Top Items:
Adam Entous / Washington Post:
Secret CIA assessment says Russia was trying to help Trump win White House — The CIA has concluded in a secret assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help Donald Trump win the presidency, rather than just to undermine confidence in the U.S. electoral system, according to officials briefed on the matter.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Business Insider, BizPac Review, The Moderate Voice, Liberty Unyielding, NPR, The Last Refuge, Taylor Marsh, Mother Jones, Balloon Juice, NBC News, Boing Boing, The Gateway Pundit, Occupy Democrats, AOL, Little Green Footballs, KTLA, Arkansas Blog, Arkansas Times, The Talking Dog, The Reality-Based Community, The Verge, Mediaite, Politicus USA, Politico, reverbpress.com, The Daily Caller, Daily Kos, Engadget, CNN, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Reuters, Diane Ravitch's blog, RedState, Morning Consult, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Scripting News, Defense One, Bloomberg, ABC News, Political Wire, ThinkProgress, Mashable, Towleroad, The Atlantic, Townhall.com and The Week
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New York Times:
Russia Hacked Republican Committee but Kept Data, U.S. Concludes — WASHINGTON — American intelligence agencies have concluded with “high confidence” that Russia acted covertly in the latter stages of the presidential campaign to harm Hillary Clinton's chances and promote Donald J. Trump, according to senior administration officials.
Discussion:
The BRAD BLOG, Politico, Occupy Democrats, Raw Story, AOL, Mother Jones, Business Insider, Techdirt and New York Magazine
Paul Mirengoff / Power Line:
Obama to probe alleged Russian election meddling; Senate might too — President Obama has ordered his intelligence agencies to conduct a review of hacking during the 2016 presidential election and present their findings before he leaves office. Alleged Russian hacking during the election might …
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times, Washington Post and Gothamist
Kathleen Hennessey / Associated Press:
Obama orders review of election-season hacking
Obama orders review of election-season hacking
Discussion:
Associated Press, Hot Air, The Resurgent, The Atlantic, NBC News and Politico
Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
GOP Plans Major Social Security Cuts — We'll have a story coming shortly on what I just mentioned a short time ago: that Republicans are now planning to pass major cuts to Social Security this year. Specifically, this bill is being introduced by Rep. Sam Johnson, Chairman of the House Ways …
Discussion:
Suburban Guerrilla … and Viking Pundit
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Joseph Lawler / Washington Examiner:
Key GOP lawmaker introduces Social Security reform plan — A Republican lawmaker introduced legislation Thursday to shore up Social Security's finances and boost benefits for low-income workers without raising taxes, a conservative version of reform that could gain attention under unified GOP government next year.
Discussion:
Politicus USA and Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi
Andrew Biggs / Forbes:
At Last: A New Social Security Reform Plan — Social Security has been a quiet subject for Republicans since the collapse of President Bush's reform efforts in 2005. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Republican Members of Congress were seemingly lining up to present new plans …
Discussion:
New York Magazine
Tierney Sneed / Talking Points Memo:
Key House GOPer Introduces Bill With Major Cuts To Social Security — A key House Republican on the issue of Social Security introduced a bill Thursday that would impose major cuts to the program. The bill, the Social Security Reform Act of 2016, was introduced by Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX) …
Discussion:
Forbes and The Mahablog
Johnson, Sam:
Sam Johnson Unveils Plan to Permanently Save Social Security
Sam Johnson Unveils Plan to Permanently Save Social Security
Discussion:
Occupy Democrats
Steve Holland / Reuters:
Exxon CEO is now Trump's secretary of state favorite - transition official — Exxon Mobil Corp Chief Executive Officer Rex Tillerson emerged on Friday as President-elect Donald Trump's leading candidate for U.S. secretary of state, a senior transition official said.
Discussion:
RedState
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Wall Street Journal:
Exxon's Rex Tillerson Is Top Candidate for Secretary of State
Exxon's Rex Tillerson Is Top Candidate for Secretary of State
Discussion:
Business Insider and Mother Jones
Shane Goldmacher / Politico:
Giuliani pulls name from contention for secretary of state
Giuliani pulls name from contention for secretary of state
Discussion:
twitchy.com and No More Mister Nice Blog
Jim Geraghty / National Review:
Obama's Second Term Was a Complete Failure — There's no other way to describe it. — Every December, Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post picks the biggest political loser of the past year. — In 2013, Cillizza's selection was Barack Obama. He cited the botched rollout of Healthcare.gov …
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Nikita Vladimirov / The Hill:
Obama urges Congress not to repeal ObamaCare — on Saturday lauded the Affordable Care Act as a Republican-controlled Congress looks forward to its repeal. — During his weekly White House address, Obama encouraged Americans who don't currently have healthcare to enroll in the program …
Discussion:
The White House and John Hawkins' Right Wing News
Dylan Byers / CNNMoney:
Donald Trump's ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ deal may include money from brands — President-elect Donald Trump's financial arrangement with “Celebrity Apprentice” could provide him with a cut of the money generated by NBC's product integration deals for the show, a Hollywood source with direct knowledge of the arrangement told CNNMoney.
Discussion:
Media Matters for America and Lawyers, Guns & Money
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Michael M. Grynbaum / New York Times:
An ‘Apprentice’ Role for Trump Opens Door Wide for Questions — President-elect Donald J. Trump is entering office with financial entanglements that are exotic and far-flung: a condominium project in Manila, a luxury furniture maker in Istanbul, golf courses in Scotland and Ireland, and a hotel in Azerbaijan.
Discussion:
Diane Ravitch's blog, NPR and The Huffington Post
Kristin Salaky / Talking Points Memo:
Trump Hits Early Voting: Who Knows What Happens When Polls Are ‘Locked’ — It's been more than a month, but President-elect Donald Trump is still raising questions about the presidential election. — In what was supposed to be a stump speech for Republican Louisiana Senate candidate John Kennedy …
Discussion:
TheBlaze
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Nolan D. McCaskill / Politico:
Trump blasts early voting: ‘Many things can go wrong’
Robby Soave / Hit & Run:
Leftist Students Shouted ‘F*ck You B*itch’ at the Gay Director of a Pro-Trans Movie, Boys Don't Cry — There was a time not so long ago when the people shouting “f**k you bitch” at a gender-fluid gay filmmaker would have been bigoted right-wing conservatives.
Discussion:
John Hawkins' Right Wing News
Wall Street Journal:
Donald Trump's Cabinet Selections Signal Deregulation Moves Are Coming — Business leaders predict changes may come in everything from overtime pay to power-plant emission rules — Business leaders are predicting a dramatic unraveling of regulations on everything from overtime pay …
Discussion:
Real Clear Politics, New York Times, Rewire, Occupy Democrats, Instapundit, Media Matters for America and Truthout Stories
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Harper Neidig / The Hill:
Report: Trump wants as many as 5 generals in Cabinet — is considering tapping as many as five generals for his Cabinet, Politico reported Friday. — Trump has already selected three retired top military officers for his administration — Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn for national security adviser …
Discussion:
Business Insider
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Edward Morrissey / The Fiscal Times:
Trump's Cabinet: A Conservative About Face Toward Growth and Change
Trump's Cabinet: A Conservative About Face Toward Growth and Change
Discussion:
John Hawkins' Right Wing News, ewg.org and New York Magazine
Steven Mufson / Washington Post:
Trump transition team for Energy Department seeks names of employees involved in climate meetings — The Trump transition team has issued a list of 74 questions for the Energy Department, asking officials there to identify which department employees and contractors have worked on forging …
Discussion:
Watts Up With That?, Mashable, NPR, RedState, The Week and Balloon Juice
RELATED:
Jonathan Oosting / Detroit News:
Michigan Supreme Court denies Stein's recount appeal — Lansing — The Michigan Supreme Court on Friday denied Green Party candidate Jill Stein's appeal to restart a partially completed presidential election recount, meaning President-elect Donald Trump's 10,704-vote victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton stands.
Discussion:
Hot Air, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Law News and Philly.com
WTTG-TV:
Prince George's Co. liquor board chairman charged with DUI after MGM grand opening — NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. - The chairman of the Prince George's County liquor board is facing DUI and reckless driving charges after an accident that took place as he was leaving the grand opening …
Discussion:
Raw Story
Andrew Restuccia / Politico:
McConnell, Cramer met to discuss potential Senate run — Senate Major Leader Mitch McConnell met with North Dakota Rep. Kevin Cramer this week to discuss a potential open Senate seat. — The Tuesday meeting at the National Republican Senatorial Committee offices comes as President-elect …
Discussion:
Say Anything, Hot Air, Political Wire, The Hill and Althouse
RELATED:
Ben Weyl / Politico:
Government shutdown averted as Democrats cave
Government shutdown averted as Democrats cave
Discussion:
ABC News, The Daily Signal, Washington Free Beacon, TheBlaze, The Resurgent and Hot Air