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.
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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.
Discussion:
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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:
The Plum Line, Off the Charts Blog, Robert Reich, Daily Kos and Balloon Juice
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” …
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Wall Street Journal, Politico, The Tell, The Week, his vorpal sword, Connecting.the.Dots, Business Insider and The Huffington Post
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:
New York Magazine, The Huffington Post, Wonkblog, Wall Street Journal and Firedoglake
Washington Post:
How Boehner's Plan B for the ‘fiscal cliff’ began and fell apart
Discussion:
The Fix, Reuters, americanthinker.com, US News, Hullabaloo, The Monkey Cage, Hot Air, First Read, Prairie Weather, The National Memo and ABCNEWS
David Kurtz / Talking Points Memo:
Does A Speaker Survive This?
Discussion:
American Prospect, Econbrowser and Washington Monthly
Brian Beutler / Talking Points Memo:
Boehner Points — Subtly — Toward A Way Forward After Failure Of Plan B
Discussion:
Daily Kos
Politico:
Behind the scenes of a GOP meltdown
Discussion:
Mother Jones, The Plum Line, The Demos Blog and Daily Kos
Philip Klein / Washington Examiner:
How Boehner could cut a deal and still keep his speakership
Discussion:
Washington Wire, National Review, The New Republic, Hit & Run and Wall Street Journal
Brian Beutler / Talking Points Memo:
Republicans Crush Boehner's Plan B
Discussion:
Politico, Business Insider, No More Mister Nice Blog, Firedoglake, ABCNEWS, Wonkblog, Booman Tribune and Shakesville
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.
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, Slate, Crooks and Liars, The Plum Line, Mother Jones, Wonkblog, The New Republic, Post Politics, The National Memo, Daily Kos, Hot Air, No More Mister Nice Blog, News Desk, The Agonist, PostPartisan, Blazing Cat Fur, Suburban Guerrilla, AMERICAblog, The Hinterland Gazette, Taylor Marsh, The Daily Dish and Hullabaloo, more at Mediagazer »
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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, Hit & Run, Spectator, AEIdeas, Mashable! and FlowingData
BuzzFeed:
10 Things The NRA Blamed For The Sandy Hook Massacre — Not guns. At a press conference Friday morning, the NRA's Wayne LaPierre offered some other villains. — The Media — “Rather than face their own moral failings, the media demonize gun owners.” — Image by Brendan Hoffman / Getty Images
CNN:
Community Resource Officer Called to “Back Lot” — Jefferson County Sheriff's Deputy Neil Gardner soon would complete his second year as the uniformed community resource officer assigned to Columbine High School. Gardner, a 15-year veteran of the Sheriff's Office, normally ate his lunch …
Discussion:
Wonkblog
Melissa Hayes / NorthJersey.com:
Christie: Armed guards won't make schools safer — Governor Chris Christie said he doesn't agree that placing armed guards at every school in the state would help prevent tragedies like the Newtown, Conn. school shooting last week. — “In general I don't think that the solution to safety …
Discussion:
Post Politics and Mediaite
Reuters:
NRA's Newtown solution: Armed guards in schools
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, American Prospect, Alan Colmes'Alan Colmes', CNN and Hot Air
Philip Elliott / Associated Press:
NRA CALLS FOR ARMED POLICE OFFICER IN EVERY SCHOOL
Discussion:
Forbes, The Week, Business Insider, The Page and Taegan Goddard's …
Neetzan Zimmerman / Gawker:
While the NRA Was on TV Talking About the Need for More Guns Some Guy Was Walking Up and Down a Road …
Discussion:
Mother Jones, Poynter and Balloon Juice, more at Mediagazer »
David Weigel / Slate:
Wayne LaPierre Wants Armed Guards at Schools. Columbine Had an Armed Guard.
Discussion:
Firedoglake, National Review, Boing Boing and The New Republic
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:
Taegan Goddard's …, Wall Street Journal, Mediaite, The Hinterland Gazette, Towleroad News #gay and The Daily Dish
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Scott Johnson / Power Line:
Shock audio: Hagel on the “Jewish lobby” [UPDATE: Hagel Apologizes for Gay Comments]
Discussion:
Politico
Jennifer Rubin / Right Turn:
EXCLUSIVE: Top Republican Senator will oppose Hagel nomination
Discussion:
Post Politics and Washington Free Beacon
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.
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Mj Lee / Politico:
Frank not saying ‘no’ to Senate appointment
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online, BuzzFeed, Advocate and Post Politics
Wjac Web / WJAC-TV:
4 dead in Blair Co. shooting; 3 troopers injured — Sponsored Links — BLAIR COUNTY, Pa. — The Blair County district attorney said that four people, including the alleged gunman, are dead after a series of shootings along a rural road on Friday. — The district attorney …
Discussion:
The Altoona Mirror, The Hinterland Gazette, Balloon Juice and The Raw Story
Ron Nixon / New York Times:
With Farm Bill Stalled, Consumers May Face Soaring Milk Prices — WASHINGTON — Forget the fiscal crisis and the automatic budget cuts. Come Jan. 1, there is a threat that milk prices could rise to $6 to $8 a gallon if Congress does not pass a new farm bill that amends farm policy dating back to the Truman presidency.
Discussion:
Firedoglake, LewRockwell.com Blog and The PJ Tatler
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