Top Items:
Jake Tapper / ABCNEWS:
Obama Administration to Delay New 15-Cent Christmas Tree ‘Fee’ — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is going to delay implementation and revisit a proposed new 15 cent fee on fresh-cut Christmas trees, sources tell ABC News. The fee, requested by the National Christmas Tree Association in 2009 …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Hot Air, Runnin' Scared, nation.foxnews.com and Naked Politics
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David S. Addington / The Heritage Foundation:
Obama Couldn't Wait: His New Christmas Tree Tax — President Obama's Agriculture Department today announced that it will impose a new 15-cent charge on all fresh Christmas trees—the Christmas Tree Tax—to support a new Federal program to improve the image and marketing of Christmas trees.
Discussion:
United States Senator …, ABCNEWS, Outside the Beltway, Hot Air, Hit & Run, The Politico, Sense of Events, MiamiHerald.com, msnbc.com, American Spectator, The Gateway Pundit, Michelle Malkin, Scared Monkeys, Mediaite, The Daily Caller, Ed Driscoll, US Politics, Say Anything, Don Surber, Vodkapundit, Pirate's Cove, Maggie's Farm, GayPatriot, Conservatives4Palin, Weasel Zippers, The Future of Capitalism, National Review, Fire Andrea Mitchell!, The Jawa Report and The Lonely Conservative
Alicia M. Cohn / The Hill:
Obama administration proposes 15-cent Christmas tree tax
Obama administration proposes 15-cent Christmas tree tax
Discussion:
Business Insider
Maggie Haberman / The Politico:
Cain aide wrongly insists they've ‘confirmed’ accuser's son works for POLITICO — Herman Cain campaign manager Mark Block, in an appearance with Sean Hannity on Fox News just now, insisted that a relative of the second woman to publicly accuse the candidate of sexual harassment in the 1990s works at POLITICO.
Discussion:
Mediaite, Guardian, National Review, Little Green Footballs, Addicting Info, The Daily Caller, Betsy's Page, Questions and Observations, Washington Post, Washington Monthly, Althouse, Business Insider, Daily Kos, The Moderate Voice, US Politics, Taylor Marsh and The Lonely Conservative, more at Mediagazer »
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Associated Press:
AP Exclusive: Accuser filed complaint in next job — WASHINGTON (AP) — A woman who settled a sexual harassment complaint against GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain in 1999 complained three years later at her next job about unfair treatment, saying she should be allowed to work from home …
Allahpundit / Hot Air:
Mark Block: Did you know that the son of Cain's accuser works for Politico? — I did not know that. He's, er ... not thinking of Josh Kraushaar, is he? … Josh Kraushaar is tweeting in disbelief tonight: … Could a man who accused Rick Perry on national television of a “despicable” …
Molly Ball / The Atlantic Online:
A Very Good Night for Democrats — In state elections across the country Tuesday, voters rejected Republican attempts to pursue a far right-wing agenda — Democrats had a very good election night on Tuesday. — Their cherished causes prevailed, they kept their statehouses …
Discussion:
The Reaction
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Arizona Republic:
Russell Pearce on verge of historic loss in recall — Russell Pearce, one of the most influential state politicians in the nation and a powerful voice on illegal immigration, was on the verge of losing his Senate seat in Tuesday's unprecedented recall election.
Discussion:
ACS Blog, The Huffington Post, Political Mojo, Firedoglake, Hotline On Call and The Hinterland Gazette
First Read / msnbc.com:
What last night's elections told us
What last night's elections told us
Discussion:
New Jersey Online, Firedoglake, Washington Post and The Moderate Voice
Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:
Obama up big in Ohio — One person who should be feeling particularly good about last night's election results in Ohio is Barack Obama. On our weekend poll, which got the final result of Issue 2 correct to within a point, Obama led all of his Republican opponents in the state by margins ranging from 9-17 points.
Discussion:
American Prospect, The Daily Dish, Taylor Marsh, Daily Kos and GOP 12
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Dorothy Rabinowitz / Wall Street Journal:
Why Gingrich Could Win — Herman Cain's prospects were good until this week brought accusatory testimony from a woman who showed up in person, with detail. — Newt Gingrich's rise in the polls—from near zero to the third slot in several polls—should come as no surprise to people …
Washington Post:
Va. elections: GOP Senate takeover hangs on 86 votes — Virginia Democrats' hopes of maintaining their party's hold on the Commonwealth's upper house were very much in doubt late Tuesday, hinging on a razor-thin count in a single Senate district. — When the ballot-counting ended for the night …
Discussion:
Virginian-Pilot, Crooks and Liars, Washington Wire, American Prospect and Balloon Juice
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Karen Tumulty / Washington Post:
Virginia elections may be a warning sign for Obama
Virginia elections may be a warning sign for Obama
Discussion:
The New Republic, 2012 Decoded, GOP 12 and Wonkette
Michael Barone / Campaign 2012:
A few thoughts on the November 8 elections
A few thoughts on the November 8 elections
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and Don Surber
Sarah Gantz / San Francisco Examiner:
Occupy Oakland makes $20K deposit at Wells Fargo — Last week, one or more Occupy Oakland protesters smashed the windows of a Wells Fargo branch. — This week, the group's general assembly agreed — in a near-unanimous vote Monday — to temporarily place $20,000 of the group's money …
Discussion:
Right Wing News, Questions and Observations and Sister Toldjah
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Irin Carmon / Salon:
How Mississippi beat Personhood — Will this derail a movement aiming for Roe v. Wade? — If Mississippi can't pass a Personhood amendment, can any state? Those who put major political and financial muscle behind Initiative 26 — rejected last night by an astonishing 58 percent of the state's voters …
Discussion:
Colorlines, Hullabaloo, Jezebel, southernstudies.org, Daily Kos and Wonkette
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Pema Levy / American Prospect:
Is There a “Bradley Effect” for Abortion?
Is There a “Bradley Effect” for Abortion?
Discussion:
Lawyers, Guns & Money and The Atlantic Online
Keith Ashley / Personhood USA:
Personhood USA Commentary Following Amendment 26 Vote
Personhood USA Commentary Following Amendment 26 Vote
Discussion:
Nation Now, Right Wing Watch, Los Angeles Times and CBS Minnesota
Justin Sink / The Hill:
Cain accuser open to joint press conference with other women — Sharon Bialek, the first woman to publicly accuse presidential contender Herman Cain of sexual harassment during his time as president of the National Restaurant Association, said Wednesday that while she had not yet had contact …
Discussion:
Pat Dollard and Weasel Zippers
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Jonathan Martin / The Politico:
Attorney: Two named accusers could hold joint press conference
Attorney: Two named accusers could hold joint press conference
Discussion:
Washington Post
Jesse Helfrich / The Hill:
GOP lawmakers want out of tax pledge — Grover Norquist's grip on the House Republican Conference is loosening. — A growing number of GOP lawmakers have disavowed Norquist's pledge against supporting tax increases in recent days, telling The Hill they no longer feel bound to uphold …
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RealClearPolitics Video Log:
David Gregory: No “Grand Wizard” In GOP To Force Cain Out — On Wednesday's “Today” show, host of NBC's “Meet the Press” David Gregory says there is no “Grand Wizard” right now in the GOP to “force” Cain out of the primary. Transcript below: Ann Curry, NBC News: “He's not stepping down …
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit, Erick's blog, Weasel Zippers and Michelle Malkin, more at Mediagazer »
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Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Durbin, breaking with Dems, applauds GOP offer on taxes as a breakthrough — Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.) diverged from Democratic colleagues Wednesday and applauded the Republican offer to raise $300 billion in new taxes as part of a deficit-reduction deal.
Discussion:
CNN
Tyler Durden / zerohedge.com/fullrss2.xml:
Barclays Says Italy Is Finished: “Mathematically Beyond Point Of No Return” — Euphoria may have returned briefly courtesy of yet another promise for a resignation that will likely not be effectuated for weeks or months, if at all, and already someone has done the math on what the events in the past several days reveal for Italy.
Wall Street Journal:
Generation Jobless: Students Pick Easier Majors Despite Less Pay — Biyan Zhou wanted to major in engineering. Her mother and her academic adviser also wanted her to major in it, given the apparent career opportunities for engineers in a tough job market.
Discussion:
The Volokh Conspiracy, Truth on the Market, Outside the Beltway and Don Surber
Reuters:
Exclusive: French, Germans explore idea of core euro zone — (Reuters) - German and French officials have discussed plans for a radical overhaul of the European Union that would involve establishing a more integrated and potentially smaller euro zone, EU sources say.
Discussion:
Money & Company, Don Surber and Business Insider
Michael Cieply / New York Times:
Eddie Murphy Drops Out of Oscars Telecast — LOS ANGELES — Eddie Murphy is dropping out as the host of the Oscars telecast, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences said Wednesday, just one day after the show's producer, Brett Ratner, stepped aside amid a storm of criticism over his use of an anti-gay slur. .
Discussion:
msnbc.com
Matthew Boyle / The Daily Caller:
Former Ariz. US Attorney admits leaking memo smearing Fast and Furious whistle-blower — Former Arizona U.S. Attorney Dennis Burke, who resigned in August, admitted late Tuesday that he leaked a document aimed at smearing Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent John Dodson …
Daniel Gros / voxeu.org:
What is holding Italy back? — As Italy's debt crisis enters the danger zone the question arises: Can Italy ever overcome its decade-old growth slump? This column shows that Italy's growth fundamentals are all in pretty good shape, except one - good governance.
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online
Fiona Harvey / Guardian:
World headed for irreversible climate change in five years, IEA warns — If fossil fuel infrastructure is not rapidly changed, the world will ‘lose for ever’ the chance to avoid dangerous climate change — The world is likely to build so many new fossil-fuelled power stations …
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, Grist and Get Energy Smart!
Michael Graham / Boston Herald:
Obama has lot to learn — Everyone should not go to college — In life, the three big lies are “The check's in the mail,” “The car was fine when I parked it” and “Honey, I swear I don't know whose thong that is in the glove box.” — In this political moment, the three big lies are …
Discussion:
Joanne Jacobs
Jay Cost / Weekly Standard:
Morning Jay: Mitt Romney's Perfect Storm — There is great consternation among many Republicans over the prospects of a Mitt Romney nomination. I've heard various opinions, ranging from “I guess I can live with him” to “I really can't stand him!” Among the latter camp …
Discussion:
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