memeorandum: Revealed: how Saharan caravans of cocaine help to fund al-Qaeda in terrorists' North African domain (Colin Freeman/Reuters)

8:20 AM ET, January 27, 2013

Top Items:

Four years later, Paul Ryan wants more of the same — Just when I thought that the National Review Institute demonstrated that Republicans are ready to compromise, Paul Ryan outlined a somewhat apocalyptic vision of budget negotiations there on Saturday. — According to POLITICO, Ryan said …

Discussion: The Hill and Booman Tribune

David Rogers / Politico:

Paul Ryan: Obama 2nd term 'won't be pretty' — Holding out little hope of compromise, House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan predicted Saturday that the nation will face “tepid growth and deficits” under President Barack Obama and Republicans must prudently “buy time” and “keep the bond markets at bay — for the sake of our people.”

Discussion: Associated Press and The PJ Tatler

Russell Berman / The Hill:

Boehner says bipartisan group ‘basically’ has deal on immigration reform — Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) is voicing confidence in the prospects for immigration reform in the House, saying that a bipartisan group of lawmakers “basically [has] an agreement” after more than three years of secret talks.

Discussion: Post Politics and Washington Monthly

Jonathan Easley / The Hill:

Rep. Ryan: Republicans can't play the ‘villain’ in Obama's ‘morality play’ — Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) on Saturday warned that President Obama was working to delegitimize the Republican Party, and urged conservatives not to fall into the president's trap by playing the villain.

Discussion: Liberal Values, CNN, ProfessorBainbridge.com, Little Green Footballs and ThinkProgress

Russell Berman / The Hill:
Boehner full of regret over ‘fiscal-cliff’ moves

Discussion: The Political Carnival, The PJ Tatler and The Agonist

Stephen K. Bannon / BREITBART.COM:

PALIN: 'WE HAVEN'T YET BEGUN TO FIGHT!' —EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH BREITBART NEWS — In my research for the film I made on Governor Palin, The Undefeated, I was constantly amazed at the anti-establishment stands she took at every step in her rise to power.

Discussion: Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, his vorpal sword, The Gateway Pundit, Media Decoder, Reuters, The Hill, The Other McCain and The Hinterland Gazette, more at Mediagazer »

Chris Geidner / BuzzFeed:

Ontario Gets Its First Woman Premier And Canada's First Out LGBT Premier — Kathleen Wynne now leads Ontario's liberal party and becomes the province's first female premier. She also is married to a woman, making her Canada's first out LGBT premier. — Kathleen Wynne was elected …

Discussion: TheSpec.com, Toronto Star, NetNewsledger.com and Joe. My. God.

Yoav Zitun / Ynetnews:

Iran: Syria's problems rooted in Zionist meddling — As Iran's threats to strike at anyone that will contribute to end of Assad's regime grow bolder Israel is stepping up fortification of northern border — Tehran's IRNA news agency quoted Defense Minister Brigadier-General Ahmad Vahidi …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers

Politico:

Matt Wuerker — Matt Wuerker has been POLITICO's editorial cartoonist and illustrator since its launch. In 2012, he won the Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning, POLITICO's first Pulitzer win. In 2009, he was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in editorial cartooning.

Discussion: The Washington Note

Eric Jones / harkin.senate.gov:

Senator Harkin Announces His Plans for the Future — Thanks Iowans for dedication during his nearly 40 years in public service - outlines full HELP Committee agenda for next two years — CUMMING, Iowa - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today issued the following statement on his plans for the future …

Discussion: CNN, Weasel Zippers and Roll Call

Associated Press:
AP NewsBreak: Iowa Democrat Tom Harkin says he will not seek 6th Senate term

Discussion: Washington Post

James Hohmann / Politico:
Harkin retirement: Jump ball in Iowa

Discussion: Outside the Beltway

Colin Freeman / Reuters:

Revealed: how Saharan caravans of cocaine help to fund al-Qaeda in terrorists' North African domain — The 37 foreign workers who died in the assault on an Algerian gas plant were victims of terrorists whose weapons may have been paid for by cocaine users of Britain and Europe, reports Colin Freeman.

Discussion: Jihad Watch

George F. Will / Washington Post:

Recipe for conservative revival — Happy days are not here again, but they are coming for conservatives. Barack Obama — with the lowest approval rating (according to Gallup, 50 percent, four points lower than that of the National Rifle Association) of any reelected president …

Discussion: Quark Soup, Open Mind and Little Green Footballs

observers.france24.com:

Iran unveils machine for amputating thieves' fingers — One of Iran's official press agencies published photos showing the public amputation of a thief's fingers on Wednesday. These show a man getting his finger chopped off with a machine resembling a rotary saw. — WARNING: These images may shock viewers.

Discussion: Israel Matzav, Weasel Zippers, Atlas Shrugs and Jihad Watch

Jerusalem Post:

Barak: US has ‘surgical operation’ plan against Iran — Defense minister challenges idea that operation against Iran would develop into “full fledged war the size of the Iraq war.” — The United States has prepared plans for a “surgical” military operation to delay Iran's nuclear program …

Discussion: Israel Matzav