Top Items:
Bill Pruitt / Vanity Fair:
Exclusive: A Former Apprentice Producer Responds to Donald Trump Being Elected President — “Did we think this clown, this buffoon with the funny hair, would ever become a world leader? Not once. Ever.” … There's a larger issue at hand: non-fiction or “reality” television …
Discussion:
Occupy Democrats and Raw Story
RELATED:
Mark Hensch / The Hill:
Ex-'Apprentice' producer: Trump's a ‘buffoon’ — A former executive producer on Donald Trump — 's reality television series says he never imagined the billionaire would become the president-elect. — “Did we think this clown, this buffoon would the funny hair, would ever become a world leader?”
Matthew Yglesias / Vox:
Donald Trump's trade team has based their analysis on a remarkably silly mistake — There's a smart critique of current trade policy out there, and this isn't it. — Donald Trump gives every indication of wanting to govern like a conventional conservative Republican on the vast majority of domestic issues.
Discussion:
Mother Jones, bradford-delong.com and Political Wire
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Eric Beech / Reuters:
Trump picks ‘Death by China’ author for trade advisory role
Trump picks ‘Death by China’ author for trade advisory role
Discussion:
Washington Free Beacon
Megan Cassella / Politico:
Trump taps China trade critic Navarro for new White House post
Trump taps China trade critic Navarro for new White House post
Discussion:
ABC News
Alex Griswold / Mediaite:
REPORT: Passengers on Delta Flight Disputing Adam Saleh's Story About Phone Call — Someone else on the same Delta flight as YouTube prankster/hoaxer Adam Saleh told a reporter Wednesday that those on the plane say he did not make a phone call to his mother, supposedly the reason Saleh was booted from the flight.
Discussion:
CBS News, The Right Scoop, RedState, New Urban Legends, TheBlaze, twitchy.com, FOX News Radio and alan.com
RELATED:
Rachel Stockman / Law News:
Delta Concludes From Multiple Witnesses That YouTube Prankster Was Actually Shouting, Disruptive — So you know that video that went viral that allegedly showed Delta kicking off a passenger for speaking Arabic? Well, apparently, Delta investigated the situation, and now says it's not quite what it all seemed.
Discussion:
Mediaite, RedState, twitchy.com, New York Times, TheBlaze, Washington Post, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, New York's PIX11, WFLA-TV, Heat Street, Fox News Insider, The Gateway Pundit, The Verge, The FADER, CBS New York, The Daily Caller, BizPac Review, Mashable, WCCO | CBS Minnesota and Refinery29
Washington Post:
Donald Trump is holding a government casting call. He's seeking ‘the look.’ — Donald Trump believes that those who aspire to the most visible spots in his administration should not just be able to do the job, but also look the part. — Given Trump's own background as a master brander …
Discussion:
Raw Story, alan.com and Hullabaloo
Mark Hensch / The Hill:
Conway: Trump rattled Hillary Clinton with Bill Clinton's accusers — 's campaign manager says Trump unnerved Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton — by promoting women who have accused her husband of sexual misconduct. — Trump brought three women who have accused Bill Clinton
Discussion:
FOX News Radio, alan.com and Washington Free Beacon
RELATED:
Michael Daly / The Daily Beast:
Bill Clinton, Who May Have Cost Hillary the Election, Passes the Buck to James Comey
Bill Clinton, Who May Have Cost Hillary the Election, Passes the Buck to James Comey
Discussion:
Liberal Values
Katie Bo Williams / The Hill:
FBI director under pressure to explain Clinton bombshell
FBI director under pressure to explain Clinton bombshell
Discussion:
Mother Jones, Hot Air, Vox, Daily Kos and The Week
Nico Savidge / madison.com:
Legislators criticize UW-Madison professor's course on race, tweets about shooting of officers — A Republican lawmaker called for UW-Madison to cancel a planned course on racism and fire its professor for posting tweets the legislator said condoned violence against police officers …
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Karen Herzog / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
GOP, UW at odds again — this time over ‘whiteness’ course — Turning up the heat on the long-smoldering relationship between state lawmakers and the University of Wisconsin System, leading Republicans are threatening to pull any hope of more state funding unless a new course at UW-Madison called “The Problem of Whiteness” is canceled.
Associated Press:
Mississippi Church Member Charged in ‘Vote Trump’ Arson — A Mississippi man with a prior criminal record was arrested Wednesday in the burning of an African-American church that was spray-painted with the words “Vote Trump,” and the church's bishop said the man is a member of the congregation.
Discussion:
The Right Scoop, RedState and TheBlaze
RELATED:
Kelsey Ott / WREG-TV:
Arrest made in ‘Vote Trump’ burning of Mississippi black church
Arrest made in ‘Vote Trump’ burning of Mississippi black church
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit, Mediaite and alan.com
Katie Reilly / TIME:
Donald Trump on Proposed Muslim Ban: ‘You Know My Plans’ — “All along, I've been proven to be right. 100% correct” — President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday called the recent attacks in Germany and Turkey “terrible” and suggested that he does not intend to reevaluate his plans …
Discussion:
Common Dreams
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Katherine Faulders / ABC News:
Trump Calls Berlin Tragedy ‘an Attack on Humanity,’ Appears to Double Down on Muslim Ban
Trump Calls Berlin Tragedy ‘an Attack on Humanity,’ Appears to Double Down on Muslim Ban
Discussion:
Politico and The Daily Caller
Abby Phillip / Washington Post:
After meeting with Trump, Boeing CEO relents on cost of Air Force One — “Cancel the order!” Donald Trump, the incoming president of the United States, tweeted ominously about a contract with Boeing to build Air Force One, the state-of-the-art airplanes he and future presidents rely on.
Discussion:
Jamie Dupree, New York Times, Business Insider, No More Mister Nice Blog, Hot Air, Mediaite and The Week
RELATED:
Melissa Fares / Reuters:
Trump extracts pledge from Boeing on Air Force One costs
Eliana Johnson / Politico:
Conservatives target red-state Democrats to speed Trump's nominations — The prospect of brutal confirmation hearings has Republicans targeting red-state Democrats in hopes of softening opposition to some of Donald Trump's most conservative Cabinet nominees — from Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions.
Discussion:
Washington Post, Political Wire and Confirm Sessions
RELATED:
Ike Swetlitz / STAT:
One-on-one with Trump's doctor: Hecklers, house calls, and why Obamacare must be shut down — NEW YORK — On a frigid December afternoon, Dr. Harold Bornstein was talking about his most famous patient, President-elect Donald Trump. — He hadn't spoken with Trump since the election …
Stephen Piggott / Southern Poverty Law Center:
Ann Coulter Attends VDARE Christmas Party - Her Second White Nationalist Event In Three Months — Ann Coulter, an infamous far-right attack dog who has spent years attacking the left, was at the Christmas party of a racist anti-immigration group earlier this month — the second such event she has attended since September.
Discussion:
Raw Story
John King / CNN:
Trump team floats tariffs — Washington (CNN)The Trump transition team is floating the possibility of an early executive action to impose tariffs on foreign imports, according to multiple sources. — Such a move would deliver on President-elect Donald Trump's “America First” campaign theme.
Discussion:
TheBlaze
Alana Goodman / Daily Mail:
EXCLUSIVE: Facebook ‘fact checker’ who will arbitrate on ‘fake news’ is accused of defrauding website to pay for prostitutes - and its staff includes an escort-porn star and ‘Vice Vixen domme’ — Facebook has announced plans to check for ‘fake news’ using a series of organizations to assess whether stories are true
Discussion:
The Daily Caller
Alexandra Steigrad / WWD:
Sources: Jared Kushner Quietly Tries to Sell New York Observer — According to insiders, Kushner has been quietly shopping the Observer to potential buyers. — Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump at the Met Gala, May 2016. — Jared Kushner appears to be ready to pick up sticks and move to Washington …
Discussion:
Mediaite, The Real Deal New York, Talking Points Memo, alan.com, Political Wire and New York Magazine, more at Mediagazer »
Ed West / Coffee House:
Germany is facing a ticking time bomb of rage — I've learned that it's best not to say anything about a terrorist atrocity on social media, especially not if it confirms one's political prejudices. It just looks crass, or it has when I've done it. Try not to say anything profound either …
Daily Mail:
Final tally shows Trump lost popular vote by 2.8 million - but he BEAT Clinton by 3 million votes outside of California and New York — Clinton won California by 4.2 million votes and New York by 1.6 million, running up the score in places where she would have won no matter what
Discussion:
Mediaite, The Huffington Post, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Raw Story, Talking Points Memo, alan.com and Washington Post
David Benoit / Wall Street Journal:
Trump to Name Carl Icahn as Adviser on Regulatory Overhaul — Billionaire investor already has helped with search for new head of Securities and Exchange Commission — Billionaire investor Carl Icahn is expected to be named special adviser to the president on overhauling federal regulations …
Discussion:
AOL, Vox, Talking Points Memo, Washington Free Beacon and Political Wire
Stephen Battaglio / Los Angeles Times:
Katie Couric will fill in as co-anchor on NBC's ‘Today’ show in January — Katie Couric, shown last January, was co-anchor of “Today” from 1991 to 2006. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) — Katie Couric is returning to NBC's “Today” show for a weeklong fill-in stint at the morning program's anchor desk next month.
Discussion:
The Point, Heat Street, RedState, AOL, twitchy.com, Mediaite, Refinery29 and Jezebel, more at Mediagazer »
S.M. / Economist:
The failed electoral-college rebellion bodes ill for future elections — Efforts to spurn Donald Trump in the electoral college may have unsavoury consequences — THE last-ditch effort by some Democrats to thwart a Donald Trump presidency ended in a fizzle on December 19th.
Chris Isidore / CNNMoney:
Walmart pulls ‘Bulletproof’ Black Lives Matter items after police object — Last-minute shoppers, you still have time — Walmart has agreed to stop selling t-shirts and hooded sweatshirts online that read “Bulletproof. Black Lives Matter.” — The national Fraternal Order of Police wrote …
Discussion:
The Federalist, AOL, Washington Post, Mediaite and KXAN-TV