memeorandum: Obama to draw on public support in next round of economic battles with GOP (Kyle Balluck/The Hill)

4:45 PM ET, January 6, 2013

Top Items:

Meghashyam Mali / The Hill:

Sen. Graham blasts Hagel pick as an ‘in your face nomination’ from Obama — Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on Sunday expressed dismay at reports President Obama would tap former Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) for Secretary of Defense, calling it an “in your face” selection. — “I like Chuck Hagel.

Discussion: Politico and Balloon Juice

Ben Armbruster / ThinkProgress:

Lindsey Graham Lobs Disingenuous Attacks On Chuck Hagel — Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on CNN's State of the Union on Sunday attacked former Republican senator Chuck Hagel, reportedly President Obama's choice as the next Defense Secretary, calling him a “controversial pick” and suggesting that Hagel is out of the mainstream.

Discussion: Alan Colmes'Alan Colmes' and Talking Points Memo

Politico:

Obama to pick Chuck Hagel for Pentagon — President Barack Obama has settled on Chuck Hagel, a Republican and former U.S. senator from Nebraska, to succeed Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, with an announcement expected Monday, Democratic officials tell POLITICO.

Discussion: CNN, Algemeiner.com, Gawker, The Week and The Fix

Kevin Liptak / CNN:

TRENDING: GOP senators: Hagel is in for a fight — (CNN) - Republican lawmakers voiced staunch opposition Sunday to their former colleague Chuck Hagel, who is expected to be nominated Monday to be President Barack Obama's next secretary of defense. — Hagel has taken withering criticism …

Discussion: KDVR.com

Sam Baker / The Hill:

McConnell: Tax issue ‘finished completely,’ focus now on spending — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Sunday said Republicans will demand steep spending cuts during the next round of budget negotiations. — McConnell, in an interview with ABC's “This Week,” …

Discussion: CNN, Politico and ABCNEWS

Talking Points Memo:

McConnell: Debt And Spending, Not Guns, Are First Priority — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said Sunday that despite the White House's push to quickly enact a new round of gun laws, tackling spending and debt will be the top priority for the next three months.

Discussion: Balloon Juice and Weasel Zippers

Meghashyam Mali / The Hill:

Durbin: Tax reform should be on table in debt-ceiling talks — Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) on Sunday pressed fellow lawmakers to look at tax reform, targeting loopholes and deductions in the code for closure in the next round of budget negotiations. — “I can tell you that there are still deductions …

Discussion: Politico

Felicia Sonmez / Washington Post:
GOP dissension over debt-ceiling strategy

Discussion: Prairie Weather, The Fix, Calculated Risk and The Hill

Reuters:
Republican Senator McConnell rules out more taxes in fiscal fight

Discussion: The PJ Tatler and Taegan Goddard's …

George Stephanopoulos / ABCNEWS:

Sen. Heidi Heitkamp: Reported Obama Gun Proposals ‘Way in Extreme’ — Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D, told me this morning on “This Week” that while all options should be on the table to address gun violence, President Obama's reported plans to curb shootings are “way in extreme” …

Discussion: Alan Colmes'Alan Colmes'

Philip Rucker / Washington Post:
White House weighs broad gun-control agenda in wake of Newtown shootings

Discussion: The Political Carnival, Crooks and Liars, Business Insider, Weasel Zippers, No More Mister Nice Blog, Right Wing News, The Atlantic Online, AMERICAblog, Daily Kos, Washington Examiner, Balloon Juice, Chicago Boyz and The Hill

BuzzFeed:

Top Conservative Radio Figure Calls For “Nationalist” Third Party — Uniting the Tea Party. “Who's the King David?” — Michael Savage. — Image by John Storey / AP — The conservative radio host Michael Savage Sunday called for a third, “nationalist” American political party …

Annie Lowrey / New York Times:

G.O.P. Begins Soul-Searching After Tax Vote — Everett Wilkinson, a Tea Party leader, top left, says pressure will continue. Newt Gingrich, top right, has softened his views on same-sex marriage. Pat McCrory, bottom left, the new governor of North Carolina, emphasizes pragmatism.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Booman Tribune and Althouse

Reed Abelson / New York Times:

Health Insurers Raise Some Rates by Double Digits — Health insurance companies across the country are seeking and winning double-digit increases in premiums for some customers, even though one of the biggest objectives of the Obama administration's health care law was to stem the rapid rise in insurance costs for consumers.

Discussion: Wonkblog, National Review, Hullabaloo, Weasel Zippers and The Gateway Pundit

Kevin Gosztola / Firedoglake:

The Only CIA Officer Scheduled to Go to Jail Over Torture Never Tortured Anybody — John Kiriakou interviewed by Truthout's Jason Leopold — Reporter for the New York Times, Scott Shane, wrote a feature story on the case of former CIA agent John Kiriakou, who is the first from the agency to face jail time for a classified leak.

Discussion: The Agonist, Truthdig, New York Times and The Moderate Voice, more at Mediagazer »