Top Items:
Ken Thomas / Associated Press:
PAUL: TRADE WITH CUBA ‘PROBABLY A GOOD IDEA’ — WASHINGTON (AP) — Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul said Thursday that starting to trade with Cuba “is probably a good idea” and that the lengthy economic embargo against the communist island “just hasn't worked.” — Paul became the first potential …
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Washington Post:
Obama gives the Castro regime in Cuba an undeserved bailout — IN RECENT months, the outlook for the Castro regime in Cuba was growing steadily darker. The modest reforms it adopted in recent years to improve abysmal economic conditions had stalled, due to the regime's refusal to allow Cubans greater freedoms.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, The Atlantic Online, Slantpoint, Slate, Washington Times, Los Angeles Times, NBC News, Bloomberg View, New York Times, Fausta's Blog, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Power Line, RedState, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Hot Air, Scared Monkeys, Maggie's Farm and National Review
Daniel W. Drezner / Washington Post:
Every big question you have about the U.S. opening to Cuba, answered — So by now I'm sure you're aware that the Obama administration and Cuba's communist regime have pledged to restore diplomatic ties through a variety of means, which include an exchange of prisoners …
Steve Benen / msnbc.com:
Republicans hardly unanimous on new Cuba policy
Republicans hardly unanimous on new Cuba policy
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars, The Atlantic Online, Politico, The Dish, The Hill, Daily Kos, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and Hinterland Gazette
Josh Rogin / Bloomberg View:
Hillary Clinton Secretly Pushed Cuba Deal for Years
Hillary Clinton Secretly Pushed Cuba Deal for Years
Discussion:
Balloon Juice, Guardian, Fox News, The Hugh Hewitt Show, Washington Free Beacon, Daily Kos and Bloomberg Politics
Lauren French / Politico:
How Republicans could stop Obama's Cuba play
How Republicans could stop Obama's Cuba play
Discussion:
Washington Post, American Prospect, New York Times, The Hill, Wall Street Journal, Alternet and The Mahablog
Katie Glueck / Politico:
Paul backs opening up to Cuba, breaking with others in GOP
Paul backs opening up to Cuba, breaking with others in GOP
Discussion:
Outside the Beltway, Hit & Run, Weekly Standard and National Review
Marco Rubio / Wall Street Journal:
A Victory for Oppression — President Obama's policy is bad news …
A Victory for Oppression — President Obama's policy is bad news …
Fox News:
Congressional critics ready to block Obama push to normalize Cuban relations
Congressional critics ready to block Obama push to normalize Cuban relations
Discussion:
VodkaPundit, Slantpoint, Bloomberg and Fox News Insider
Alicia A. Caldwell / Associated Press:
New ties with Cuba won't change immigration rules
The Daily Beast:
Paramount Bans Showing ‘Team America’ — Three movie theaters say Paramount Pictures has ordered them not to show Team America: World Police one day after Sony Pictures surrendered to cyberterrorists and pulled The Interview. The famous Alamo Drafthouse in Texas, Capitol Theater in Cleveland …
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Jaclyn Hendricks / New York Post:
Kim Jong-un death scene from ‘The Interview’ leaks online — Well, that was fast. — Right on the heels of Sony's announcement that the studio would be scrapping the Christmas Day release of “The Interview,” the film's controversial climax has surfaced. — The scene features North …
Discussion:
The PJ Tatler
Julian Hattem / The Hill:
Theaters cancel ‘Team America’ showings — Theaters across the country are canceling showings of “Team America: World Police,” previously scheduled to replace “The Interview” after Sony pulled the film due to security concerns. — Multiple theaters on Thursday blamed the cancelation on Paramount Pictures …
Discussion:
Hot Air and The Daily Banter
David Lieberman / Deadline:
Paramount Cancels ‘Team America’ Showings, Theaters Say
Paramount Cancels ‘Team America’ Showings, Theaters Say
Discussion:
Truth Revolt, Gawker, Mashable, Inside Movies and Nerdist
Erik Hayden / Hollywood Reporter:
Texas Theater to Show ‘Team America’ In Place of ‘The Interview’
Texas Theater to Show ‘Team America’ In Place of ‘The Interview’
Discussion:
Hit & Run, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, National Review, Tech Times, CNN, Talking Points Memo, Slate, Addicting Info, American Spectator, Associated Press, Hot Air, Gawker, Nerdist, The Hill, Taylor Marsh, Truth Revolt, The Huffington Post, The Moderate Voice, Jezebel, New York Times, CNNMoney.com and The Verge, more at Mediagazer »
USA Today:
Official: North Korea behind Sony hack
Official: North Korea behind Sony hack
Discussion:
Tech Times, National Review and TMZ.com
Boston Public Radio / WGBH News:
‘Governor, This Is Barack Obama, Formerly Of Somerville.’ … For the past eight years, Deval Patrick has joined Jim Braude and Margery Eagan on the radio each month to field calls from listeners. On Thursday, he joined the hosts of Boston Public Radio for the final time as governor of Massachusetts.
Discussion:
Mediaite, Bloomberg Politics, Washington Post, New York Magazine, New York Times, Political Wire and The Huffington Post
RT:
US servicemen in first ground battle with ISIS - Kurdish media — American forces were involved in their first ground battle with Islamic State fighters, according to Kurdish media outlet Shafaq News, near the Ain Al-Assad base in the Anbar province of Iraq early Sunday. The report could not be independently verified.
Discussion:
Liberaland and Weekly Standard
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Philip Ewing / Politico:
General: ISIL battle in Iraq could take 3 years or more
General: ISIL battle in Iraq could take 3 years or more
Discussion:
ABC News
Lolita C. Baldor / Associated Press:
Top Islamic militants killed; more US troops going to Iraq
Politico:
Obama libre — The last five weeks of the president's year were better than almost all the rest. — If President Barack Obama's year ended in November, it would have been one of the worst of his presidency. — Good thing he had the last five weeks. — Story Continued Below
Discussion:
The Federalist, National Review, The Hill, Daily Kos, Hot Air, Weekly Standard and Bloomberg View
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Jonathan D. Salant / New Jersey Online:
Menendez on Obama Cuba deal: ‘I think it stinks’
Menendez on Obama Cuba deal: ‘I think it stinks’
Discussion:
BuzzFeed
Robert Menendez / USA Today:
Sen. Menendez: One-sided deal rewards Cuba regime
Sen. Menendez: One-sided deal rewards Cuba regime
Discussion:
Hit & Run, Fox News, Scared Monkeys, OnPolitics and Real Clear Politics
Azi Paybarah / Capital New York:
At private meeting, union head tells officers to use ‘extreme discretion’ — Police union leader Pat Lynch is telling officers to use “extreme discretion,” in response to what he said was a lack support from City Hall and Washington in the wake of a grand jury decision not to indict an officer in the death of Eric Garner last month.
Discussion:
BuzzFeed, Gothamist, The Gateway Pundit, Slate and Mediaite
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Pamela Ng / New York's PIX11:
Mayor de Blasio named PETA's Person of the Year for 2014
Mayor de Blasio named PETA's Person of the Year for 2014
Discussion:
Washington Post, Capital New York and New York Magazine
Robert Schmidt / Bloomberg Politics:
Lawrence Summers' $28 Million Payday, Courtesy of Elizabeth Warren — Senator Elizabeth Warren famously declared “there is nobody in this country who got rich on his own.” — That truism presumably includes President Barack Obama's former economic chief Lawrence Summers …
Discussion:
Booman Tribune
Alice Robb / The New Republic:
Watching Colbert Makes Conservatives Even More Conservative — After nine years hosting one of the most popular comedy programs on air, it's hard to remember a time when Stephen Colbert might have been mistaken for the kind of conservative commentator he satires.
Discussion:
Slantpoint
Julia Marsh / New York Post:
Catsimatidis' daughter files for divorce from husband of 3 years — Andrea Catsimatidis and Christopher Cox tour the Great Wall of China in 2013. — This political love match was not made to last. — Andrea Catsimatidis, daughter of billionaire grocer and failed mayoral candidate John Catsimatidis …
Discussion:
Gothamist, American Spectator and Washington Free Beacon
Garth Kant / WND:
GOP LEGEND QUITS CONGRESS WITH MESSAGE FOR AMERICA — 'I don't know who's happier to see me leave, Pelosi or Boehner' — Garth Kant is WND Washington news editor. Previously, he spent five years writing, copy-editing and producing at “CNN Headline News,” three years writing …
Discussion:
Right Wing Watch and Raw Story
Stephen Braun / Associated Press:
Files of more than 40,000 federal workers breached — WASHINGTON (AP) — The computer files of more than 40,000 federal workers may have been compromised by a cyberattack at federal contractor KeyPoint Government Solutions, the second breach this year at a major firm handling national security …
Brad Aaron / Streetsblog New York City:
Vance Deal: $400 Fine for Unlicensed Driver Who Killed Senior in Crosswalk — An unlicensed driver who fatally struck a senior as she crossed the street with the right of way will pay a $400 fine, pursuant to a plea arrangement with Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance.
Discussion:
Gothamist