memeorandum: Iranian currency drops amid jitters over regional trade (Thomas Erdbrink/Washington Post)

8:30 AM ET, December 21, 2011

Top Items:

The GOP's Payroll Tax Fiasco — How did Republicans manage to lose the tax issue to Obama? — GOP Senate leader Mitch McConnell famously said a year ago that his main task in the 112th Congress was to make sure that President Obama would not be re-elected.

Discussion: Business Insider, No More Mister Nice Blog, Ballot Box, The Moderate Voice, Daily Kos, Washington Post and Hot Air

Jonathan Easley / The Hill:

McCain: Payroll-tax fight ‘harming the Republican Party’ — Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said the failure of the House to approve the bipartisan Senate bill to extend the payroll-tax cut is “harming the Republican Party.” — Speaking Tuesday on CNN's “Situation Room,” McCain …

Discussion: The Caucus and New York Times

Ian Swanson / The Hill:

Obama's Hawaii Christmas dilemma — President Obama faces a most difficult decision with the payroll tax extension up in the air, and it isn't whether to compromise with Republicans. — The toughest call for the president this holiday season may be whether to join his family for Christmas in Hawaii or stay in lonely Washington.

Discussion: Outside the Beltway and Pundit & Pundette

Associated Press:

Obama blames Republicans for upcoming tax increase — WASHINGTON (AP) — The House of Representatives Tuesday rejected legislation to extend a payroll tax cut and jobless benefits for two months, drawing a swift rebuke from President Barack Obama that Republicans were threatening higher taxes on 160 million American workers on Jan. 1.

Discussion: New York Magazine and Truthdig

Major Garrett / NationalJournal.com:

Congress's Payroll Standoff — Who Blinks First? — Less than two weeks remain - with a holiday in between - for Congress to keep alive a payroll-tax cut, unemployment insurance, and a “doc fix” patch. Here is how it could play out: — HOUSE GOP BLINKS: House Republicans see the futility …

Discussion: Swampland

Erik Wasson / The Hill: Rep. Pelosi on Speaker Boehner: ‘He is not Lucy and we are not Charlie Brown’

Alicia M. Cohn / The Hill:
Rep. Jackson Lee: Obama should use executive power to extend payroll tax cut

Discussion: The Politico, The Hill, Weasel Zippers, Michelle Malkin and Ballot Box

Daniel Strauss / The Hill:
GOP Sen. Brown slams House for ‘playing politics’ with tax vote

Discussion: The Politico and Weasel Zippers

Pete Kasperowicz / The Hill:
House rebuffs Senate payroll tax cut extension, calls for conference

Discussion: The Politico, The Lonely Conservative, ThinkProgress, Hot Air, Outside the Beltway and Washington Post

David Dayen / Firedoglake:
House Republicans Find Smarmiest Way Possible to Reject Payroll Tax Deal

Discussion: Hullabaloo, Open Congress and The Hill

Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:

Romney leads Obama — For the first time in PPP's monthly national polling since July 2010 Mitt Romney's taken a lead, albeit a small one, over Barack Obama. He's up 47-45. — Romney has two main things going for him. He leads the President 45-36 with independents.

Discussion: Ballot Box, The Politico and Althouse

A.Killough / CNN:
CNN Poll: Obama gains strength in 2012 matchups

Discussion: Taylor Marsh, 2012 Decoded, ABCNEWS, The Politico, Indecision Forever, Campaign 2012 and Booman Tribune

Scott Clement / Washington Post:
Poll: Paul as third party candidate could doom GOP in 2012

Discussion: CBS News, Mediaite, Daily Kos, Los Angeles Times, National Review, Campaign 2012 and RedState

A.Killough / CNN:
Perry presses ‘outsider’ message as closing Iowa argument

Discussion: The Politico, Daily Kos, ThinkProgress, Balloon Juice and The Humble Libertarian

Gschwarzcnn / CNN: CNN Poll: President's approval nearing 50%

Reid J. Epstein / The Politico:

Gary Johnson to drop out of GOP primary to run as Libertarian — Gary Johnson will quit the Republican primaries and seek the Libertarian Party nomination instead, POLITICO has learned. — The former two-term New Mexico governor, whose campaign for the GOP nomination never caught fire …

Discussion: Washington Post, CNN, The Humble Libertarian, Booman Tribune, Business Insider, The Daily Caller, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Ricochet Conversations Feed, Hit & Run and Iowa Caucuses

Jason Clayworth / Iowa Caucuses:

Newt Gingrich to gay Iowan: Vote for Obama — Gingrich and his wife Callista at tonight's event in Oskaloosa. (Jason Clayworth/The Register) — Oskaloosa, Ia. - Newt Gingrich told a gay man and longtime resident of Oskaloosa here today that he should vote for President Obama.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, LGBTQ Nation, Outside the Beltway and Joe. My. God.

Stephen Gutowski / MRCTV:

Liberals Cry About New Tom Clancy Game — The next iteration of Tom Clancy's blockbuster Rainbow Six series has been announced. The series goes back over a decade and has produced some of the best shooters ever made. However, this release, Rainbow Six: The Patriots …

Discussion: Erick's blog, Hot Air and RedState

Reid J. Epstein / The Politico:

Source: Bob Vander Plaats asked Michele Bachmann to quit — DES MOINES - Iowa evangelical leader Bob Vander Plaats called Michele Bachmann and urged her to drop out of the race and endorse Rick Santorum, a source with knowledge of the conversation told POLITICO Tuesday.

Discussion: Mediaite, The Other McCain, CNN, Hot Air, Business Insider, Hullabaloo and The Hill

Palestinian Media Watch:

Hitler admired in PLO youth magazine because he murdered Jews — Hitler tells a Palestinian girl in her dream: — “I killed them [the Jews] so you would all know — that they are a nation — which spreads destruction all over the world. The following is an excerpt from Deception …

Discussion: Harry's Place and Israel Matzav

Isabel Kershner / New York Times:
Finding Fault in the Palestinian Messages That Aren't So Public

Discussion: americanthinker.com, GLORIA Center and Israel Matzav

BBC:

South American states ban Falklands vessels from ports — Argentina has long claimed sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, which lie 400 miles from its coast — A South American trading bloc has agreed to close its ports to ships flying the Falkland Islands flag.

Discussion: Biased BBC

Jordan Weissmann / The Atlantic Online:

How Kim Jong Il Starved North Korea — What kind of disastrous economic policy results in the death by starvation of up to 3 million people in a nation with the population of Texas? — Reuters — When North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il died of a coronary this weekend after 17 years in power …

Discussion: Hit & Run

Financial Times:

Strong take-up of ECB loans expected — By Tracy Alloway in London and Ralph Atkins in Frankfurt — The European Central Bank is expected to report strong demand for an offer of unlimited three-year loans after banks were urged to take the funds as part of concerted efforts …

Discussion: AMERICAN FUTURE and Marginal Revolution

Firouz Sedarat / Reuters:

Awlaki video urges U.S. Muslims to join al Qaeda — (Reuters) - U.S.-born al Qaeda militant Anwar al-Awlaki, killed in a CIA drone strike in September, posthumously called on U.S. Muslims to join the group in the Middle East in a video released on Tuesday. — Awlaki, identified …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers

Thomas Erdbrink / Washington Post:

Iranian currency drops amid jitters over regional trade — TEHRAN — Iran's currency plunged against the U.S. dollar Tuesday, continuing a sharp drop exacerbated by jitters over tightening international sanctions and uncertainties about the domestic economy and regional trade.

Discussion: FrumForum and The PJ Tatler

Patrick Goodenough / CNSNews:

U.N. Adopts ‘Religious Intolerance’ Resolution Championed by Obama Administration — (CNSNews.com) - The U.N. General Assembly on Monday adopted a resolution condemning the stereotyping, negative profiling and stigmatization of people based on their religion, and urging countries to take effective steps …