Top Items:
Brian Beutler / Talking Points Memo:
Did Boehner Just Pull The Plug On Fiscal Cliff Negotiations? — In response to President Obama's extensive comments about the fiscal cliff at the White House Wednesday afternoon, House Speaker John Boehner left himself little if any room to continue negotiations.
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars, The Plum Line, Hullabaloo and The Daily Dish
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Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:
House Republicans Again Show Why We Need to Wait Until January for a Deal — For about half a day, in the wake of President Obama's most recent budget compromise, it appeared that an agreement might be close at hand. Boehner was reported to be taking the temperature of his crazies on Obama's plan.
Discussion:
New York Times, Hot Air, BuzzFeed and Taking Note
Ryan Ellis / Americans for Tax Reform RSS:
ATR Statement on “Plan B” Tax Plan — ATR's statement on the “Plan B” tax bill. — ATR has consistently maintained that individual Members of Congress make a pledge to their constituents to oppose and vote against tax increases. The House this week will vote on a tax bill.
Discussion:
Politico, The Hill, Speaker.gov, Hot Air, The New Republic, Washington Examiner, National Review, Business Insider, Post Politics, Washington Wire, Wonkblog and CTJReports
Politico:
Obama, Boehner duel on fiscal cliff
Obama, Boehner duel on fiscal cliff
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, CNN, National Review, Quartz, Wonkblog, Business Insider and The New Republic
Manu Raju / Politico:
Quick switch: Hatch backs Boehner Plan B
Quick switch: Hatch backs Boehner Plan B
Discussion:
The Hill, Los Angeles Times, Associated Press, The Fix, CNN and Post Politics
Talking Points Memo:
Grover Norquist: Boehner's ‘Plan B’ Not A Tax Pledge Violation
Grover Norquist: Boehner's ‘Plan B’ Not A Tax Pledge Violation
Discussion:
Firedoglake, Business Insider, Washington Examiner and National Review
David Taintor / Talking Points Memo:
White House: Obama Would Veto GOP's Fiscal Cliff ‘Plan B’
White House: Obama Would Veto GOP's Fiscal Cliff ‘Plan B’
Discussion:
Washington Post, ThinkProgress and Firedoglake
Kate Nocera / Politico:
Norquist giving House Republicans a pass on Boehner's ‘Plan B’
Norquist giving House Republicans a pass on Boehner's ‘Plan B’
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, Outside the Beltway and CNN
Michael Scherer / TIME:
2012 Person of the Year: Barack Obama, the President — Twenty-seven years after driving from New York City to Chicago in a $2,000 Honda Civic for a job that probably wouldn't amount to much, Barack Obama, in better shape but with grayer hair, stood in the presidential suite on the top floor …
Discussion:
Daily Mail, The Hill, ABCNEWS, The Atlantic Online, The Caucus, Greg's Opinion, ABCNEWS, The Democratic Daily, Mediaite, Forbes, LightBox, MadMike'sAmerica …, Capital New York, The Moderate Voice, The Hinterland Gazette, Washington Wire, Gothamist, Taylor Marsh, Towleroad News #gay, GOP 12, Weasel Zippers, Shakesville, The Lonely Conservative, The Tell, JustOneMinute, Twitchy, Business Insider, americanthinker.com, Gawker, The Week, The BLT and Politico, more at Mediagazer »
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Richard Stengel / TIME:
The Choice — In 1782 an expatriate French aristocrat named …
The Choice — In 1782 an expatriate French aristocrat named …
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online, LightBox, Politico, Mediaite, Post Politics, Gawker, msnbc.com and Business Insider
Roger Kimball / Roger's Rules:
Robert H. Bork, 1927-2012 — Judge Robert H. Bork, one of the the greatest jurists this country has ever produced, died early this morning from heart complications in a Virginia hospital near his home. He was 84. — Bork was a national celebrity. Several years ago …
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Adolph L. Reed Jr / New York Times:
The Puzzle of Black Republicans — WHEN Gov. Nikki Haley of South Carolina announced on Monday that she would name Representative Tim Scott to the Senate, it seemed like another milestone for African-Americans. Mr. Scott will complete the term of Senator Jim DeMint, who is leaving to run Heritage Foundation.
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Igor Volsky / ThinkProgress:
CNN Anchor Blasts Florida Governor For Ducking Gun Control, Demands Action Before ‘I Cover Another Tragedy’
CNN Anchor Blasts Florida Governor For Ducking Gun Control, Demands Action Before ‘I Cover Another Tragedy’
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, The Raw Story and Mediaite
Ashley Killough / CNN:
TRENDING: Tim Scott points to ‘moral decay’ after school shooting
TRENDING: Tim Scott points to ‘moral decay’ after school shooting
Discussion:
Politico
Washington Post:
Chuck Hagel is not the right choice for defense secretary — FORMER SENATOR Chuck Hagel, whom President Obama is reportedly considering for defense secretary, is a Republican who would offer a veneer of bipartisanship to the national security team. He would not, however, move it toward the center …
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Maggie Haberman / Politico:
Kristol-founded group targets Hagel
Kristol-founded group targets Hagel
Discussion:
Washington Post, Washington Free Beacon, Taylor Marsh and Weekly Standard
Jennifer Rubin / Right Turn:
More trouble for Hagel — Joining other groups and individuals …
More trouble for Hagel — Joining other groups and individuals …
Discussion:
Washington Free Beacon, Weekly Standard, Capital J | JTA and BuzzFeed
Kevin Robillard / Politico:
Joe Manchin: 'I'm so proud of the NRA' — 'I'm not supporting a ban on anything. I'm supporting a conversation on everything,' Manchin said. AP Photo — Close — West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, who suggested earlier in the week that the time had come for some gun control restrictions …
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Mike Lillis / The Hill:
Sensing political shift, Pelosi, Dems call for ban on high-capacity gun clips
Sensing political shift, Pelosi, Dems call for ban on high-capacity gun clips
Discussion:
CNN
Eric Schmitt / New York Times:
3 State Department Resignations After Libya Attack Report — WASHINGTON — Three State Department officials resigned under pressure on Wednesday following a report that detailed “grossly inadequate” security measures at the United States Mission in Benghazi, Libya, on the night assailants besieged …
Discussion:
CNN, The Atlantic Online, CBS News, Taylor Marsh, The Other McCain, Fox News and Michelle Malkin
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Matthew Lee / bigstory.ap.org:
STATE DEPT SECURITY CHIEF RESIGNS AFTER BENGHAZI
STATE DEPT SECURITY CHIEF RESIGNS AFTER BENGHAZI
Discussion:
Mediaite, Business Insider, Hit & Run and The Hill
CNN:
CNN Poll: Bare majority now support major gun restrictions — Washington (CNN) - Americans are reacting to the tragic events in Newtown, Connecticut with elevated levels of anger, shock and fear that have led a growing number of people to look for action from the government and society …
Discussion:
Taegan Goddard's …, Business Insider and The National Memo
Michael D. Shear / New York Times:
Obama to Give Congress Plan on Gun Control Within Weeks — WASHINGTON — President Obama declared Wednesday that he would make gun control a “central issue” as he opens a second term, submitting broad new gun control proposals to Congress no later than January and committing the power …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Shakesville, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Capital New York and CNN
Joel Gehrke / Washington Examiner:
Court: Obama must rewrite contraception mandate to accommodate religious liberty … Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius cannot enforce the Obamacare contraception mandate as it is written, but must follow through on a promise to rewrite the rule to accommodate religious liberty, a federal appeals court ordered.
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers and Questions and Observations
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Frank Newport / Gallup:
To Stop Shootings, Americans Focus on Police, Mental Health — Democrats substantially more likely to see assault gun ban as effective — PRINCETON, NJ — Americans are most likely to say that an increased police presence at schools, increased government spending on mental health screening and treatment …
Discussion:
Politico and Weasel Zippers
NRO Symposium / National Review:
Newtown Answers — Twenty children and six adults are dead. In Nigeria, people put their lives at risk going to church on Sundays. But in New England? The thought that going to school could be a final act is hard for us to comprehend. The seeming senselessness of what happened …
Discussion:
Little Green Footballs, jessica valenti, ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES, msnbc.com, Truthdig, Balloon Juice and Mediaite
Matt Townsend / Bloomberg:
Guns Out of Stock at Wal-Mart as Magazine Prices Surge on — With President Barack Obama endorsing sweeping gun restrictions in the wake of the school shootings in Newtown, Connecticut, prices for handgun magazines are surging on EBay (EBAY) and semi-automatic rifles are sold out at many Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) locations.
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers and The Gateway Pundit
Byron York / Washington Examiner:
Obama, Reid slam brakes on gun control … With President Obama's announcement of a commission to study and recommend ways to reduce gun violence, the two most important Democrats in government — Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid — have both indicated a desire to slow …
Discussion:
Washington Post, The Plum Line, Politico, The Week, Mediaite, Hot Air, New York Times, Power Line and American Power, more at Mediagazer »
Alex Seitz-Wald / Salon:
Assault rifle company issues “man cards” — The maker of the assault weapon that killed 27 people in Connecticut quizzes its customers on their manhood — There are lots of reasons to own guns: Hunting, self-defense, clinging purposes, but also to bolster your deflated sense of masculinity.
Discussion:
Little Green Footballs, Shakesville, alicublog and The Reaction