memeorandum: White House backs Senate payroll bill over House objections (Russell Berman/The Hill)

12:55 PM ET, December 18, 2011

Top Items:

The Des Moines Register's GOP caucus endorsement: Mitt Romney is best to lead — Sobriety, wisdom and judgment. — Those are qualities Mitt Romney said he looks for in a leader. Those are qualities Romney himself has demonstrated in his career in business, public service and government.

Jennifer Jacobs / Iowa Caucuses:

10 factors that could determine Newt Gingrich's fate in Iowa — Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich and his wife, Callista, greet audience members at the Republican presidential debate in Sioux City on Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) — The novelty of a Newt Gingrich presidency …

Discussion: The Politico, Swampland and Boston Globe

A.Killough / CNN:
Des Moines Register endorses Romney

Discussion: The Politico, USA Today, Iowa Caucuses and The Iowa Republican

Associated Press: Gingrich says rivals' criticism taking a toll

Scott Clement / Washington Post:
Poll watcher: Gingrich slides in national, Iowa polls

Discussion: Outside the Beltway, Scared Monkeys and The Moderate Voice

Associated Press:

Vaclav Havel, Dissident Playwright Who Led Czechoslovakia, Dead at 75 — PRAGUE — Vaclav Havel, the dissident playwright who wove theater into politics to peacefully bring down communism in Czechoslovakia and become a hero of the epic struggle that ended the Cold War, has died. He was 75.

Discussion: Firedoglake, The Atlantic Online, The Talking Dog and Booman Tribune

Nick Gillespie / Hit & Run:
Vaclav Havel, RIP

Discussion: Outside the Beltway and Harry's Place

J.Y. Smith / Washington Post:
Vaclav Havel, dissident playwright and former Czech president, dies

Discussion: Suburban Guerrilla

Michael Winfrey / Reuters:
Vaclav Havel, leader of “Velvet Revolution,” dies

Discussion: americanthinker.com

Russell Berman / The Hill:

White House backs Senate payroll bill over House objections — The White House is throwing its weight behind a Senate compromise for a two-month extension of the payroll tax cut, despite strong objections from House Republicans that could unravel the deal. — The director of the National …

Discussion: CNN, The Politico and RedState

Jonathan Allenand Jake Sherman / The Politico:

House GOP revolts on payroll deal — House Republicans are in full revolt in the wake of Senate passage of a two-month payroll tax holiday package, casting serious doubt on the fate of a bill that already has President Barack Obama's approval. — In a private conference call on Saturday afternoon …

Discussion: CNN, americanthinker.com, Power Line, Booman Tribune, The Other McCain, Don Surber and The Enterprise Blog

Amie Parnes / The Hill:

Keystone climbdown leaves Obama supporters scratching their heads — President Obama put two conditions in end-game talks on extending the payroll tax holiday. — He wanted to pay for the extension with a surtax on millionaires, and he made clear that the Keystone XL oil pipeline should be kept out of the legislation.

Discussion: The Politico, Roll Call, The Huffington Post, CNN and New York Times

Max Fisher / The Atlantic Online:

A Photo That Encapsulates the Horror of Egypt's Crackdown — Three soldiers beat a defenseless woman, pull off her abaya, and drag her down a Cairo street — The above photo shows Egyptian army soldiers beating a young woman in Tahrir Square in Cairo on Saturday, the second straight …

Discussion: Sister Toldjah and Newshoggers.com

David D. Kirkpatrick / New York Times:
Egyptian Soldiers Chase and Beat Unarmed Civilians in Cairo

Discussion: americanthinker.com

New York Times:

Last Convoy of American Troops Leaves Iraq, Marking an End to the War — BAGHDAD — The last convoy of American troops to leave Iraq drove into Kuwait on Sunday morning, marking the end of the nearly nine-year war. — The convoy's departure, which included about 110 vehicles and 500 soldiers …

Discussion: Reuters, ThinkProgress, msnbc.com, Outside the Beltway, Washington Monthly and The Daily What

Martin Newman / Mirror.co.uk:

Bollywood actress Veena Malik reported missing after nude FHM photo scandal — Veena Malik — There were fears today for the wellbeing of Bollywood actress Veena Malik after she was reported missing by her manager. — The controversial Pakistani model and actress …

Discussion: Scared Monkeys and The Other McCain

Allysia Finley / Wall Street Journal:

The Chicago Expulsion Act of 2011 — Windy City pols are bankrupting Illinois with bailouts for their hometown. Now downstate legislators are fighting back. — 'Why would anyone want to live in Illinois? " So muses Curt Wooters, who works for the state and helps his dad run …

Discussion: americanthinker.com and Instapundit

Blue Yeti / Ricochet Conversations Feed:

When Events Collide: An “Uncommon Knowledge” from July, 2002 with Hitchens and Gingrich — A few days ago as part of his remembrance of Christopher Hitchens, Rob posted an episode of Uncommon Knowledge from 1998 with Hitchens and William F. Buckley. Almost immediately …

Frank Bruni / New York Times:

Op-Ed Columnist: Newt Gingrich's Self-Adoration — MARVELING over a presidential candidate's arrogance is like noting that a hockey player wears skates. It states not just the obvious but the necessary. You can't zip across the ice in Crocs, and you can't thrash your way to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Daily Kos and Bark Bark Woof Woof