Top Items:
Eli Lake / The Daily Beast:
Yes, There IS Evidence Linking al Qaeda to Benghazi — Libyan militants tell the New York Times that al Qaeda is not behind the 2012 Benghazi attack. Some members of Congress have intelligence that says otherwise. — On Sunday, The New York Times published an investigation …
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Fox News:
‘Completely false’: Sources on ground in Benghazi challenge NYT report — Fifteen months after the Sept. 11 attack in Benghazi which killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans, the narrative of the attack continues to be shaped, and reshaped, by politicians and the press.
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers, The Gateway Pundit, Power Line, Hullabaloo and The Lonely Conservative
Thomas Joscelyn / Weekly Standard:
The New York Times Whitewashes Benghazi
The New York Times Whitewashes Benghazi
Discussion:
Power Line, BREITBART.COM, Wizbang, americanthinker.com, Politico, Examiner, Right Wing News, Hot Air, “The Lid” and The Mahablog
Jethro Mullen / CNN:
2nd deadly blast hits Russian city of Volgograd ahead of 2014 Sochi Olympics — (CNN) — Another deadly blast has struck the southern Russian city of Volgograd, killing at least 14 people and further highlighting Russia's security challenges as it readies to host the Winter Olympics in less than six weeks.
Discussion:
Associated Press, americanthinker.com, The Jawa Report, Atlas Shrugs, New Day, National Review and Scared Monkeys
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RIA Novosti:
At Least 14 Killed in Second Volgograd Suicide Bombing
At Least 14 Killed in Second Volgograd Suicide Bombing
Discussion:
Siberian Times, Sydney Morning Herald, The Long War Journal, Associated Press, Scared Monkeys and TalkLeft
Steven Lee Myers / New York Times:
Second Blast Hits Russia, Raising Olympic Fears
Second Blast Hits Russia, Raising Olympic Fears
Discussion:
RT, The Week, Algemeiner.com, The Other McCain, Gawker, Outside the Beltway, Mediaite, WJLA-TV, Business Insider and Reuters
New York Times:
Democrats Turn to Minimum Wage as 2014 Strategy — WASHINGTON — Democratic Party leaders, bruised by months of attacks on the new health care program, have found an issue they believe can lift their fortunes both locally and nationally in 2014: an increase in the minimum wage.
Discussion:
Liberaland, Hot Air, Wonkblog, First Read, Guardian and Balloon Juice
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New York Times:
Cost of Being Mayor? $650 Million, if He's Rich — Michael R. Bloomberg loves tropical fish. So when he was elected mayor, he installed two giant aquariums in City Hall. — The cost to him for having the tanks cleaned out every week for the past 12 years: around $62,400. — The mayor likes to nosh, too.
Discussion:
Post Politics, Associated Press and Politicker
Michael D. Shear / New York Times:
Obama's TV Picks: Anything Edgy, With Hints of Reality — WASHINGTON — War, terrorism, economic struggle, mass shootings — such is life in the Oval Office for President Obama. — Yet in his few quiet moments, this president seeks not to escape to the delicious back-stabbing of the …
Discussion:
Politico, The Verge, Talking Points Memo, New York Magazine and TheBlaze.com
Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup:
Obama, Clinton Continue Reign as Most Admired — Sixth year in a row for Obama, 12th straight year for Clinton — PRINCETON, NJ — For the sixth consecutive year, Barack Obama ranks as the Most Admired Man among Americans, and Hillary Clinton is again the Most Admired Woman. Both won by comfortable margins.
Discussion:
Joe. My. God., PoliticusUSA, Talking Points Memo and Reuters
John Prager / Americans Against the Tea Party:
Watch Phil Robertson's Tips On Finding The Perfect Underage Girl To Marry! (Video) — As we've already established, Chris Hansen might enjoy it very much if Phil Robertson “took a seat over there,” based on some comments made at the Sportsmen's Ministry in Georgia in 2009.
Discussion:
Joe. My. God. and The Dish
RELATED:
CNN:
CNN Poll: Afghanistan war arguably most unpopular in U.S. history — Washington (CNN) - Support for the war in Afghanistan has dipped below 20%, according to a new national poll, making the country's longest military conflict arguably its most unpopular one as well.
Discussion:
Liberaland, Outside the Beltway, Post Politics, Politico, Talking Points Memo, Business Insider and Booman Tribune
Scott Coltrane / The Atlantic Online:
The Risky Business of Paternity Leave — When men take time off to care for family members, their long-term earnings suffer—just as women's do. Here's why it's worth it. — As a family sociologist, I've spent several decades studying how and why men might assume responsibility for childcare and housework.
Jack Healy / New York Times:
Utah Judge Unexpected as a Hero to Gay People — DENVER — For a judge who would go on to make same-sex marriage legal in Utah, a deep-red state where streets in the capital are numbered by their distance from the Mormon temple, Robert J. Shelby arrived on the bench with enthusiastic praise from Republican leaders.
Discussion:
Dorf on Law and The Agonist
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Josh Barro / Business Insider:
Here's Why I Don't Sweat The Haters — I've gotten a number of messages in the last few days — from both supporters and opponents of gay rights — expressing sympathy over the rude and hateful messages I've been getting (and publishing) ever since I started writing about Phil Robertson.
Discussion:
Eschaton and Joe. My. God.
Chris Cillizza / Washington Post:
Hey, it's an election year! Here's what 2014 might bring. — Our long wait for a packed election year — okay, it was just a 365-day wait — will be over in less than 48 hours when we ring in 2014 and, with it, 36 gubernatorial races, 35 Senate races and dozens of potentially competitive House contests.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly and The Fix
Heather / crooksandliars.com/user/91:
Joe Lieberman Predicts Military Action Against Iran Before The End Of 2014 — The neocons continue to beat the war drums on Iran. — As we've already discussed here, the legislation being pushed by a bipartisan group of Senators could very well draw the United States into a war with Iran …
Discussion:
Liberaland and Fox News
Juan Williams / The Hill:
Republicans to blame for the public's disgust with Congress — As the year ends, Gallup reports that public approval of Congress averaged 14 percent during 2013. This, the polling firm points out, is “the lowest annual average in Gallup's history.” — The pollsters added …
Fredric U. Dicker / New York Post:
Cuomo pushing to block de Blasio speaker pick Mark-Viverito — Gov. Cuomo, in his first major battle with Bill de Blasio, is engaged in a last-ditch effort to block leftist Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito from becoming council speaker, Democratic insiders have told The Post.
Discussion:
New York Times and Politicker