memeorandum: ‘This Week’ Transcript: Senators Charles Schumer and Jon Kyl (ABCNEWS)

10:15 PM ET, December 30, 2012

Top Items:

Ian Millhiser / ThinkProgress:

Lindsay Graham: I Will Destroy America's Solvency Unless The Social Security Retirement Age Is Raised — Although official Washington is currently fixated on the so-called “Fiscal Cliff,” the biggest threat to American prosperity is the debt ceiling, which must be raised in February to prevent economic catastrophe.

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, Paul Krugman, Alan Colmes'Alan Colmes', CANNONFIRE and The Impolitic

Brian Beutler / Talking Points Memo:

Fiscal Cliff Talks Resume After GOP Caves On Social Security Cut — If Senate leaders reach an agreement to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff, they won't announce it today. — On the Senate floor Sunday evening, Majority Leader Harry Reid announced that, after a brief run off the rails …

Discussion: Hullabaloo

Michael McAuliff / The Huffington Post:

Fiscal Cliff: GOP Gives In On Social Security Cuts In Stalled Talks (UPDATE) … REACT: — FOLLOW: — John Cornyn, John McCain, Social Security, Video, John McCain Fiscal Cliff, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Social Security Benefits, Susan Collins, Congress Fiscal Cliff, Fiscal Cliff …

Discussion: Hullabaloo and The Raw Story

Erik Wasson / The Hill:

GOP senators backing away from Social Security demand — GOP senators on Sunday backed away from demanding that cuts to Social Security benefits be included in any “fiscal cliff” deal. — The call to include a measure of inflation known as the chained consumer price index, or “chained CPI …

Discussion: Washington Examiner

Politico:

No cliff deal as final hour approaches — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell still haven't struck a deal to prevent taxes from rising on wage earners in the new year, sources say, as eleventh-hour negotiations to avert historic tax hikes approach a make-or-break moment Sunday.

Discussion: ABCNEWS, Daily Kos, Outside the Beltway and Reuters

Jonathan Weisman / New York Times:

Day of Seesaw Talks Produces No Accord on Fiscal Crisis — WASHINGTON — Senate leaders on Sunday failed to produce a fiscal deal with just hours to go before large tax increases and spending cuts were to begin taking effect on New Year's Day, despite a round of volatile negotiations …

Discussion: The Daily Dish, The Maddow Blog, The New Republic, The Week, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog and Politico

Amie Parnes / The Hill:
Obama says ‘pressure is on Congress,’ blames GOP as fiscal deadline nears

Discussion: CNN and Crooks and Liars

Washington Post:
Senators trade proposals into night to avoid ‘fiscal cliff’

Discussion: The Fix, The Huffington Post, Post Politics and Taylor Marsh

Jared Bernstein / On the Economy:
My Views on Spending Cuts and Entitlements

Discussion: Eschaton, Business Insider, Angry Bear, skippy the bush kangaroo and Corrente

Matthew Lee / bigstory.ap.org:

HILLARY CLINTON HOSPITALIZED WITH BLOOD CLOT — You are here — Home » United States government » Hillary Clinton hospitalized with blood clot — WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has been admitted to a New York hospital after the discovery …

Discussion: The Hill, BuzzFeed, Mediaite, his vorpal sword, Business Insider and The Gateway Pundit

Associated Press:

Hillary Clinton Goes to Hospital After Exam Finds a Blood Clot — WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton was admitted to a New York hospital Sunday after the discovery of a blood clot stemming from the concussion she sustained earlier this month.

Discussion: Alan Colmes'Alan Colmes', Gawker and The Hinterland Gazette

Elise Labott / CNN:

Hillary Clinton hospitalized after doctors discover blood clot — From her early days as a lawyer to one of the most powerful people in Washington, here's a look at Clinton at through the years: — HIDE CAPTION — Hillary Clinton through the years — (CNN) — Secretary …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, BuzzFeed, Little Green Footballs and Examiner

Karen DeYoung / Washington Post:

Hillary Clinton hospitalized with blood clot — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton was hospitalized in New York on Sunday after doctors monitoring her recovery from a concussion discovered a blood clot, according to a statement from her office. — The statement said that …

Igor Volsky / ThinkProgress:

Obama Pledges To Push For Gun Control Measures If 'American People Decide It's Important' — President Obama called the Dec. 14th shooting in Newtown, Connecticut “the worst day of my presidency,” and said during a rare interview on Meet The Press, that he will propose a package of reforms …

Discussion: Crooks and Liars

Meghashyam Mali / The Hill:
Obama hopes to enact new gun-control measures in 2013

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, The Lonely Conservative and Moonbattery

Peter Baker / New York Times:
Newtown Task Force Returns Biden to Gun Control Arena

Discussion: Politico, Right Wing News and JustOneMinute

Daniel Strauss / The Hill:
Sen. Feinstein: US has to ‘bite the bullet’ and enact new gun-control restrictions

Discussion: Politico and Infowars

msnbc.com:

December 30: President Barack Obama, Tom Brokaw, Jon Meacham, Doris Kearns Goodwin, David Brooks, and Chuck Todd — December 30: President Obama, Brokaw, Meacham, Kearns Goodwin, Brooks, Todd — Below: — updated 2012-12-30T14:17:37 — DAVID GREGORY: — Mr. President, welcome back to Meet the Press.

Discussion: Althouse, The Moderate Voice, Wizbang, First Read and Twitchy

Howard Kurtz / Daily Download:
Meet the President: David Gregory's Low-Intensity Interview

Discussion: NewsBusters.org and Mediaite

CNN:
Boehner says Obama should ‘lead, not cast blame’

Discussion: Mediaite

Wall Street Journal:

Unthinkable Cuts Almost a Reality — Mandatory federal spending cuts designed to be prohibitively drastic will become a reality on Wednesday if negotiators remain unable to reach an agreement to avert the reductions. — The cuts would hit a broad array of departments and programs …

Discussion: Hot Air

ABCNEWS:

‘This Week’ Transcript: Senators Charles Schumer and Jon Kyl — KARL (voice-over): Good morning, and welcome to a special edition of “This Week.” — OBAMA: The hour for immediate action is here. — KARL: There's no doubt about that. With less than two days before America plunges …

Discussion: Crooks and Liars

Daniel Strauss / The Hill:
Schumer: Better than even odds of a ‘fiscal cliff’ deal

Discussion: CNN

Ron Radosh / PJ Media:

The Meaning of Pat Buchanan's Surpising Endorsement of Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense — When Left and Right come together, it usually is quite revealing. The issue that binds them this time is the campaign to have the president continue the fight for Chuck Hagel to get the nomination as secretary of Defense.

Discussion: Israel Matzav, National Review, Power Line and The Daily Dish