memeorandum: Satanists' statue design for Oklahoma Capitol: ‘Sit on the lap of Satan’ (Cheryl K. Chumley/Washington Times)

12:20 PM ET, January 8, 2014

Top Items:

Emails link top Christie aide to GWB lane-closing controversy — Private messages between Governor's Christie's deputy chief of staff and two of his top executives at the Port Authority reveal a vindictive effort to create “traffic problems in Fort Lee” by shutting lanes to the George Washington Bridge …

Hunter Walker / Talking Points Memo:

Christie Aide: ‘Time For Some Traffic Problems In Fort Lee’ — One of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's (R) closest aides was involved in the discussion about the order to close lanes on the George Washington Bridge in September, snarling traffic in the town of Fort Lee.

Discussion: Washington Monthly and New Jersey Online

Wall Street Journal:

CONNECT — A top aide to Gov. Chris Christie told an executive at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey it was “time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee” before the authority closed lanes onto the George Washington Bridge in September, triggering a week of massive traffic jams, documents show.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo

Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup:

Record-High 42% of Americans Identify as Independents — Republican identification lowest in at least 25 years — PRINCETON, NJ — Forty-two percent of Americans, on average, identified as political independents in 2013, the highest Gallup has measured since it began conducting interviews by telephone 25 years ago.

Discussion: ABC News, Hit & Run, Taylor Marsh, PoliticusUSA, Hot Air, Business Insider, CNN, Democracy in America, Outside the Beltway, Real Clear Politics, CBS DC and Politico

Ruth Rosen / In These Times:

Republicans (Still) Have a ‘Female Problem’ — Now that it's 2014, American political analysts, strategists, and operatives are revving up for the November midterm elections. High on the Republican agenda is the goal of convincing women to counter President Obama and vote for their congressional and gubernatorial candidates.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

Robert M. Gates / Wall Street Journal:

The Quiet Fury of Robert Gates — Bush and Obama's secretary of defense had to wage war in Iraq, Afghanistan—and today's Washington … All too often during my 4½ years as secretary of defense, when I found myself sitting yet again at that witness table at yet another congressional hearing …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, American Spectator, Washington Wire, The Gateway Pundit, BillMoyers.com, Weasel Zippers, Althouse, Hot Air, CNN and Power Line

Bob Woodward / Washington Post:
Robert Gates, former defense secretary, offers harsh critique of Obama's leadership in ‘Duty’

Kristina Wong / The Hill:
White House rejects criticisms in Gates' memoir

Discussion: CNN and Politico

Thom Shanker / New York Times:
In His New Memoir, Robert M. Gates, the Former Defense Secretary, Offers a Critique of the President

Tom Maguire / JustOneMinute:
Obama Quit In Afghanistan

Discussion: Post Politics, Politico and Weasel Zippers

Greg Jaffe / Washington Post:
Book review: ‘Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War’ by Robert M. Gates

Discussion: The Hugh Hewitt Show, The Daily Caller, NO QUARTER USA NET, Post Politics and The Week

Lisa Demer / Anchorage Daily News:

GOP targets Begich over Affordable Care Act - with ad that airs just once — ldemer@adn.comJanuary 7, 2014 Updated 51 minutes ago — The Republican National Committee announced Tuesday a fresh round in an expected torrent of campaign ads targeting Sen. Mark Begich and other Democrats for their part in the …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo

Alexandra Jaffe / The Hill:
RNC spends little on ObamaCare attacks

Discussion: Talking Points Memo

Noah Rothman / Mediaite:
At Democrats' Request, Even Mike Bloomberg Is Giving up on Gun Control

Discussion: CNN, Hot Air and Politico

Gabrielle Giffords / New York Times:

The Lessons of Physical Therapy — TODAY, the anniversary of the shooting in Tucson that put a bullet through my head and killed six of my constituents, is when I make my annual resolutions. — Many may look at me and see mostly what I have lost. I struggle to speak, my eyesight's not great …

Discussion: CNN, Politico, Business Insider, Talking Points Memo and Guardian

Meena Duerson / Today:
TODAY exclusive: Gabby Giffords will sky-dive to mark shooting anniversary

Discussion: Mashable and Liberaland

Robert Costa / Post Politics:

House GOP leaders coach rank-and-file on discussing unemployment — House Republican leaders sent a memo this week to the entire GOP conference with talking points designed to help rank-and-file Republicans show compassion for the unemployed and explain the Republican position on unemployment benefits.

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Washington Post, Washington Monthly, susiemadrak.com, Booman Tribune, Hot Air, Mediaite, The Plum Line and The Fix

Caitlin MacNeal / Talking Points Memo:
GOP Memo Coaches Members To Show Empathy Toward Unemployed

Discussion: New York Magazine and Liberaland

Washington Post:
Senate moves ahead with measure to extend long-term unemployment benefits

Discussion: Daily Kos, The Plum Line, The World's Greatest …, News Desk, The Fix, Wonkblog, Speaker.gov and New York Times

New York Times:

Biography Casts Critical Light on Fox News Chief — Roger Ailes was so eager to influence national politics that in the run-up to the 2012 presidential election, he told fellow Fox News executives point-blank: “I want to elect the next president.” — In the corporate thicket of News Corporation …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, The Daily Beast, Random House, Mediaite, Yahoo! News, Capital New York, Riehl World News, Business Insider, The Raw Story and Althouse, more at Mediagazer »

Mey / Autostraddle:

Flawless Trans Women Carmen Carrera and Laverne Cox Respond Flawlessly To Katie Couric's Invasive Questions — On Monday, transgender model Carmen Carrera and Orange is the New Black actress Laverne Cox made a daytime TV talk show appearance on the ABC show Katie hosted by Katie Couric.

Discussion: NewsBusters and Towleroad News #gay

Keith Edwards / Portland Press-Herald:

LePage says children should have work option — Not allowing children to work is ‘causing damage to our economy,’ the governor says. — AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage told attendees of the 73rd annual Maine Agricultural Trades Show on Tuesday that 12-year-olds should be allowed to work in Maine.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo

Seung Min Kim / Politico:

Immigration reform's narrow window for survival — Immigration reform backers see a narrow window in late spring to push a sweeping overhaul through the House — a goal that eluded them in 2013. — The politics of immigration in the Republican-controlled chamber is still tough …

Discussion: CNN

Matt Daily / Politico:

Polar freeze: It's weather, not climate — Tuesday's polar vortex has set off a new round in one of the world's most predictable disputes: Does Extreme Weather Event X prove or disprove climate change? — In short: No. — The crazy weather that plunged almost all of the U.S …

Discussion: Power Line, ncdc.noaa.gov, Weasel Zippers, Guardian, Climate Central and American Spectator

Catherine Taibi / The Huffington Post:
Rush Limbaugh's Polar Vortex ‘Hoax’ Comments Knocked Down By Weatherman (VIDEO)

Discussion: Daily Kos, The Right Scoop and Riehl World News

Adam Goldman / Washington Post:

Former Guantanamo detainee implicated in Benghazi attack — U.S. officials suspect that a former Guantanamo Bay detainee played a role in the attack on the American diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, and are planning to designate the group he leads as a foreign terrorist organization …

Discussion: National Review, Mediaite, Weekly Standard, Jihad Watch, Power Line, Hot Air, CANNONFIRE, Business Insider and Weasel Zippers

Alexandra Jaffe / The Hill:

Drama roils race to replace Rep. Bill Young — The GOP race to replace the late Rep. Bill Young (R-Fla.) has become a political soap opera that could jeopardize Republicans' hold on the seat. — It has all the makings of a daytime drama: a widow disavowing her son due to opposing primary allegiances …