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Trump's unusual phone call is great for his business, dangerous for America — Putting the Trump Organization first. — Trump is mixing his business with the presidency. Today was a stark illustration that the combination is extremely dangerous—to Americans and the world.
Discussion:
Vox, Little Green Footballs, Mother Jones, Business Insider, alan.com, Raw Story, NPR and The Daily Caller
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Tsai-Trump telephone call scheduled — UNDOING CHEN SHUI-BIAN? Experts said that the conversation could prompt the establishment of a direct communications channel and reduce misunderstandings — President Tsai Ing-wen () was to have a telephone conversation with US president-elect Donald …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Politico, The Diplomat, The Guardian, Sputnik International and Hot Air


Trump makes history with phone call to Taiwan leader — spoke on the phone with Taiwan President Tsai Ying-wen, a conversation that breaks decades of U.S. protocol and risks a clash with China. — Trump's transition team confirmed late Friday that the president-elect had spoken by phone …
Discussion:
The Atlantic, Talking Points Memo, Liberal Values, Daily Kos and New York Times


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.


Trump speaks with Taiwanese president, a major break with decades of U.S. policy on China
Discussion:
Daily Wire, Mediaite, The Week, Balloon Juice, Joe.My.God. and Jezebel

Philippines' Duterte gets Trump White House invite during ‘animated’ call
Discussion:
New York Times, Jezebel, The Daily Caller, The Week, Mother Jones and Politico

Trump Speaks With Taiwan's Leader, a Possible Affront to China
Discussion:
CNN and The Geller Report

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 …
Discussion:
ABC News, Talking Points Memo, Political Wire, New York Magazine, Washington Post, Mediaite and Daily Wire
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Sarah Palin: Trump's Carrier deal is ‘crony capitalism’ — Another conservative is calling “crony capitalism” on Donald Trump's deal with Carrier, albeit an unexpected one — Sarah Palin. — In an op-ed for the website Young Conservatives, the former Alaska governor allowed that the details behind …
Discussion:
TheBlaze


The letter from Carrier to its employees that Donald Trump doesn't want you to read
Discussion:
CNBC, Daily Kos, alan.com, New York Times and Mediaite

Before Donald Trump Made A Deal With Carrier, He Sued It
Discussion:
Law News and Joe.My.God.

Trump allies try to freeze recount efforts — Allies of Donald Trump are trying to freeze recount efforts in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin — three states in which the president-elect narrowly beat Hillary Clinton — as they seek to preserve the legitimacy of Trump's win.
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Federal judge denies quick halt to recount
Discussion:
RedState, New York Times, New York Magazine, USA Today, Reuters, FOX6Now.com, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Associated Press, WBAY-TV, Hot Air and Billy Penn

Deadlock: Board vote means Michigan presidential recount may proceed
Discussion:
Hot Air, RedState, The Daily Caller and New York Magazine

Trump team moves to block Pennsylvania recount
Discussion:
Associated Press, Daily Kos, The Daily Caller, TIME and RedState


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.
Discussion:
Heat Street, AOL, Mashable, The Daily Caller, Daily Wire, Mediaite, Political Wire and TVNewser
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Former Special Forces Officer: Gen. ‘Mad Dog’ Mattis Left ‘My Men to Die’ — A former Army Special Forces officer is accusing retired Marine General James Mattis, President-elect Donald Trump's pick to be defense secretary, of “leaving my men to die” after they were hit by friendly fire in Afghanistan in 2001.
Discussion:
Washington Post, Raw Story, Mediaite, AOL, TalkLeft, Oliver Willis, New York Times and NBC News
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Democrats could block Mattis nomination
Discussion:
Washington Free Beacon, The Daily Signal and Daily Kos

Why There Is Civilian Control of the Military and When That Tradition Began
Discussion:
Politico and Washington Free Beacon


Even elite campaign aides still aren't sure why Donald Trump succeeded — Baffled at times and often bitter, more than two dozen of the country's top political operatives grappled with questions that have dominated American politics for 18 months: What explains Donald Trump's astonishing political success …
Discussion:
Politico, Talking Points Memo, TheBlaze, Hot Air and Political Wire, more at Mediagazer »
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Robby Mook: Trump benefited from Russia ‘intervening in the election’
Discussion:
Politicus USA


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 …
Discussion:
Jezebel, Hullabaloo and Washington Post
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In nearly every swing state, voters preferred Hillary Clinton on the economy
Discussion:
ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES


CNN Crew Jokes about Donald Trump's Plane Crashing — CNN Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux was covering the Carrier press conference, that featured both Donald Trump and Mike Pence. — Carrier was able to negotiate huge tax breaks for their company, if they promised not to move all their jobs to Mexico.


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!


The post-truth world of the Trump administration is scarier than you think — You may think you are prepared for a post-truth world, in which political appeals to emotion count for more than statements of verifiable fact. — But now it's time to cross another bridge — into a world without facts.


Employment Situation Summary — Transmission of material in this release is embargoed until USDL-16-2233 8:30 a.m. (EST) Friday, December 2, 2016 — Technical information: — Household data: (202) 691-6378 * cpsinfo@bls.gov * www.bls.gov/cps
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U.S. Nonfarm Payrolls Rose 178,000 in November; Unemployment Rate Falls to 4.6%
Discussion:
New York Times, Oliver Willis and The Daily Caller


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.
Discussion:
Raw Story, Mediaite, Jezebel, LAist and New York Magazine

I Served With James Mattis. Here's What I Learned From Him — This article is slightly amended and reprinted, with permission, from The Strategy Bridge. — America knows Gen. James Mattis as a character, Mad Dog Mattis, the font of funny quotes and Chuck Norris-caliber memes.
Discussion:
RedState, Washington Post, National Review, Heat Street, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Daily Wire, The Daily Caller and Vox Popoli

Lewandowski: Times editor Dean Baquet ‘should be in jail’ for publishing Trump tax docs — Corey Lewandowski, Donald Trump's first campaign manager, said Thursday that New York Times executive editor Dean Baquet “should be in jail” because the newspaper published parts of the president-elect's tax returns during the race.
Discussion:
The Hill, Vox, No More Mister Nice Blog, Jezebel, Mediaite, Raw Story and Talking Points Memo, more at Mediagazer »


Dead man found inside SUV with pile of parking tickets on windshield — Sun Sentinel … For four days, city parking officers slapped tickets on an SUV parked three blocks from the Broward County Courthouse. When Carolyn White noticed the pile of citations, she wondered what was going on.
Discussion:
Associated Press and CBS Sacramento


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.
Discussion:
CBS Pittsburgh

Bush Ethics Lawyer: Electors Shouldn't Vote For Trump With Current Conflicts (VIDEO) — A former ethics lawyer for President George W. Bush suggested in an interview Friday that the Electoral College should consider not voting for President-elect Trump if he doesn't move to address certain conflicts …

Seduced and Betrayed by Donald Trump — Donald Trump won the Electoral College (though not the popular vote) on the strength of overwhelming support from working-class whites, who feel left behind by a changing economy and society. And they're about to get their reward — the same reward that …
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog and Media Matters for America