Top Items:

Cornyn: Congress will not allow default — Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, the Republican whip, said in Houston Thursday that Congress will not allow an impasse over raising the debt ceiling to result in the federal government defaulting on its spending obligations. — “We will raise the debt ceiling.
Discussion:
Politico, The Plum Line, Paul Krugman, Daily Kos, Taegan Goddard's …, Post Politics and Wall Street Journal
RELATED:

A new strategy for the GOP — It has become conventional wisdom that Republicans are suffering an internal split that President Obama is successfully exploiting to neuter the Republican House. It is not true, however, that the Republican split is philosophical and fundamental.
Discussion:
Right Turn, Mediaite, msnbc.com, Business Insider, FreedomWorks blogs and The Plum Line

House Republicans using retreat as chance for self-reflection
Discussion:
Taegan Goddard's …

Republicans May Offer Short-Term Extension of Borrowing Limit
Discussion:
The Week, Washington Examiner, Wall Street Journal, Hot Air, The Hill, A plain blog about politics, PostPartisan, Prairie Weather, Daily Kos and Politico

Rank and file tell GOP leaders to keep sequester, shutdown ‘on the table’
Discussion:
Hot Air


Seeking to harness Obama's campaign resources for a second term — An ambitious new political organization is being built out of the machine that propelled him back into office, with the hope of supporting his policy objectives. — President Obama's reelection campaign is reinventing itself …
Discussion:
BuzzFeed, The Hill, Ballot Box, Politico, Prairie Weather and Post Politics
RELATED:


AP Sources: Obama Team to Form Agenda Group — In an unprecedented move, President Barack Obama's vaunted political organization is being turned into a nonprofit group — funded in part by corporate money — to mobilize support behind the president's second-term agenda.
Discussion:
CNN, Politico and Washington Free Beacon


Up next for Obama: A looming Democratic divide — As President Barack Obama approaches his second inaugural on Monday, he presides over a party that has largely papered over its divisions for the past four years thanks to the president's commanding popularity.
Discussion:
Firedoglake, Capital New York, msnbc.com and First Read
RELATED:

NBC/WSJ poll: Public lowers expectations heading into Obama's 2nd term
Discussion:
Daniel W. Drezner, Reuters, The Other McCain, Business Insider and msnbc.com

Christie calls NRA ad criticizing Obama daughters' security ‘reprehensible’ — Governor Christie called the National Rifle Association's ad criticizing President Obama's daughters' security detail “reprehensible.” — “I think any of us who are public figures, you see that kind of ad and you cringe,” he said.
Discussion:
Taylor Marsh, Outside the Beltway, Mediaite, Politico, Weasel Zippers and The Hinterland Gazette
RELATED:


Chris Christie Slams ‘Reprehensible’ NRA For 'Dragging People's Children' Into Gun Control Debate
Discussion:
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Political State, Hot Air, The Moderate Voice and The Gateway Pundit

Chris Christie: NRA Ad Mentioning Obama's Daughters ‘Reprehensible’ (VIDEO)
Discussion:
Joe. My. God. and Business Insider


Lance Armstrong to Oprah: Story was ‘one big lie’ … Saying his “mythic, perfect story” was “one big lie,” Lance Armstrong admitted that he cheated during most of his famed cycling career and that he bullied people who dared to tell the truth about it. — After denying doping allegations …
Discussion:
The Heritage Foundation, msnbc.com, Infowars and Taylor Marsh
RELATED:

Analysis: Lance Armstrong Confesses to Using Drugs but Without Details
Discussion:
OpenSecrets.org, Media Decoder, DealBook and Althouse, more at Mediagazer »

Americans Call for Term Limits, End to Electoral College — Virtually no partisan disagreement on these long-discussed constitutional reforms — PRINCETON, NJ — Even after the 2012 election in which Americans re-elected most of the sitting members of the U.S. House and Senate …


GOProud Backs Civil Marriage For Gay Couples — The gay conservative group had avoided taking a position on the issue in the past. LaSalvia cites a need for “a truly conservative voice” to stand up for marriage equality. — GOProud's party at the 2012 Republican National Convention …
Discussion:
GOProud, Inc. and Joe. My. God.


GOP pollster: Stop talking about rape — WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — It's way past time: House Republicans need to stop talking about rape. — That's the message GOP lawmakers got here Wednesday evening from Kellyanne Conway, a top GOP pollster. — Conway dispensed the stern advice as part …
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, Taylor Marsh, The Plum Line, Washington Monthly, Twitchy, Mediaite and Shakesville

I Have No Words — I'm not going to characterize this or say anything about it. But I had to share it with you. From TPM Reader PH ...
Discussion:
Eschaton and CANNONFIRE


GOP's surprising edge on diversity — Editor's note: John Avlon is a CNN contributor and senior political columnist for Newsweek and The Daily Beast. He is co-editor of the book “Deadline Artists: America's Greatest Newspaper Columns.” He is a regular contributor to “Erin Burnett OutFront” …
Discussion:
Prairie Weather

FOR WANT OF A NAIL — (January 16, 2033. A fire-lit cabin in the hills of Brezhnev City, Stalinton - formerly Boise, Idaho. A man sitting on a shattered milk crate looks older than his 53 years. His rumpled, malnourished grandson sits at his feet.) — “Grandpa?


Sixty foreigners still caught in Sahara hostage crisis — (Reuters) - About 60 foreigners were still being held hostage or missing inside a gas plant on Friday after Algerian forces stormed the desert complex to free hundreds of captives taken by Islamist militants, who threatened to attack other energy installations.
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers
RELATED:

Some hostages are reported killed in Algerian operation
Discussion:
Booman Tribune, The Week, New York Times, Right Turn, Hot Air, CBS News and Wall Street Journal

The Dwindling Deficit — It's hard to turn on your TV or read an editorial page these days without encountering someone declaring, with an air of great seriousness, that excessive spending and the resulting budget deficit is our biggest problem. Such declarations are rarely accompanied …
Discussion:
Hot Air, Paul Krugman and Hullabaloo


Additions to be made to gun laws for law enforcement — new york city, albany, gun control, new york news, jim hoffer — More: Bio, Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Stories by Jim Hoffer, News Team — NEW YORK (WABC) — A troubling oversight has been found within New York State's sweeping new gun laws.
Discussion:
Betsy's Page, Hot Air, The PJ Tatler, Weasel Zippers and National Review


Holder Begs Court to Stop Document Release on #FastandFurious — Cuz, how would it look now that bronco bama is busy with trying to circumvent the 2nd Amendment? … Does.not.fit.the.gun.grab.narrative. — It's ironic that one of bronco bama's executive orders states …
Discussion:
Infowars and protein wisdom


Recalling Pain of Guns' Toll, Mayors Urge Bills' Passage — WASHINGTON — Some mayors spoke about the bad feeling they got with each call that there had been another shooting in their city. Others described the pain of burying police officers who had worked for them.
Discussion:
msnbc.com