blog, Pajamas Media and Liberal Values

Eugene Volokh / The Volokh Conspiracy:

Libel Law, Blogging About Incest, Plus Opposition to Government Regulation of Banking: “It Is of Stunning Coincidence” — Connoisseurs of odd legal arguments might appreciate this item, but unfortunately it requires a bit of background explanation. Aviation lawyer Arthur Wolk sued Overlawyered.com and its bloggers for libel.

Discussion: The Other McCain