Top Items:
Robert Costa / National Review:
Inside the Meltdown — “How the hell can you do this?” — • followers — At a quarter to 8 p.m. on Thursday night, House Republicans gathered in the Capitol basement for an urgent, closed-door conference meeting. The scene was hushed and confused.
Discussion:
The Strata-Sphere, Alan Colmes'Alan Colmes', Washington Wire, The PJ Tatler, Hot Air and NewsBusters.org
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Politico:
Behind the scenes of a GOP meltdown — Things were so bad for Speaker John Boehner Thursday night, support for his Plan B tax bill so diminished, the limits of his power with his own party laid bare, that he stood in front of the House Republican Conference and recited the Serenity Prayer.
Ezra Klein / Wonkblog:
Will Boehner's speakership survive until Plan C? — Has there been a House speaker in modern American history with less control over his members than John Boehner? — Sad trombone. (Charles Dharapak / AP) — Over the past three days, Boehner has focused all attention on “Plan B” …
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, The Tell, The Week, his vorpal sword, Business Insider and Connecting.the.Dots
Paul Krugman / New York Times:
Playing Taxes Hold 'Em — A few years back, there was a boom in poker television — shows in which you got to watch the betting and bluffing of expert card players. Since then, however, viewers seem to have lost interest. But I have a suggestion: Instead of featuring poker experts …
Discussion:
Off the Charts Blog, The Plum Line, Robert Reich, Daily Kos and Balloon Juice
Matthew Yglesias / Slate:
The Failure of Last Night's “Plan B” Vote Makes a Fiscal Cliff Deal More Likely — WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 20: Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) leaves a meeting with House Republicans, on Capitol Hill, December 20, 2012 in Washington, DC. — Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, New York Magazine, Hit & Run, Wonkblog, The New Republic and Wall Street Journal
David Kurtz / Talking Points Memo:
Does A Speaker Survive This? — The likely truth is that John Boehner never had the votes to cut a deal with President Obama. Any deal. Not a grand bargain of deficit reduction. Not a piecemeal deal that might have lessened the blow of all the Bush tax cuts expiring on Jan. 1. Nothing.
Discussion:
Econbrowser
Washington Post:
How Boehner's Plan B for the ‘fiscal cliff’ began and fell apart — View Photo Gallery — The ‘fiscal cliff’: Meet the key players: With the election behind them, Obama and lawmakers have turned their attention to the fiscal cliff. Here's a look at some of the leaders …
Discussion:
The Fix, Reuters, americanthinker.com, The Monkey Cage, Hullabaloo, US News, Hot Air, The National Memo, First Read, Prairie Weather, ABCNEWS and Mother Jones
Brian Beutler / Talking Points Memo:
Republicans Crush Boehner's Plan B
Discussion:
Business Insider, Firedoglake, Politico, No More Mister Nice Blog, Booman Tribune, Shakesville and The Plum Line
Ryan Cooper / Washington Monthly:
Speaker Boehner's Plan B Fails
Discussion:
American Prospect, Firedoglake and Talking Points Memo
ABCNEWS:
House GOP Puts off Vote on ‘Plan B’
Discussion:
Associated Press, Politico, The Huffington Post and Wonkblog
Erick Erickson / RedState:
URGENT: Last few hours to stop the Boehner Tax Hike
Discussion:
Outside the Beltway, Hot Air, The Moderate Voice, Firedoglake and Mediaite
Washington Post:
Remarks from the NRA press conference on Sandy Hook school shooting, delivered on Dec. 21, 2012 (Transcript) — Video: After a week of silence in the wake of the Newtown shootings, the National Rifle Association finally spoke out Friday defending guns and decrying violence.
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John H. Cushman Jr / New York Times:
N.R.A. Calls for Armed Guards in Schools to Deter Violence — WASHINGTON — The National Rifle Association on Friday called for schools to be protected by armed guards as the best way to protect children from gun violence. — The group, long the most vocal and influential organization …
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online, Spectator, AEIdeas, FlowingData and Right Turn
Philip Elliott / Associated Press:
NRA CALLS FOR ARMED POLICE OFFICER IN EVERY SCHOOL
Discussion:
The Page and Taegan Goddard's …
Peter Baker / The Caucus:
Obama Asks Supporters to Push Congress on Gun Control
Discussion:
BuzzFeed, The Hill and The Raw Story
Mark Landler / New York Times:
Kerry Is Pick for Secretary of State, Official Says — WASHINGTON — President Obama plans to nominate Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts as secretary of state, a senior administration official said. He would succeed Hillary Rodham Clinton and become the first member of Mr. Obama's second-term national security team.
Discussion:
Weekly Standard, msnbc.com, Taylor Marsh, Twitchy, Mediaite, Crooks and Liars, The Lonely Conservative, Business Insider, Daily Kos and PERRspectives
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Mj Lee / Politico:
Frank not saying ‘no’ to Senate appointment — Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank isn't ruling out a short-term stint in the U.S. Senate, if President Barack Obama taps Sen. John Kerry to be secretary of state. — If Kerry is nominated and confirmed to the job, Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick …
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online, BuzzFeed and Post Politics
CNN:
John Kerry will be nominated for secretary of state, official says
Discussion:
The PJ Tatler and ImmigrationProf Blog
Jonathan Easley / The Hill:
State Dept. focusing on ‘deteriorating security’ at diplomatic posts
Discussion:
Politico, Right Turn, americanthinker.com, National Review and WBUR
Mark Landler / New York Times:
Chuck Hagel Is Criticized Over Gay Rights Record — WASHINGTON — Chuck Hagel, the former Nebraska senator on President Obama's short list for defense secretary, came under fire again on Thursday, this time for his record on gay rights and remarks he made 14 years ago about an openly gay nominee for a diplomatic post.
Discussion:
Right Turn, Power Line, Israel Matzav, The Page, Politico, Weekly Standard, The Daily Dish, Post Politics, Mondoweiss, BuzzFeed and National Review
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Mike Allen / Politico:
Chuck Hagel apologizes for gay slur — Former Sen. Chuck Hagel, seeking to preserve his viability for nomination as secretary of Defense, on Friday issued a strong apology for a gay slur in 1998 that turned some top Democratic activists against his potential selection.
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, Mediaite and Towleroad News #gay
Ian Swanson / The Hill:
Huelskamp holds heated exchange with Scarborough on gun control — Talk show host Joe Scarborough and Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-Kanses) engaged in a heated discussion Friday over gun control. — Scarborough and Huelskamp both shouted over one another after Huelskamp said those arguing …
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Politico
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