memeorandum: Half of sex attackers, violent criminals and burglars avoid jail (Steven Swinford/Telegraph)

8:15 AM ET, January 8, 2014

Top Items:

Robert Gates, former defense secretary, offers harsh critique of Obama's leadership in ‘Duty’ — In a new memoir, former defense secretary Robert Gates unleashes harsh judgments about President Obama's leadership and his commitment to the Afghanistan war, writing that by early 2010 …

Thom Shanker / New York Times:

In His New Memoir, Robert M. Gates, the Former Defense Secretary, Offers a Critique of the President — WASHINGTON — President Obama eventually lost faith in the troop increase he ordered in Afghanistan, his doubts fed by top White House civilian advisers opposed to the strategy …

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: Washington Wire and Althouse

Greg Jaffe / Washington Post:

Book review: ‘Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War’ by Robert M. Gates — Greg Jaffe covered the Pentagon for The Washington Post and is a co-author of “The Fourth Star: Four Generals and the Epic Struggle for the Future of the United States Army.” — Maybe it was the time of year, just before the Christmas holidays.

Discussion: The Daily Caller

Kristina Wong / The Hill:

White House rejects criticisms in Gates' memoir — The White House immediately rebuffed a searing critique of its Afghanistan war policies Tuesday from former Defense Secretary Robert Gates. — In his forthcoming memoir Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War, Gates writes that President Obama doubted …

Discussion: Politico and CNN

Tom Maguire / JustOneMinute:
Obama Quit In Afghanistan

Discussion: The Fix and Weasel Zippers

TIME:
Gates Slams Biden in Memoir, Reveals He Nearly Quit

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, CNN, Power Line and Post Politics

Reid J. Epstein / Politico:
Obama hits House GOP on unemployment benefits

Discussion: CNN, ThinkProgress and The Hill

Yahoo! News:
Obama backs repeal of law that green-lighted Iraq War

Discussion: TIME and emptywheel

Catherine Taibi / The Huffington Post:

Rush Limbaugh's Polar Vortex ‘Hoax’ Comments Knocked Down By Weatherman (VIDEO) — Rush Limbaugh made headlines Monday when he called the “polar vortex” of dangerously cold conditions sweeping across the Midwest a “hoax,” but now an actual weatherman is saying otherwise.

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

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

Alan Duke / CNN:
What the heck is a polar vortex?

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Weasel Zippers and Blogcritics

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: Washington Post, Hot Air, Mediaite, The Fix, The Plum Line, Balloon Juice and Wonkblog

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

Discussion: Liberaland and Washington Post

Patricia Murphy / The Daily Beast:
The Senate's Last Compassionate Conservative Tries to Help the Jobless

Discussion: NewsBusters

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, Random House, The Daily Beast, Yahoo! News, Capital New York, The Raw Story, Riehl World News and Business Insider, more at Mediagazer »

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: Weekly Standard, Hot Air, CANNONFIRE, National Review, Power Line and Business Insider

Josh Rogin / The Daily Beast:

Congress to Iraq's Maliki: Be a Good Boy to Get Guns — Capitol Hill was ready to give Apache helicopters to Baghdad to help fight al Qaeda, but now senators worry the prime minister will use the weapons on domestic enemies. — Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki still hasn't done enough …

Discussion: Yahoo! News and Reuters

Steven Swinford / Telegraph:

Half of sex attackers, violent criminals and burglars avoid jail — Half of convicted child sex attackers, violent criminals and burglars are walking free from court amid claims that justice system is failing victims — Half of convicted sex attackers, violent criminals and burglars …

Discussion: BBC and Press Association

Kasey Babbitt / fox4kc.com:

Daisy Coleman hospitalized in Kansas City after suicide attempt — KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Maryville Mo., teenager, who has been at the center of a rape case which made national headlines, was in a Kansas City hospital on Monday night after attempting to take her own life.

Discussion: ThinkProgress, The Raw Story, Daily Mail and Washington Post

Noah Rothman / Mediaite:

At Democrats' Request, Even Mike Bloomberg Is Giving up on Gun Control — After donating $2.5 million to the Democratic Senate Majority PAC, America's favorite Democrat-turned-Republican-turned- independent, former New York City mayor Mike Bloomberg, is signaling that his great crusade against guns is running out of steam.

Discussion: CNN, Hot Air and Politico

John Bresnahan / Politico:
Michael Bloomberg gives $2.5M to Senate Majority PAC

Discussion: Washington Wire and Weasel Zippers

Hadas Gold / Politico:

Navy mistakenly sends FOIA plans to reporter — The Unites States Navy inadvertently sent a memo to a local NBC News reporter this week detailing how it intended to try and deter requests he had filed under the Freedom Of Information Act. — Scott MacFarlane, a reporter for NBC 4 in Washington …

Discussion: Mediaite, Daily Kos, Hit & Run, Business Insider and DCist, more at Mediagazer »

Dan Merica / CNN:

Pro-Hillary Clinton super PAC posts substantial 2013 fundraising haul — Washington (CNN) - Who says you need a candidate to raise a bundle of cash? — Ready for Hillary, the grassroots Super PAC urging former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to run for president in 2016 …

Discussion: Politico

Kyle Cheney / Politico:

Obamacare ads to hit the Olympic slopes — The Obama administration is planning an Olympic-size ad blitz to push health coverage during the Winter Games next month. — The Department of Health and Human Services confirmed Tuesday that it has bought advertising time in markets with high rates …

Discussion: CNN and Viking Pundit

Jack Healy / New York Times:

Uncertainty in Utah as Appeals Process Plays Out Over Gay Marriage — SALT LAKE CITY — Ever since it was a distant Western territory straining for statehood, Utah has been entwined in battles over what makes a marriage. — Before Congress would allow Utah to join the union …