Former Bush spokesman on Trump's Taiwan call: ‘China will go nuts’  —  Former George W. Bush spokesman Ari Fleischer tweeted that “China will go nuts” after President-elect Donald Trump  —  made a historic phone call to Taiwan on Friday.  —  “Uh-oh.  I wasn't even allowed to refer to the gvt ‘of’ Taiwan.

Sarah Palin: But... Wait... The Good Guys Won't Win With More Crony Capitalism  —  I am ecstatic for Carrier employees!  Their bosses just decided to keep shop onshore.  What a relief for hundreds of workers.  Merry Christmas Indiana!  We don't yet know terms of the public/private deal …

Federal judge denies quick halt to recount  —  Madison — A federal judge Friday denied an emergency halt to the recount of the presidential vote in Wisconsin, allowing the process to continue until a Dec. 9 court hearing at least.  —  There is no need to halt the recount just yet …

G.O.P. Plans Immediate Repeal of Health Law, Then a Delay  —  WASHINGTON — Republicans in Congress plan to move almost immediately next month to repeal the Affordable Care Act, as President-elect Donald J. Trump promised.  But they also are likely to delay the effective date …

Trump's education pick says reform can 'advance God's Kingdom'  —  The billionaire philanthropist whom Donald Trump has tapped to lead the Education Department once compared her work in education reform to a biblical battleground where she wants to “advance God's Kingdom.”

Obama considering post-presidential digital media career, sources say  —  President Barack Obama has been discussing a post-presidential career in digital media and is considering launching his own media company, according to multiple sources who spoke on background because they were not authorized to speak for the president.

Make Kellogg's Gr-rr-rr-rr-rreat Again  —  Last weekend's Castro droologies reminded us that, for Justin Trudeau and too many others, mass-murdering dictators are kind of a turn-on, a geopolitical S&M fetish - as long as it's millions of distant, disposable Third World types making up the M end of the deal.

Prominent gay Republican said DeVos stood up for him  —  Greg McNeilly, political advisor to Betsy DeVos and a prominent gay Republican, spoke Friday of the incoming education secretary saying she stood up for him at a time when his sexual orientation wasn't widely known.

Philly Clout: Turnpike manager rips his bosses in email minutes before retirement  —  FILE THIS ONE under: “Well, You Asked.”  —  Michael Stuban, a midlevel manager at the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, retired on Thanksgiving after a 35-year career that started in a tollbooth.

CNN apologizes, disciplines producer after employee was caught on hot mic joking about Trump's plane crashing  —  CNN on Friday apologized after one of its producers was caught on a hot mic making a joke about President-elect Donald Trump's plane crashing.  —  “An unfortunate and inappropriate remark …

Democrats want Russian hacking intelligence declassified  — The call to release the information came in a short letter to President Obama released by seven Democratic senators  —  Washington (CNN)Democratic senators are pressing the Obama administration to more forthrightly state …

The 2016 Election Is a Disaster Without a Moral  —  Marge: The moral of the story is that a good deed is its own reward!  —  Bart: But we got a reward, the head is cool!  —  Marge: Well, then maybe the moral is, no good deed goes unrewarded.  —  Homer: Wait a minute! … Homer: Exactly!

Amy Schumer Playing ‘Barbie’  —  Amy Schumer will play the title role in Barbie, the live action Sony Pictures film based on the venerable Mattel toyline.  The PG movie will begin production in the spring for a global summer 2018 tent pole bow, after Schumer puts her imprint on the script by Hillary Winston.

Bowe Bergdahl, Facing Desertion Trial, Asks Obama for Pardon  —  WASHINGTON — Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the former American prisoner of war in Afghanistan who was freed in a 2014 swap for five Taliban detainees, has asked President Obama to pardon him before leaving the White House to President-elect Donald J …

Donald Trump's Pollster Says the Election Came Down to Five Counties  —  Donald Trump's former campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, referred to her candidate's electoral win as a “landslide” earlier this week.  But the campaign's top pollster, veteran Tony Fabrizio said just five counties made the difference …

Dean drops out of DNC chairmanship race  —  DENVER — Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean dropped out of the race to become the next chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) on Friday.  —  Dean, who served as DNC chairman from 2005 to 2009, announced in a pre-recorded video to a conference …

The North Carolina GOP Has a New Suppression Tactic: Voter Defamation  —  As they challenge the results of a governor's race, the state's Republicans lay the groundwork for a Trump-era assault on voting rights.  —  My neighbor Lucia Foster was surprised when I emailed her on November 18.