Joe Scarborough Notices Something During Debate That Has Him Convinced Trump, Cruz Made ‘Inside Deal’ Against GOP Establishment  —  MSNBC's Joe Scarborough speculated on Wednesday that GOP frontrunners Donald Trump and Ted Cruz may have made an “inside deal” against the Republican establishment.

Dana Loesch Explodes on ‘Godless Left’ in Furious Rant: 'I Do Have a Problem...and I'm Not Watching My Language'  —  Dana Loesch tore into Democrats Tuesday night in a fiery rant on the “godless left,” taking aim elected officials and the New York Daily News for “mocking prayers” and “attacking” the National Rifle Association.

The GOP's worst nightmare: A runaway convention  —  With the Republican presidential debate in Las Vegas dramatizing again the divisions plaguing the GOP, the unfolding battle for the presidential nomination suggests the growing odds of a runaway convention that could choose an unelectable nominee …

Budget Deal Raises Spending, and the Deficit, Through Tax Breaks  —  WASHINGTON — Congressional negotiators introduced a sweeping year-end spending and tax-break package early Wednesday that busts through previously agreed budget limits with $66 billion in new spending for 2016 …

GOP chair probes if Cruz unveiled classified info during debate  —  A key Senate Republican is looking into whether Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) discussed classified information during Tuesday night's Republican presidential debate.  —  “I'm having my staff look at the transcripts of the debate right now …

Wheaton College Statement Regarding Dr. Larycia Hawkins  —  In response to significant questions regarding the theological implications of statements that Associate Professor of Political Science Dr. Larycia Hawkins has made about the relationship of Christianity to Islam …

Harvard placemat serves up social justice for Christmas  — The placemat was created by the Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in collaboration with the Freshmen Dean's Office and were distributed in an undergraduate dining hall.  —  The Office for Equity, Diversity …

Pressure to go public grows for new Review-Journal owners  —  One of the country's largest and oldest journalism organizations has joined a growing chorus of reporters, readers and media watchdogs calling on the Las Vegas Review-Journal's new owners to reveal themselves.

Defense Secretary Conducted Some Official Business on a Personal Email Account  —  WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter relied on a personal email account to conduct a portion of his government business during his first months at the Pentagon, according to White House …

Mistrial declared in trial of Officer William Porter in death of Freddie Gray  —  A mistrial was declared Wednesday in the trial of Baltimore Police Officer William G. Porter, after jurors told a judge it could not reach a verdict on any of the four charges against him.

Fiscal deal winners and losers  —  The sweeping year-end tax and spending bills unveiled this week in Congress follow months of lobbying by industry and public interest groups and weeks of intense negotiations on Capitol Hill.  —  The final legislation, at nearly 2,250 pages …

For immediate release  —  Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in October suggests that economic activity has been expanding at a moderate pace.  Household spending and business fixed investment have been increasing at solid rates in recent months …

“Blow-Me.org” Congressman: Clinton “An Idiot” And “A Liar” For Use Of Private Email Server  —  “To think that Mrs. Clinton could secure something like that in her home is ludicrous.”  —  Win Mcnamee / Getty Images  —  w.soundcloud.com  —  Republican Rep. Blake Farenthold of Texas …

Julie Bishop defends ASIO chief Duncan Lewis over calls schooling Coalition MPs  —  ASIO chief: ‘No guarantees’ against future attacks  —  ASIO director-general Duncan Lewis says intelligence and security authorities can offer ‘no guarantees’ there is no possibility of another terror attack in Australia.

Ted Cruz: Happy Conservative Warrior  —  RUSH: I thought Ted Cruz was outstanding last night.  Ted Cruz speaks like a traditional powerful, well-versed proud — unabashedly proud — conservative.  He is an articulate representative of conservatism and the conservative movement, and he is a happy warrior.