Top Items:
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:
The Atlantic Online, Washington Wire, The Moderate Voice, ABCNEWS, The Caucus, ABCNEWS, Capital New York, Taylor Marsh, Forbes, The Tell, LightBox, MadMike'sAmerica …, Towleroad News #gay, The Hinterland Gazette, Gothamist, GOP 12, Weasel Zippers, Mediaite, The Lonely Conservative, Shakesville, Twitchy, Business Insider, 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 J. Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur who lived in New York's Hudson Valley published a book in London called Letters from an American Farmer. The third letter was titled “What Is an American?”
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online, Politico, LightBox, Post Politics, msnbc.com, Gawker and Business Insider
Justin Sink / The Hill:
Obama is Time's ‘Person of the Year’
Obama is Time's ‘Person of the Year’
Discussion:
JustOneMinute and americanthinker.com
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 …
Discussion:
Hot Air, Spectator, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Freedom's Lighthouse, National Review and americanthinker.com
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New York Sun:
Kagan on the Second — There have been so many irresponsible statements by those seeking to exploit the tragedy at Newtown, Connecticut, that it's hard to keep up with them, but for the combination of arrogance and inaccuracy one can't beat the editorial the New York Times ran out this week under …
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog and Right Turn
David Savage / Los Angeles Times:
Robert Bork, failed Supreme Court nominee, dies at age 85
Robert Bork, failed Supreme Court nominee, dies at age 85
Discussion:
protein wisdom
Ethan Bronner / New York Times:
Robert H. Bork, Conservative Jurist, Dies at 85
Robert H. Bork, Conservative Jurist, Dies at 85
Discussion:
Gawker, Althouse, American Power and Lawyers, Guns & Money
Washington Post:
Judge Robert H. Bork, conservative icon, dies at 85
Judge Robert H. Bork, conservative icon, dies at 85
Discussion:
Outside the Beltway, The Verge and The Volokh Conspiracy
John Podhoretz / Commentary Magazine:
Robert Bork, 1927-2012 — Robert Bork died today at the age of 85 …
Robert Bork, 1927-2012 — Robert Bork died today at the age of 85 …
Steven Hayward / Power Line:
Robert Bork's Revenge?
Robert Bork's Revenge?
Discussion:
National Review and PointOfLaw Forum
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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Noel Sheppard / NewsBusters.org:
Piers Morgan Calls Pro-Gun Advocate ‘Unbelievably Stupid,’ ‘Dangerous’: ‘You Shame Your Country’ — CNN's Piers Morgan has been on a rabid anti-gun rant since July's Aurora, Colorado, shootings that has gotten even more venomous after Friday's massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut.
Discussion:
Freedom Outpost, Gawker, Washington Examiner and Towleroad News #gay
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Jake Tapper / ABCNEWS:
President Obama Launches Gun-Violence Task Force — Five days after deadliest elementary school shooting in U.S. history, President Obama said his administration plans immediate action early next year on proposals to curb an “epidemic of gun violence.” — At a morning news conference …
Discussion:
ABCNEWS
Susan Crabtree / Washington Times:
Obama taps Biden to lead gun-violence curb
Obama taps Biden to lead gun-violence curb
Discussion:
Weekly Standard
Manu Raju / Politico:
Orrin Hatch would vote against Boehner ‘Plan B’ — The top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee said he'd vote against House Speaker John Boehner's back-up plan allowing tax rates on millionaires to increase, the latest sign of the uncertain road ahead for the year-end fiscal cliff.
Discussion:
CNN and Post Politics
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Kos / Daily Kos:
Capitulation is never popular. Or effective.
Capitulation is never popular. Or effective.
Discussion:
The Fix, Wonkblog, The Agonist and Hullabaloo
Matthew Lee / bigstory.ap.org:
STATE DEPT SECURITY CHIEF RESIGNS AFTER BENGHAZI — You are here — Home » United States government » State Dept security chief resigns after Benghazi — WASHINGTON (AP) — Three State Department officials resigned under pressure Wednesday, less than a day after a damning …
Discussion:
The Hill, CNN, Business Insider, Hit & Run and Mediaite
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New York Times:
Inquiry Into Libya Attack Is Sharply Critical of State Dept.
Inquiry Into Libya Attack Is Sharply Critical of State Dept.
Discussion:
The Atlantic Wire, Associated Press, Reuters, “The Lid”, Taylor Marsh, americanthinker.com, The Week, CNN, Politico, New York Post, The Hinterland Gazette and First Read
Justin Sink / The Hill:
Rep. Cole: Report reveals White House ‘failed’ on Benghazi security
Rep. Cole: Report reveals White House ‘failed’ on Benghazi security
Discussion:
CNN
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 …
Discussion:
Power Line, Right Turn, Hot Air, Politico, National Review, Betsy's Page, “The Lid”, The Atlantic Online, Moe Lane, Weekly Standard and Open Zion
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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, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and Capital New York
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Jared A. Favole / Wall Street Journal:
Obama Says All Gun Buyers Should Face Checks
Obama Says All Gun Buyers Should Face Checks
Discussion:
Washington Post, The Caucus, Reuters, Politicker, Daily Kos and Business Insider
Conor Friedersdorf / The Atlantic Online:
Quoting Rush Limbaugh Verbatim Is the Easiest Way to Discredit Him — His broadcasts since the Newtown shooting are an apt illustration of his self-contradiction and lack of intellectual integrity. — Reuters — There's been a lot of talk about the “national conversation” these last few days.
Discussion:
Riehl World News and The Spectacle Blog
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:
Washington Wire, Post Politics, Business Insider, National Review and Washington Examiner
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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Zachary Warmbrodt / Politico:
Treasury to exit GM bailout, likely at a loss — The Treasury Department on Wednesday announced plans to sell, almost certainly at a loss, the government's remaining shares of Detroit-based automaker General Motors in the latest in a recent string of moves by the administration …
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Washington Free Beacon
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Tampa Bay Times:
Man shot at St. Pete pizza joint had been complaining about slow service — ST. PETERSBURG — Florida's controversial “stand your ground” law has been cited in hundreds of cases. People have used it to justify shooting, stabbing, killing and maiming would-be intruders, romantic competitors and rival gang members.
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, Booman Tribune and The Raw Story
Matt Ridley / Wall Street Journal:
Cooling Down the Fears of Climate Change — Evidence points to a further rise of just 1°C by 2100. The net effect on the planet may actually be beneficial. — Forget the Doha climate jamboree that ended earlier this month. The theological discussions in Qatar of the arcana of climate treaties are irrelevant.
Discussion:
Power Line, Watts Up With That?, Hit & Run, The Glittering Eye and Althouse
Samuel Knight / Washington Monthly:
“Fix the Debt” - Defense Contractor Ties Exposed — Nothing exposes GOP flailing about debt for the fraud that it is like defense budget scrutiny. When genuine deficit hawks point out how bloated and porky the Pentagon has become, Republican Keynesians come out of the woodwork in droves.
Discussion:
Public Accountability … and Eschaton