memeorandum: Inouye praised as ‘quintessential American’ in Capitol ceremony (CNN)

2:50 PM ET, December 20, 2012

Top Items:

CNN:

CNN Poll: Are GOP policies too extreme? — Washington (CNN) - Just over half the public says that the GOP should give up more than the Democrats in any bipartisan solution to the country's problems, according to a new national survey. — And a CNN/ORC International poll also indicates …

CNN:

House set to vote on Boehner's Plan B — Washington (CNN) — The House is set to vote Thursday on Plan B, a GOP version of an agreement on the fiscal cliff, and another measure designed to lure support for the plan from hard-line Republicans. — The White House threatened Wednesday to veto that plan …

Discussion: The Agonist, National Review, Freedom's Lighthouse, Business Insider and Politico

Alexander Bolton / The Hill:

Leader Reid rules out Senate vote on ‘Plan B’ — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Thursday the Senate will not vote on Speaker John Boehner's (R-Ohio) “Plan B” to extend tax rates for family income below $1 million. — The Democratic leader blasted Boehner for wasting time on …

Discussion: Politico and Daily Kos

Jennifer Rubin / Right Turn:

Republicans put Obama in a box — The White House is acting like it had no “plan B” in the “fiscal cliff” fight. Ever since House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said he would put to a vote a measure to extend all current tax rates except those for households making more than $1 million …

Discussion: Balloon Juice, AEIdeas, Eschaton and The Daily Caller

Daniel Halper / Weekly Standard:
Harry Reid: ‘We Are Not Going to Do Anything’

Discussion: CNN

Dana Milbank / Washington Post:
Obama in focus, yet all over the map

Discussion: Belmont Club, Betsy's Page and The Spectacle Blog

CNN:
Inouye praised as ‘quintessential American’ in Capitol ceremony

Discussion: Politico

Politico:
Fiscal cliff: The lowest point

Discussion: Hit & Run, americanthinker.com, The Hill, The Plum Line, Washington Examiner, Talking Points Memo, First Read and Quartz

Brian Thompson / nbcnewyork.com:

Cory Booker Will Run for U.S. Senate in 2014: Sources — Newark Mayor Cory Booker will not challenge New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie in next year's gubernatorial race and will instead run for U.S. Senate in 2014, political sources familiar with his decision tell NBC 4 New York.

Discussion: Politico, The Hill, GOP 12, Taylor Marsh, Hot Air, Outside the Beltway, Runnin' Scared, Towleroad News #gay, First Read and National Review

Cory Booker:

Finishing the Work We Started — I love Newark. I did not come to this city through the providence of birth. I chose Newark, and Newark, thank God, accepted me, embraced me and allowed me the greatest privilege of my life - to serve as mayor. — As Mayor, the politics and process of change hasn't been easy.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, BuzzFeed, ABCNEWS, New York Times, CNN, msnbc.com and Daily Kos

David Giambusso / New Jersey Online:
Cory Booker won't challenge Christie, eyes U.S. Senate instead

Discussion: The Fix, The Hinterland Gazette and Post Politics

Sam Stein / The Huffington Post:

Newt Gingrich On Mitt Romney: ‘I Would Have Probably Done Better’ Against Obama … REACT: — FOLLOW: — Elections 2012, Gingrich 2012, Newt Gingrich, Video, Mitt Romney 2012, Mitt Romney Gay Marriage, Newt Gingrich Gay Marriage, Newt Gingrich Immigration Reform, Newt Gingrich Mitt Romney, Rnc Review, Romney Media, Politics News

Discussion: Guardian, The Raw Story, Taegan Goddard's …, Towleroad News #gay and Right Wing Watch

Chris Geidner / BuzzFeed:
Newt Gingrich Supports “Reality” Of State-Sanctioned Marriage Equality

Discussion: AMERICAblog

Scott Keyes / ThinkProgress:

Florida Man Invokes ‘Stand Your Ground’ Law After Shooting Fellow Pizza Customer — A Florida man defended his decision to shoot an impatient pizza customer over the weekend, citing the state's infamous “Stand Your Ground” law. — Michael Jock, a 52-year-old resident of St. Petersburg …

Discussion: Gawker, AMERICAblog and Firedoglake

Igor Volsky / ThinkProgress:

Fox News Brings On Santa Claus To Discuss The ‘War On Christmas’ — Fox and Friends took its coverage of the so-called “War on Christmas” to the front lines on Thursday morning by inviting Santa Claus to weigh in on America's changing culture and secularization.

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, BuzzFeed, Gawker and Towleroad News #gay

Charlie Spiering / Washington Examiner:

Connecticut congressman: Rick Perry a ‘testosterone laden’ individual with blood on his hands … During a press conference on gun control yesterday, Rep. Jim Himes D-Conn. blasted Texas Governor Rick Perry for vocally supporting Second Amendment rights for American citizens after the horrific school shooting in Connecticut.

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, Connecting.the.Dots, Riehl World News and Jammie Wearing Fools

John Hinderaker / Power Line:

Miss USA Wins the Crown — Say what you will about Donald Trump, he runs a pretty good pageant. I didn't live-blog tonight's Miss Universe show, but I kept notes as it went along, and so what follows are my impressions as the event unfolded. With a lot of stuff left out …

Discussion: Althouse

Fred Thys / WBUR:

WBUR Poll: Brown Would Be In Strong Position For Special Election — BOSTON — A WBUR poll of 500 registered voters (PDFs - topline, crosstabs) finds U.S. Sen. Scott Brown is in a strong position should there be a special election to fill U.S. Sen. John Kerry's seat.

Discussion: The Hill, Michelle Malkin, Boston Globe, Politico, National Review, Hot Air, Ballot Box and msnbc.com

Jeff G. / protein wisdom:

A sad announcement — I know I probably shouldn't have done it — especially because yesterday was a snowy day with the temperature here in Colorado dipping well below freezing — but on a whim I took all my guns and ammunition out in a small skiff on one of the nearby lakes and, sad to say …

Discussion: Primordial Slack

Ian Austen / New York Times:

In $18 Million Theft, Victim Was a Canadian Maple Syrup Cartel — OTTAWA — It was an inside job of sorts. Thieves with access to a warehouse and a careful plan loaded up trucks and, over time, made off with $18 million of a valuable commodity. — The question is what was more unusual …

Discussion: National Review and The Tell

Steven Greenhouse / Media Decoder:

‘Charlie Rose’ Show Agrees to Pay Up to $250,000 to Settle Interns' Lawsuit — Charlie Rose and his production company have agreed to pay as much as $250,000 to settle a class-action lawsuit brought by a former unpaid intern who claimed minimum wage violations.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Politico and Mediaite, more at Mediagazer »

George F. Will / Washington Post:

Mountain out of a molehill — The poet Carl Sandburg supposedly was asked by a young playwright to attend a rehearsal. Sandburg did but fell asleep. The playwright exclaimed, “How could you sleep when you knew I wanted your opinion?” Sandburg replied, “Sleep is an opinion.” — So is nonvoting.

Discussion: The Atlantic Online

Charles E. Schumer / Washington Post:

A middle ground on gun limits — Since the massacre at Connecticut's Sandy Hook Elementary School, many are wondering whether this tragedy might finally provoke action on guns. — The answer is, it could. The reason may surprise gun-control activists. — A post-Newtown examination …

Discussion: The Hill, The Page, Post Politics and Wonkblog

Paul Mirengoff / Power Line:

The emerging aspect of the Benghazi scandal — failing to bring justice to the terrorists — We have discussed the Benghazi scandal in terms of three aspects: the failure to provide adequate security before the attack; the response during the attack; and, in the aftermath …

Discussion: Washington Post

Greta Van Susteren / Gretawire:

I don't agree with any of my FNC colleagues or anyone else who is a tad bit sarcastic on our air about Secretary Clinton's health — I believe that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is suffering from a concussion. She has never shied away from a fight (assuming the testimony would even amount to that) …

Discussion: Politico and Mediaite

David Lawder / Reuters:

Senate Republicans aim to cut Sandy aid bill down to $24 billion — (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Republicans sought to slash a $60.4 billion aid bill to cover reconstruction after Superstorm Sandy, proposing on Wednesday to fund only $23.8 billion in immediate disaster relief while assessing longer-term needs.

Discussion: Campaign for America's …