Top Items:
Washington Post:
Hawley's plan to contest electoral college vote certification ensures drawn-out process — Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) announced Wednesday that he will object next week when Congress convenes to certify the electoral college vote before President-elect Joe Biden's victory is cemented …
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CNN:
Trump to return to Washington early ahead of Republican plan to disrupt certification of Biden's win — (CNN)President Donald Trump is expected to return to Washington earlier than anticipated ahead of a planned disruption by Republicans when Congress meets next week to certify President-elect Joe Biden's win.
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and Political Wire
Matthew Choi / Politico:
Walmart apologizes to Hawley after calling him a sore loser
Discussion:
Raw Story, HuffPost, Twitchy, The Guardian, Associated Press, Sara A. Carter, Business Insider and New York Post
CNN:
GOP senator to delay affirming Biden victory by forcing votes on Electoral College results
Discussion:
Washington Times, Press of Atlantic City, Business Insider, The Hill, National Review, Al Jazeera, Mediaite, Raw Story, NPR, Conservative News Today, No More Mister Nice Blog, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Big League Politics, NBC News, Associated Press, Breitbart, IJR, Wall Street Journal, Reuters, Bloomberg, WINK NEWS, BuzzFeed News, Washington Examiner, Fox News, Patterico's Pontifications and Balloon Juice
Eric Levitz / New York Magazine:
The GOP Just Let Democrats Have Their Stimulus and Campaign On It Too — Next week, voters in Georgia will determine which party controls the U.S. Senate in 2021 — and thus, quite plausibly, the future of macroeconomic, climate, and health-care policy in the United States.
Discussion:
New York Times, COURIER and New York Post
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Washington Post:
McConnell says push for $2,000 stimulus checks has “no realistic path to quickly pass the Senate” — The Senate leader said the measure would be too costly, would not be targeted towards needy, and help families that are living comfortably. — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) …
Discussion:
New York Magazine, USA Today, IJR, The Week, The Hill, Washington Times, Newsy, The Daily Caller, Common Dreams and CBS San Francisco, more at Mediagazer »
Burgess Everett / Politico:
McConnell and GOP reject House's $2,000 stimulus checks — Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans finished off any imminent chance of approving $2,000 stimulus checks on Wednesday, ending a push from President Donald Trump and Democratic leaders to approve bigger direct payments as the congressional term comes to an end.
Jonathan V. Last / The Triad:
You Should Be Angry. — Before we get started: Shortly after I finished writing today's newsletter …
Discussion:
Missouri Independent, The Gateway Pundit, CNN, The Hill, Big League Politics, The Americano, IJR, Fox News and BGR
Stephen Fowler / Georgia Public Broadcasting:
Fact Check: Brad Raffensperger's Brother Is Not A Chinese Tech Executive Named Ron
Discussion:
CNN, Crooks and Liars, Snopes.com, Forbes, DickMorris.com and Talking Points Memo
Jason Sattler / USA Today:
I underestimated Biden in 2020 and have hope for 2021. Post-Trump detox is just the start.
Discussion:
National Review, Chicago Sun-Times, Newsbusters and Wall Street Journal
Rachel Siegel / Washington Post:
Here's how $2,000 stimulus checks would work, and who would qualify
Discussion:
Boston Herald, Orange County Register, New York Times, New York Post, Washington Times, The Hill, Raw Story and IJR
Ursula Perano / Axios:
McConnell: “No realistic path to quickly pass” stimulus check increase
Discussion:
Fox News, Business Insider, Mock Paper Scissors, IJR, The Daily Caller, CNBC, The Western Journal and Newsy
Axios:
Scoop: Trump administration declassifies unconfirmed intel on Chinese bounties — The Trump administration is declassifying as-yet uncorroborated intelligence, recently briefed to President Trump, that indicates China offered to pay non-state actors in Afghanistan to attack American soldiers …
Discussion:
The Hill, National Review, The Election Wizard, Raw Story and The Gateway Pundit
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Isaac Stanley-Becker / Washington Post:
Shots are slow to reach arms as Trump administration leaves final steps of mass vaccination to beleaguered states — Federal and state officials say the pace will soon accelerate, but the logistical challenges are also expected to intensify in the new year — In suburban Milwaukee …
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Apoorva Mandavilli / New York Times:
Discovery of Virus Variant in Colorado and California Alarms Scientists — A more contagious version of the coronavirus may alter the course of the pandemic in the United States, researchers said. — A contagious variant of the coronavirus spreading through Britain has left that nation grappling …
Taryn Ryder / Yahoo Entertainment:
Dr. Drew reveals COVID-19 diagnosis months after apologizing for downplaying coronavirus — Celebrity doctor Drew Pinsky has tested positive for COVID-19. Pinsky, known as “Dr. Drew,” is “under surveillance” according to a message shared on his Instagram account.
Discussion:
POLITICUSUSA
Jennifer Bendery / HuffPost:
Biden's Team Tells Senate Democrats To Send Him Judicial Nominees ASAP — The president-elect wants recommendations for all existing district court vacancies by Jan. 19, says his incoming White House counsel. — President-elect Joe Biden is signaling that he's ready to move quickly with nominating judges once he's sworn into office.
Discussion:
The Hill, CNN, Reason and Political Wire
NBC News:
Feds probing if Nashville bomber believed in lizard people conspiracy — Investigators are exploring several conspiracy theories as potential motives behind the Christmas Day bombing outside an AT&T building in Nashville, including evidence that the bomber believed in lizard people …
Discussion:
Snopes.com, Task & Purpose, The Other McCain, Law & Crime, UPI, The Week, USA Today and Washington Examiner
Mike Schneider / Associated Press:
Census Bureau to miss deadline, jeopardizing Trump plan — The Census Bureau plans to announce it will miss a year-end deadline for handing in numbers used for divvying up congressional seats, a census official said. That delay could undermine President Donald Trump's efforts to exclude people …
Discussion:
Fox News, The Hill, Axios, The United States …, WTOP, Politico and New York Post
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Hansi Lo Wang / NPR:
Census To Miss Year-End Deadline For Delivering Numbers For House Seats
Discussion:
CNN
Carol D. Leonnig / Washington Post:
Secret Service to make changes to presidential detail to bring on agents who worked with Biden — The Secret Service is making some staff changes in the presidential detail that will guard President-elect Joe Biden, amid concerns from Biden allies that some current members were politically aligned …
Discussion:
The Hill, UnHerd and Political Wire
David Wallace-Wells / New York Magazine:
America's Vaccine Rollout Is Already a Disaster — It's happening all over again. For months, Americans who despaired about the country's coronavirus-suppression efforts looked desperately to the arrival of a vaccine for a kind of pandemic deliverance. Now that it has arrived …
Discussion:
Washington Post
Dan Lamothe / Washington Post:
Bracing for a possible Iranian-linked attack, U.S. officials warn ‘the threat streams are very real’ — The U.S. military is bracing for a possible attack on American personnel and interests in Iraq, U.S. defense officials said, days before the first anniversary of an American drone strike that killed an Iranian general in Baghdad.
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Robert Burns / Associated Press:
US bomber mission over Persian Gulf aimed at cautioning Iran
Discussion:
U.S. Central Command, The Daily Caller, New York Post and Political Wire
Summer Concepcion / Talking Points Memo:
GOP Gov Cancels Inaugural Ceremony Over Armed Protesters Outside His Home — New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) on Wednesday announced that he is canceling his outdoor inauguration ceremony next month, citing “ongoing public safety concerns” over armed protesters who have gathered outside …
Discussion:
UPI
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Kathy Mccormack / Associated Press:
Governor cancels inaugural, citing mask protests at his home
Discussion:
WMUR
Katherine Rosman / New York Times:
Hilaria Baldwin Talks About Her Heritage, Spain, Boston, Alec and Instagram — Accused of a “decade long grift where she impersonates a Spanish person,” the entrepreneur and spouse of Alec Baldwin talks about Spain, Boston, her children, Instagram and more.
Discussion:
Showbiz411, Instapundit, The Federalist, Page Six, Breitbart, New York Post, Towleroad Gay News, Vanity Fair, The Daily Caller, Variety, Daily Mail, Townhall, Twitchy, Louder With Crowder, The Daily Beast, The Guardian, KDFX-TV, Power Line, People.com, Mediaite, Washington Post, The Week, Us Weekly and Mercury News
Brian Klaas / Washington Post:
Trump's parting gift to dictators solidifies his authoritarian legacy — Throughout his turbulent presidency, President Trump has been erratic and unpredictable. But in one realm, he has been consistent: supporting bloodthirsty despots who abuse, torture and kill their own people.
Discussion:
Raw Story, The Guardian and The New Arab
Missy Ryan / Washington Post:
Biden to tap longtime officials for top Pentagon roles — President-elect Joe Biden plans to nominate two former senior officials to fill the Pentagon's No. 2 and No. 3 jobs, transition officials said, further signaling the new administration's intent to forge a more predictable foreign policy …
Discussion:
Defense One, New York Daily News, Politico, President-Elect Joe Biden, The Daily Caller, Fox News, Accuracy in Media, IJR and The Week
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David Brand / Queens News:
Man hospitalized for COVID-19 after Queens Republican club Christmas party — At least one person has been hospitalized for COVID-19 after attending an indoor Christmas dance party hosted by the Whitestone Republican Club earlier this month, the Eagle has learned.
Discussion:
The Hill, Raw Story, Gothamist and Political Wire
Lachlan Markay / The Daily Beast:
Ted Cruz's Georgia Runoff Fundraising Is Actually Going to His Campaign. He's Not Alone — The runoff is a gold mine for politicians. And now that they can run Facebook ads in Georgia, they're rushing for it. — Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) needs your help to keep the U.S. Senate in Republican hands.
Discussion:
Fox News, Raw Story, The Intellectualist and Mock Paper Scissors
Transition / President-Elect Joe Biden:
President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris Announce Additional Members of White House Staff — Transition Names 100 Accomplished, Diverse White House Staff Members by End of 2020 — WASHINGTON - Today, President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris …
Discussion:
The Hill
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Alexis Ty / International Business Times:
National Bacon Day 2020: 12 Facts You Never Knew About The Delicious Pork Slab — KEY POINTS — National Bacon Day is celebrated on Dec. 30 each year — Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto was dubbed the father of the American pork industry — The phrase “bring home the bacon” …
Discussion:
Power Line
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