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, Lawyers, Guns & Money, National Review, Fausta's Blog, Power Line, RedState, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Hot Air, Scared Monkeys and Maggie's Farm
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
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
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, Wall Street Journal, The Hill, Alternet and The Mahablog
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 …
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, New Jersey Online, Scared Monkeys and OnPolitics
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, Tech Times, CNN, Talking Points Memo, National Review, Addicting Info, American Spectator, Slate, Associated Press, Hot Air, Nerdist, Gawker, The Hill, Taylor Marsh, Truth Revolt, The Huffington Post, Jezebel, The Moderate Voice, New York Times and CNNMoney.com, 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:
Bloomberg Politics, Mediaite, Washington Post, New York Magazine, New York Times 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
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Lolita C. Baldor / Associated Press:
Top Islamic militants killed; more US troops going to Iraq
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
Mike Levine / ABC News:
5 Sweeping Changes Recommended for Secret Service After Fence Jumper Enters WH … A bipartisan, independent panel scrutinizing the U.S. Secret Service after a man with a small knife in his pocket jumped the perimeter fence and made it deep inside the White House is recommending sweeping changes at the agency.
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Josh Rogin / Bloomberg View:
Hillary Clinton Secretly Pushed Cuba Deal for Years
Hillary Clinton Secretly Pushed Cuba Deal for Years
Discussion:
Balloon Juice, USA Today, Guardian, Fox News, The Hugh Hewitt Show, Washington Free Beacon and Daily Kos
Alicia A. Caldwell / Associated Press:
New ties with Cuba won't change immigration rules
Department of Justice:
Attorney General Holder Directs Department to Include Gender Identity Under Sex Discrimination Employment Claims — New Memo Applies to All Department of Justice Components and U.S. Attorneys — Attorney General Holder announced today that the Department of Justice will take the position …
Discussion:
Advocate, National Review and WGBH News
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, Hot Air, National Review, The Hill, Daily Kos, Weekly Standard and Bloomberg View
John Ingold / Denver Post:
NEBRASKA AND OKLAHOMA SUE COLORADO OVER MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION — Supporters erupt in cheers at the passage of Amendment 64. Supporters of Amendment 64, the campaign to regulate marijuana like alcohol, gather at Casselman's in Denver on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012. Kathryn Scott Osler, The Denver Post (THE DENVER POST |
Discussion:
Hit & Run, The Daily Caller, Lawyers, Guns & Money and KFOR-TV
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
Joy Diaz / KUT:
Sexist Comment by Austin Police Officer: Isolated Incident or Part of Broader Culture? — Update (2:19 p.m.): Officer Andrew Petrowski officially retired from the Austin Police Department on Friday, Dec. 12 after learning KUT would air his comments this week.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo and KXAN-TV
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
John Hinderaker / Power Line:
Democrats to Colbert: Thanks For Your Help! — I have never seen Stephen Colbert's show on Comedy Central, but I take it that it consists of an endless series of anti-Republican “jokes.” If asked, would Colbert admit to being a loyal Democratic Party foot soldier, or would he claim …
Discussion:
Patterico's Pontifications
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
Nick Hanauer / Politico:
The Pitchforks Are Coming... For Us Plutocrats — To: My Fellow Zillionaires — You probably don't know me, but like you I am one of those .01%ers, a proud and unapologetic capitalist. I have founded, co-founded and funded more than 30 companies across a range of industries …