memeorandum: Fearing abandonment by Trump, CIA-backed rebels in Syria mull alternatives (Karen DeYoung/Washington Post)

12:20 PM ET, December 4, 2016

Top Items:

Polina Devitt / Reuters:

Putin says Trump clever, will understand new responsibilities — U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is a clever man and will quickly understand his new responsibilities, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with NTV TV. — Putin has spoken previously of his hope …

Discussion: AOL, The Week and alan.com

Fox News:

Why Trump was right to talk with Taiwan's president — China and the Washington foreign policy establishment thought they could tell President-elect Donald Trump whom he can and cannot speak with on the phone. They thought wrong. — On Friday, Trump received a congratulatory call …

Discussion: New York Times and Occupy Democrats

Associated Press:
The Latest: Pence Shrugs off Questions on Taiwan Call

Discussion: Politico

Nicola Smith / The Guardian:
Trump's Taiwan phone call preceded by hotel development inquiry

Discussion: Mediaite, Occupy Democrats and BuzzFeed

Jane Perlez / New York Times:
Taiwan Call Gives China a Clue on What to Expect From Donald Trump

Discussion: The Guardian, Wall Street Journal, BizPac Review, Business Insider, AOL, New York Magazine, RedState, Balloon Juice, Talking Points Memo and BBC

Wall Street Journal:
Trump's Company Has No Plans to Invest in Taiwan, Aides Say

Discussion: The Daily Signal

NBC News:
Donald Trump's Call With Taiwan President Was No Surprise: Official

Discussion: NBC News, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Bloomberg, CBS New York, BizPac Review, New York Times, CNN, TheBlaze, The Guardian and Mother Jones

Scott Adams' Blog:
Scott Adams' Blog

Discussion: neo-neocon, Talking Points Memo and CNN

Stan Collender / Forbes:

You Heard It Here First: Trump May Not Propose A Budget Next Year — The Trump administration is seriously thinking about not submitting a budget to Congress next year . — Although the Congressional Budget Act requires the president to submit the fiscal 2018 budget to Congress between January 2 …

Discussion: Balloon Juice

CBS Pittsburgh:

Green Party Drops Statewide Pennsylvania Recount — HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP/KDKA) - Green Party-backed voters dropped a court case Saturday night that had sought to force a statewide recount of Pennsylvania's Nov. 8 presidential election, won by Republican Donald Trump, in what Green Party …

Discussion: Mediaite, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Hot Air, Law News, The Gateway Pundit, Power Line, BizPac Review, The Daily Caller, BuzzFeed and Daily Kos

Steve Eder / New York Times:
Jill Stein's Pennsylvania Recount Effort Is Dealt a Major Setback

Discussion: The Verge

Caitlin McCabe / Philly.com:
Jill Stein campaign drops recount effort in Pa.

Discussion: Detroit Free Press, Associated Press, NPR, Lawyers, Guns & Money and TheBlaze

The Eagle: The Latest: Green Party drops statewide Pennsylvania recount

Bloomberg:

Trump Takes ‘Thank-You Tour’ to Wealthy Donor's Costume Ball — President-elect pays respects to billionaire Robert Mercer — Trump comes as himself at ‘Villains and Heroes’ gathering — President-elect Donald Trump took a break from the blue-collar Midwestern rallies of his …

Discussion: TMZ.com

Harper Neidig / The Hill:

Trump attends lavish costume party — arrived for an upscale costume party Saturday night on Long Island, according to pool reports. — Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway shared a photo of herself alongside Trump while wearing a Superwoman costume for the “Heroes and Villains” themed party, tweeting, “Honoring the ultimate hero.”

Discussion: Washington Post, Gothamist, Politico, alan.com, NBC News, ABC News, BizPac Review, Raw Story and Mediaite

Nikita Vladimirov / The Hill:

Lieberman: Dems won't win with slide to left — Former Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) argues the Democratic Party will not win elections if the liberal wing of the party takes over. — “Here is my fear about the future of the Democratic Party. In a way, relatively speaking, Hillary Clinton

Discussion: Scared Monkeys and alan.com

Rebecca Savransky / The Hill:

Trump: Companies that leave the US will face ‘retribution’ — on Sunday warned that businesses planning to leave the U.S. will face consequences. — The president-elect tweeted that his administration will “substantially reduce taxes and regulations on businesses.”

Discussion: alan.com

Nicki Rossoll / ABC News:

Petraeus on His Mishandling of Classified Information: ‘I Made a Mistake’ — David Petraeus, a former general and CIA director, responded to reported concerns of some Republican senators about his possible nomination for secretary of state by acknowledging he “made a serious mistake” …

Discussion: Politico

Karen DeYoung / Washington Post:

Fearing abandonment by Trump, CIA-backed rebels in Syria mull alternatives — Three years after the CIA began secretly shipping lethal aid to rebels fighting against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, battlefield losses and fears that a Donald Trump administration will abandon them have left tens …

Discussion: Booman Tribune

Ian Shapira / Washington Post:

In Mr. Pence's new D.C. neighborhood, not exactly the welcome wagon — In the affluent Washington neighborhood of Chevy Chase, the tinsel, poinsettias and Christmas trees are competing for attention this holiday season with an unusual house decoration: gay pride rainbow flags.

Discussion: alan.com

Jesse Byrnes / The Hill:

AP: Huntsman among secretary of State possibilities — is reportedly open to expanding his short list of candidates for secretary of State to include former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman. — Huntsman was one of the possibilities reported by The Associated Press on Saturday night, citing a source close to the Trump transition.

Discussion: RedState, Associated Press and Outside the Beltway

Mattie Kahn / ELLE:

Bertolucci Admits He Conspired to Shoot a Non-Consensual Rape Scene in ‘Last Tango in Paris’ — The director said he didn't tell star Maria Schneider because he “wanted her reaction as a girl not as an actress.” — CONTENT NOTICE: This article contains disturbing stories of rape and assault.

Discussion: Lawyers, Guns & Money and Deadline