Chris Christie just made the GOP race a lot more interesting  —  After being in the minors for two debates, Chris Christie graduated to the main stage of the Republican clash for the presidential nomination Tuesday night.  And he made the most of it.  —  The governor of New Jersey …

Donald Trump and the ugliness in Las Vegas  —  LAS VEGAS — There was a lot of rancor and ugliness on display at Donald Trump's rally Monday night at the Westgate Casino.  There were fights between protesters and an unforgiving hotel security team, accompanied by cries of “Sieg Heil” directed at Black Lives Matter protesters.

Republican chickenhawk Huckabee speaks to youth: ‘Get off your butt’ and defeat ISIS  —  DON'T MISS STORIES.  FOLLOW RAW STORY!  —  Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) used a question about US military involvement in Syria to denounce not only Hillary Clinton, but young people during a Republican presidential candidate on Tuesday.

Muscatine man fights panhandlers who refuse his offer of a job  —  It's a picture that's been shared around the world.  Two boys panhandling in Muscatine, another man holding a sign telling people not to give them money.  —  In Muscatine, Iowa you can find panhandlers several times a week.

5th Republican debate transcript, annotated: Who said what and what it meant  —  Nine Republican candidates are participating in tonight's 2016 presidential debate in Las Vegas: Donald Trump, Ben Carson, Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.), former Florida governor Jeb Bush, former tech executive Carly Fiorina …

Ryan unveils sweeping $1.6T deal on government funding, taxes  —  Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) announced to the House Republican Conference on Tuesday night that leaders have reached a sweeping year-end deal on taxes and funding the government after days of intense negotiations.

The Evidence Is Piling Up That Higher Minimum Wages Kill Jobs  —  President Obama says there is ‘no solid evidence.’ Yes there is—lots of it.  —  The movement to raise the federal minimum wage has become ever more ambitious.  In 2013 proponents deemed $9 an hour acceptable; today the demand is for $15.

Live updates from the Republican debate  —  The CNN-Facebook Republican Presidential Debate  —  Follow this CNN Republican debate live blog for all the best moments from the last GOP debate of 2015 on the stage and on social media.  —  After the undercard debate, the prime-time showdown focuses on keeping America safe.

Obamas have dog problem in White House  —  Michelle Obama says White House dogs Bo and Sunny will be getting “lots of new toys and treats” for Christmas despite some bad habits.  —  “They have been very good dogs,” Obama said of the pair of Portuguese Water Dogs.  “I mean, Sunny can be naughty.

Why People Hate the Media, Chapter 732,851,997 ...  The Washington Examiner headline had me doing a double-take: “North Carolina town rejects solar farm, fears it will deplete sun's energy.”  —  Seriously?  —  So I read the report, which inauspiciously begins with correspondent Don Hawkins getting wrong …