Top Items:
Daniel Halper / Weekly Standard:
Petraeus ‘Knew Almost Immediately’ Al Qaeda-Linked Group Responsible for Benghazi — David Petraeus is going to tell members of Congress that he “knew almost immediately after the September 11th attack, that the group Ansar al Sharia, the al Qaeda sympathizing group in Libya was responsible for the attacks,” CNN reports.
Discussion:
Hot Air, The Lonely Conservative and Outside the Beltway
RELATED:
John Nolte / BREITBART.COM:
CNN: PETRAEUS TO TESTIFY HE KNEW LIBYA WAS TERRORISM ‘ALMOST IMMEDIATELY’ — Just a few minutes ago on CNN, Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr reported that a high-placed source informed her that former CIA Chief David Petraeus will use his upcoming testimony to amend his previous testimony.
Discussion:
Scared Monkeys, The Gateway Pundit, Nice Deb, Sense of Events, americanthinker.com and CBS News
James Taranto / Wall Street Journal:
The Audacity of 51% — Get ready for higher taxes and no spending reform. — “Maybe peace would have broken out with a different kind of White House, one less committed to waging a perpetual campaign—a White House that would see a 51-48 victory as a call to humility and compromise rather than an irrefutable mandate.”
Discussion:
NationalJournal.com, Power Line, Michelle Malkin and ThinkProgress
Fox News:
Intel officials struggle to explain Libya talking points, pressure on Petraeus to clear the air
Intel officials struggle to explain Libya talking points, pressure on Petraeus to clear the air
Discussion:
Power Line, NO QUARTER USA NET and CNN
Washington Free Beacon:
Petraeus Knew ‘Almost Immediately’ Terrorists Responsible for Benghazi Attack
Petraeus Knew ‘Almost Immediately’ Terrorists Responsible for Benghazi Attack
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers
Halimah Abdullah / CNN:
Congressional intelligence committees briefed on Benghazi attacks
Congressional intelligence committees briefed on Benghazi attacks
Discussion:
New York Times, iOwnTheWorld.com, emptywheel, HLNtv.com and The Daily Caller
Tom Maguire / JustOneMinute:
Times See No Evil CEO Mark Thompson's Veil of Ignorance Continues To Unravel — The NY Times stuck with embattled former BBC chief Mark Thompson based on his assurances that despite thirty-three years at the BBC including eight at the helm he had never heard a whisper about BBC star Jimmy Savile's pedophilia.
RELATED:
Matthew Purdy / New York Times:
Letter Raises Questions About When BBC Ex-Chief Learned of Abuse Cases — A legal letter sent on behalf of Mark Thompson, the former director general of the BBC, raises questions about his assertions that he learned of accusations of sexual abuse against its longtime host Jimmy Savile only after leaving the corporation's top job.
Discussion:
Poynter and New York Magazine, more at Mediagazer »
nbcdfw.com:
Twinkies Maker Hostess Going Out of Business, CEO Blames Union Strike — “It's over. This is it,” Gregory Rayburn tells “Today.” — Hostess, the makers of Twinkies, Ding Dongs and Wonder Bread, is going out of business after striking workers failed to heed a Thursday deadline to return to work, the company said.
Discussion:
Politico, Associated Press, Michelle Malkin, www2.wkrg.com and The Gateway Pundit
RELATED:
Hostess Brands Inc / PR Newswire:
Hostess Brands to Wind Down Company After BCTGM Union Strike Cripples Operations — Hostess Brands Inc. today announced that it is winding down operations and has filed a motion with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court seeking permission to close its business and sell its assets, including its iconic brands and facilities.
Discussion:
Outside the Beltway and Washington Examiner
Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Obama, Boehner launch second effort to reach grand fiscal deal — President Obama and Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and their staffs will be the principal negotiators in talks to avoid the “fiscal cliff.” — As the talks begin formally at the White House Friday, lawmakers and special interest groups …
Discussion:
ABCNEWS
RELATED:
Devin Dwyer / ABCNEWS:
President Obama, GOP Leaders Hold Fiscal Summit at White House
President Obama, GOP Leaders Hold Fiscal Summit at White House
Discussion:
CNN
Wall Street Journal:
GOP Leaders' Debate: Change Message or Candidates? — LAS VEGAS—Two weeks after their presidential election defeat, Republican Party leaders are falling into roughly two camps as they struggle to explain what happened and devise ways to broaden the party's base.
Discussion:
ABCNEWS, Taegan Goddard's … and Prairie Weather, more at Mediagazer »
RELATED:
Jeff Zeleny / New York Times:
As G.O.P. Governors Gather, Prescriptions and Whispers for 2016
As G.O.P. Governors Gather, Prescriptions and Whispers for 2016
Discussion:
Washington Post, The Fix and Hot Air
David Dayen / Firedoglake:
Here on the Fiscal Slopes — I don't think this will be a regular feature, but here are a few things on everybody's favorite cliff/slope metaphor that caught my eye at the end of the day: — First of all, unions are so far following through on protecting social insurance against potential attacks from both parties:
Discussion:
Wonkblog, Crooks and Liars and The Hill
RELATED:
Sam Stein / The Huffington Post:
Fiscal Cliff Ad Campaign: Unions Target Senate Dems
Fiscal Cliff Ad Campaign: Unions Target Senate Dems
Discussion:
Washington Monthly
BBC:
Gaza crisis: Egyptians back under-fire Palestinians — The BBC's Wyre Davies describes a “long and difficult night” in Gaza, saying “the ante has been stepped-up on both sides” — Egyptian leaders have promised to support Gaza against Israeli attacks, as violence escalated for a third day.
Discussion:
The Jawa Report
RELATED:
Yousef Munayyer / Open Zion:
Bodies for Ballots
Bodies for Ballots
Discussion:
maannews.net, BBC, ABCNEWS, Firedoglake, Mondoweiss, 3quarksdaily, Associated Press, Guardian and New York Times
CNN:
McCain skips Benghazi briefing, gets testy when questioned by CNN — (CNN) - Most of the Republican members of a Senate committee investigating the terrorist attack at the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, skipped a classified briefing by administration officials on the incident Wednesday, CNN has learned.
RELATED:
Bethany Mandel / Commentary Magazine:
Why Isn't Sandy Obama's Katrina? — The pictures from New Orleans after Katrina were iconic. Stories breathlessly filed from the Superdome warned of rampant crimes, inadequate access to basic sanitation, even babies getting raped (which was later proven to be a rumor).
Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:
House GOP: Hey, who's up for a few earmarks? Update: Proposal withdrawn — Alternate headline: The House GOP has a fee-vah and the only prescription is ... more pork-barrel politics! Having won the House majority two election cycles in a row, some inside the GOP caucus want to bring back earmarking — with reforms, of course:
Discussion:
Roll Call, The Hill and Conservatives4Palin
Laura Bassett / The Huffington Post:
Bob FitzSimmonds, Virginia GOP Official, Predicts Obama ‘Goes To Hell’ … REACT: — FOLLOW: — Barack Obama , Ken Cuccinelli, Video, Virginia GOP, Bob Fitzsimmonds, Bob Fitzsimmonds Barack Obama, Bob Fitzsimmonds Obama Hell, Facebook Rants, Virginia Politics, Virginia Republican Party, Virginia Republicans, Politics News
Discussion:
Mediaite and Alan Colmes'Alan Colmes'
Eric Russell / Portland Press-Herald:
Webster apologizes for comments about black voters — Amid heavy criticism, the Maine Republican party chairman says his comments were made ‘without proof of wrongdoing’ and he won't investigate. — After enduring two days of criticism much of it from members of his own party …
Discussion:
New York Magazine, ABCNEWS, Daily Kos and msnbc.com
RELATED:
Ryan J. Reilly / Talking Points Memo:
Maine GOP Chair: ‘Unusual’ To See Black People Voting
Maine GOP Chair: ‘Unusual’ To See Black People Voting
Discussion:
Politico, New York Magazine, Wonkette, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Gawker and The Raw Story
Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
Mitt's Inglorious Shuffle Off the National Stage — In 1952 Adlai Stevenson was the presidential nominee of the Democratic party and lost. He was renominated in 1956 to face Dwight Eisenhower again. And again he lost. There are some other cases like this in American history.
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog, The Week and The Moderate Voice
Jim Epstein / Reason:
Oklahoma Doctors vs. Obamacare — Surgery center provides free-market medicine. — Three years ago, Dr. Keith Smith, co-founder and managing partner of the Surgery Center of Oklahoma, took an initiative that would only be considered radical in the health care industry …
Discussion:
AEIdeas, Power Line and Hot Air