memeorandum: Israel wants mosques to turn the volume way down (Washington Post)

9:45 AM ET, December 12, 2016

Top Items:

McCain Calls Russian Hacking a ‘Form of Warfare’ — John McCain says there is no doubt about Russian hacking, which he called “warfare.” — President-elect Donald J. Trump formally names John F. Kelly, a retired Marine general, as secretary of homeland security.

Discussion: Political Wire and Mediaite

Rebecca Morin / Politico:

Bolton: Russian hacks could actually have been by Obama administration — Ambassador John Bolton claimed Sunday that hacks during the election season could have been “a false flag” operation — possibly committed by the Obama administration itself. — In an interview with Fox News' Eric Shawn …

Discussion: Washington Post, Political Wire, The Week, TheBlaze, Scared Monkeys, Daily Kos and ABC News

David Frum / The Atlantic:

Five Questions About Russia's Election Hacking — The evidence to support the CIA's conclusion that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help Donald Trump remains mostly secret. But the outline of the case is no mystery. Both Democratic and Republican Party servers were reportedly hacked …

Cyra Master / The Hill:

Bolton questions if Russian hacks were ‘false flag’ — 's State Department, questioned reports of Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election. — “It is not at all clear to me, just viewing this from the outside, that this hacking into the DNC and the RNC was not a false flag operation …

Discussion: Politico, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, alan.com and Raw Story

New York Times:

C.I.A. Judgment on Russia Built on Swell of Evidence — WASHINGTON — American spy and law enforcement agencies were united in the belief, in the weeks before the presidential election, that the Russian government had deployed computer hackers to sow chaos during the campaign.

Discussion: alan.com, Hot Air, New York's PIX11 and The Daily Caller

New York Times:
Russia's Hand in America's Election

Discussion: The Hill

Spencer Ackerman / The Guardian:
Intelligence figures fear Trump reprisals over assessment of Russia election role

Discussion: CANNONFIRE, New Century Times, Reuters, Washington Post, Business Insider, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Political Wire and Daily Kos

Bill Flanagan / CBS News:
John McCain doesn't know what to make of Trump's Russia hacking response

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, CNNMoney, Politicus USA, The Gateway Pundit, CBS Miami, The Daily Caller and The Huffington Post

Cyra Master / The Hill:
Palin: ‘I can keep an eye’ on Russia

Discussion: RedState, The Daily Caller, Raw Story and Mediaite

Gabriel Debenedetti / Politico:

Democrats fear another Trump trouncing — As Donald Trump's inauguration draws near, Democrats fear they remain woefully unprepared to fight the new president's agenda. — The party loses its standard-bearer once President Barack Obama leaves office, and the Democratic National Committee …

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog and Raw Story

Washington Post:

Israel wants mosques to turn the volume way down — JERUSALEM — When the call to prayer begins in the Palestinian neighborhoods here, the Muslim faithful hear a song beautiful and sublime. Hour by hour, five times a day, it is the soundtrack of their lives. And it stirs deep emotions.

Discussion: Althouse

Lesley Stahl / CBS News:
Israel's prime minister welcomes Trump presidency

Discussion: Politico and Jewish Telegraphic Agency

Bloomberg:

China Warns Trump Against Using Taiwan for Leverage on Trade — President-elect defends call from Taiwan President Tsai — Trump says other nations shouldn't dictate who U.S. speaks to — China warned Donald Trump against using the One-China policy regarding Taiwan as a bargaining chip in trade talks …

Discussion: Political Wire, KFOR-TV, The Daily Caller and The Guardian

Emily Rauhala / Washington Post: Trump draws rebuke after saying U.S. isn't bound by One China policy

Niall Stanage / The Hill:

Dems grapple with lessons from Clinton disaster — Democrats are grappling with how to draw the right lessons — and avoid the wrong ones — after an extraordinary presidential election. — Hillary Clinton — 's loss to Donald Trump — is an unmitigated disaster for Democrats, who want to ensure nothing like it happens again.

The Cipher Brief:

Fmr. CIA Acting Dir. Michael Morell: “This Is the Political Equivalent of 9/11” — The Washington Post report on a secret CIA assessment concluding that Russia intervened in the U.S. Presidential election with the intention of helping President-elect Donald Trump win is only part …

Discussion: Politico

Jeff Greenfield / The Daily Beast:

The Faithless-Elector Fantasy Is Fun, but It's Just a Fantasy — When it comes to faithless electors, I wrote the book—literally. — Okay, it was a novel, and a satirical one at that. But I did immerse myself in the law, and the lore, of the Electoral College, and the potential for …

Michael Crowley / Politico:

Flynn deputy raises more doubts about Trump team — At a political rally in June 2009, Donald Trump's soon-to-be deputy national security adviser, K.T. McFarland, offered a jarring prediction. — China might cancel the Fourth of July, she said. — “They're going to want something for their money.

Wall Street Journal:

Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson Faces Senate Dissent as Potential State Pick — Trump's top choice for secretary of state faces bipartisan resistance over ties to Putin — WASHINGTON— Exxon Mobil Corp. Chief Executive Rex Tillerson, the top choice for secretary of state in a Trump administration …

Discussion: CNN and Politico

Fox News Insider:
Donald Trump Fox News Sunday President Russia Rex Tillerson Secretary State Cabinet

Discussion: NPR, AOL and The Week

Juan Williams / The Hill:

Who will survive in Trump's reality show? — Live! All day and all night on your big screen comes the opening drama of the Trump presidency, with a cast of love-them-or-hate-them characters. — This reality television show will be set on Capitol Hill as President Trump's cabinet nominees fight …

Brent Johnson / New Jersey Online:

Christie turned down several jobs in Trump administration, sources say — TRENTON — President-elect Donald Trump offered Gov. Chris Christie numerous positions in his incoming administration, but the New Jersey governor turned them down, two sources with knowledge of Trump's transition efforts told NJ Advance Media.