Top Items:
Amie Parnes / The Hill:
Obama shows he's confident he's beating GOP in payroll tax fight — President Obama, who has been on the losing end of several hard-fought battles with House Republicans, is showing that he thinks he's winning the latest tax fight. — While the White House—which has made it known …
Discussion:
The Caucus, New York Times and Booman Tribune
RELATED:
Paul Kane / Washington Post:
House Republicans face pressure on extension of payroll tax cut — House Republicans faced mounting pressure Wednesday from critics inside and outside the party who worry that their standoff with President Obama over whether to extend a payroll tax cut could do lasting damage to the GOP.
Discussion:
The Hill, Daily Kos, Prairie Weather, SQUATLO RANT, Wonkette, New York Magazine and Next Media Animation
Jonathan Easley / The Hill:
Rove: Republicans should fold in payroll tax cut standoff
Rove: Republicans should fold in payroll tax cut standoff
Discussion:
CNN, Washington Post, Daily Kos, GayPatriot, Washington Wire, Liberal Values, National Review, Campaign 2012 and ThinkProgress
Justin Sink / Ballot Box:
Payroll tax debate a juggling act for GOP presidential contenders
Payroll tax debate a juggling act for GOP presidential contenders
Discussion:
The Politico
Jennifer Epstein / Reuters:
With family away, Obama, Bo shop
With family away, Obama, Bo shop
Discussion:
White House.gov Blog, The Gateway Pundit, Weasel Zippers and Bob Owens
Stephen C. Webster / The Raw Story:
Boehner's office cuts off C-SPAN cameras as GOP takes verbal beating
Boehner's office cuts off C-SPAN cameras as GOP takes verbal beating
Discussion:
Wonkette, Mediaite, Sunlight Foundation Blog, ThinkProgress, Washington Monthly and ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/*
Tommy Christopher / Mediaite:
Mitt Romney bin Busted: ‘Candidate Like Myself’ Would Have Done Bin Laden Raid (Except 2007 Mitt) — At Christmastime, it's comforting to know that a Mitt Romney interview is the gift that keeps on giving. On Wednesday's The Daily Rundown, host Chuck Todd drew a lot out of the candidate with his deceptively easygoing style.
Discussion:
The Humble Libertarian, The Reality-Based Community and US Politics
RELATED:
The Politico:
Mitt Romney Rx: A bloody nose — Here is one way to look at Mitt Romney's challenge from Newt Gingrich: As one more humiliation delivered by Republican activists who have made clear over and over that they would really, really prefer to fall in love with someone, anyone, whose name is not Mitt Romney.
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog and Hot Air
Christian Heinze / GOP 12:
Gingrich: Romney outsources dirty work
Gingrich: Romney outsources dirty work
Discussion:
Washington Post, The Daily Caller and The Right Scoop
msnbc.com:
Romney to Gingrich: If you can't stand the heat, wait until Obama's Hell's kitchen
Romney to Gingrich: If you can't stand the heat, wait until Obama's Hell's kitchen
Discussion:
The Caucus
Justin Sink / The Hill:
Gingrich challenges Romney to one-on-one debate over attack ads
Gingrich challenges Romney to one-on-one debate over attack ads
Discussion:
The Politico, Hot Air, Reuters, CNN and GOP 12
James Crugnale / Mediaite:
Rep. Ron Paul Gets Irked By Newsletter Questions, Walks Out Of CNN Interview — Ron Paul walked out of an interview with CNN's Gloria Borger following a heated exchange over the controversy regarding racist newsletters sent in his name during the 1990s. Borger asked the Congressman if he had ever read the newsletters.
RELATED:
Justin Sink / The Hill:
Paul abandons interview concerning controversial newsletters
Paul abandons interview concerning controversial newsletters
Discussion:
CNN, Alan Colmes' Liberaland and American Power
Kate Linthicum / Los Angeles Times:
Some Occupy L.A. protesters may get a lesson in free speech — Prosecutors say they can avoid court trials by paying $355 to a private company for an educational program. The irony is not lost on the anti-corporate activists, who see it as patronizing. — Los Angeles police officers arrest …
Discussion:
cab drollery and Associated Press
RELATED:
CBS Los Angeles:
Mayor Calls For Budget Cuts To Offset Millions In Occupy LA Costs — LOS ANGELES (CBS) — The City of Los Angeles reportedly faces millions of dollars in expenses brought about by the Occupy LA movement. — City agencies have been ordered to calculate what was spent on the Occupy LA protests.
Discussion:
americanthinker.com, Weasel Zippers, Sister Toldjah and The Gateway Pundit
BBC:
At least 63 killed in co-ordinated Baghdad attacks — Rafid Jabboori of the BBC's Arabic Service: “The worst day in 2011” — A wave of apparently co-ordinated bomb attacks in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, has killed at least 63 people and injured around 185, say officials.
Discussion:
The Jawa Report and FP Passport
RELATED:
Betsy Rothstein / FishbowlDC:
Lawmaker Says Michelle Obama Has ‘Large Posterior’ — Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wisc.), known for his cantankerous ways and for not speaking to media unless it's his idea, was overheard at the Delta Crown lounge at Reagan National Airport today talking on his cellphone about an incident …
Discussion:
ABCNEWS, Mediaite, The Gateway Pundit and Weasel Zippers
RELATED:
Betsy Rothstein / FishbowlDC:
Sensenbrenner Aide Responds to Big Butt Allegation
Sensenbrenner Aide Responds to Big Butt Allegation
Discussion:
The Raw Story and nation.foxnews.com
Dorothy Rabinowitz / Wall Street Journal:
What Ron Paul Thinks of America — It seemed improbable that the best-known American propagandist for our enemies could be near the top of the pack in the Iowa contest, but there it is. — Ron Paul's supporters are sure of one thing: Their candidate has always been consistent …
Discussion:
GOP 12, USA Today, LewRockwell.com Blog, Melanie Phillips, Hot Air, The Daily Caller, American Power, The Right Scoop, Wizbang and Washington Post
Daniel Jacobson / Gossip Cop:
Matt Damon Blasts Obama: “One-Term President With Balls” Would Be Better — Matt Damon rips President Obama in Elle magazine, blasting his leadership qualities and saying he'd prefer “a one-term president with some balls who actually got stuff done.” — The actor, a longtime supporter …
Discussion:
The Huffington Post, THEROOT.COM, Hot Air, The Gateway Pundit, Mediaite, The Lonely Conservative and The Daily Caller
Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup:
U.S. Satisfaction in 2011 Ranks as Second Lowest Since 1979 — On average, 17% were satisfied with national conditions, ahead of only 2008's 15% — PRINCETON, NJ — Throughout 2011, an average of 17% of Americans said they were satisfied with the way things are going in the United States.
Discussion:
The Politico, Pirate's Cove and Business Insider
Charlie Savage / New York Times:
$335 Million Settlement on Countrywide Lending Bias — The Justice Department on Wednesday announced the largest residential fair-lending settlement in history, saying that Bank of America had agreed to pay $335 million to settle allegations that its Countrywide Financial unit discriminated …
Discussion:
naked capitalism, Truthdig, The Huffington Post and Firedoglake
RELATED:
Matthew Yglesias / Slate:
Perverse Reputational Incentives In Central Banking … - “We Own Wall Street”: Spitzer Proposes a New Movement To Stop Corporate America's Worst Behavior — The AT&T Merger Would Have Improved Mobile Service. The DoJ Was Wrong To Kill It. — Rachel Maddow: Here's Why MSNBC Is Not Fox News for Liberals
Discussion:
TheMoneyIllusion
Floyd Norris / New York Times:
A Central Bank Doing What It Should — “Talk tough, and open the vaults.” — That should be the slogan of Mario Draghi, the president of the European Central Bank. — In recent weeks, the new president publicly insisted the central bank would never do any of the things that Germany opposed.
Discussion:
Vox Popoli
Jim Hoft / The Gateway Pundit:
Duh... Pelosi Calls For Tax Cut Extensions For 160,000,000 Working Americans - Too Bad There Are Only 140,500,000 Americans Working Today — Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi told reporters this week that 160 million Americans will have their taxes increased if the payroll tax cut extension does not pass.
Discussion:
americanthinker.com and Doug Ross
ProPublica:
How Democrats Fooled California's Redistricting Commission — This spring, a group of California Democrats gathered at a modern, airy office building just a few blocks from the U.S. Capitol. The meeting was House members only — no aides allowed — and the mission was seemingly impossible.
Discussion:
Big Government, Hotline On Call, Political Mojo and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion