Top Items:
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, Towleroad Gay News, Associated Press, WTOP, Raw Story, The Sun, Washington Post, Mediaite, Grabien News and Balloon Juice
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Asawin Suebsaeng / The Daily Beast:
Trump Fears That His Influence Is Waning — The president is plotting retribution. Not just because he's mad about his election loss. But because he wants to keep folks in line. — As his days in office come to a close, President Donald Trump has hinted to those close to him that he's worried …
Discussion:
Political Wire and Raw Story
Tammy Bruce / Washington Times:
Trump not just admired, but appreciated
Trump not just admired, but appreciated
Discussion:
Associated Press and Snopes.com
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, TheBlaze and COURIER
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Burgess Everett / Politico:
McConnell and GOP reject House's $2,000 stimulus checks
McConnell and GOP reject House's $2,000 stimulus checks
Discussion:
POLITICUSUSA, Fox News, Washington Times, Al Jazeera, CBS News, Breitbart, TheGrio, The National Interest, NBC4 Washington, The American Independent, Talking Points Memo, Washington Examiner, The Guardian, The Daily Caller, Gothamist, Bloomberg, New York Times, Associated Press, WWLP-TV, Townhall and NewsNation Now, more at Mediagazer »
Brent Budowsky / The Hill:
Trump Georgia rally could backfire, electing Ossoff and Warnock
Trump Georgia rally could backfire, electing Ossoff and Warnock
Discussion:
Bloomberg, National Memo and New York Magazine
Carly Roman / Washington Examiner:
More than 8,000 to serve as GOP poll watchers during twin Senate races
More than 8,000 to serve as GOP poll watchers during twin Senate races
Jonathan V. Last / The Triad:
You Should Be Angry. — Before we get started: Shortly after I finished writing today's newsletter …
You Should Be Angry. — Before we get started: Shortly after I finished writing today's newsletter …
Discussion:
Missouri Independent, CNN, The Hill, Big League Politics, The Americano, HuffPost, Wall Street Journal, UPI, IJR, Bloomberg and Fox News
Matthew Choi / Politico:
Walmart apologizes to Hawley after calling him a sore loser — An exchange of sharp words followed the Missouri senator's vow to challenge President-elect Joe Biden's electoral victory. — Sen. Josh Hawley speaks on Dec. 16, 2020. Greg Nash/Pool via AP
Discussion:
Raw Story, TheGrio, Breitbart, HuffPost, Sara A. Carter, Business Insider, The Guardian, Snopes.com and New York Post
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New York Times:
Hawley Answers Trump's Call for Election Challenge
Hawley Answers Trump's Call for Election Challenge
Discussion:
Washington Post, Althouse, The Hill, Townhall, The New Arab, Breitbart, Washington Examiner, CNBC, ABC News, Florida Politics, Associated Press and Crooks and Liars
Jim Hoft / The Gateway Pundit:
BREAKING: “I Cannot Vote to Certify the Electoral College Results on January 6th” - MO Senator Josh Hawley Announces He Will Object to Electoral College Certification Process
BREAKING: “I Cannot Vote to Certify the Electoral College Results on January 6th” - MO Senator Josh Hawley Announces He Will Object to Electoral College Certification Process
Discussion:
Sara A. Carter, Twitchy and One America News Network
Washington Post:
Hawley's plan to contest electoral college vote certification ensures drawn-out process
Hawley's plan to contest electoral college vote certification ensures drawn-out process
Discussion:
Politico, The Stream, The Gateway Pundit, Los Angeles Times, Raw Story, New York Magazine, CNN, The Daily Signal, Crooks and Liars, Deseret News, Senator Josh Hawley, Fortune, NPR, WTOP, Associated Press, Patterico's Pontifications, alicublog, National Review, KRON4, No More Mister Nice Blog, Law & Crime, Slate, The Western Journal, American Interregnum, The Hill, The Daily Caller, Fox News, Washington Examiner and The Intellectualist
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:
National Review, New York Times, The Hill, The Gateway Pundit, The Election Wizard and Raw Story
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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 …
Dave Philipps / New York Times:
The Small Colorado Town Shrugged Off the Pandemic. Then Came the Coronavirus Variant.
The Small Colorado Town Shrugged Off the Pandemic. Then Came the Coronavirus Variant.
Discussion:
Denver Post
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:
CNN, Outside the Beltway, The Hill and Political Wire
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:
Politico, 2020Census.gov, Outside the Beltway, Fox News, Washington Examiner, The Hill, Axios, Florida Politics, Chicago Sun-Times and New York Post
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Hansi Lo Wang / NPR:
Census To Miss Year-End Deadline For Delivering Numbers For House Seats
Census To Miss Year-End Deadline For Delivering Numbers For House Seats
Discussion:
KDFX-TV
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
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, The Week and UPI
RELATED:
Elaine Shannon / SpyTalk:
Nashville's Big Bomb Was a Very Rare Device, Experts Think
Nashville's Big Bomb Was a Very Rare Device, Experts Think
Discussion:
National Memo, The Root and The Western Journal
Wall Street Journal:
Alden Global Seeks to Buy Tribune Publishing — Hedge fund already owns 32% of the Chicago Tribune publisher — A hedge fund that owns a big stake in Tribune Publishing Co. is seeking to buy the newspaper chain behind titles including the Chicago Tribune and New York Daily News, according to people familiar with the matter.
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
CNN:
US defense officials divided over potential for Iranian attack on eve of grim anniversary — Washington (CNN)The US flew nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to the Middle East Wednesday in the latest show of force meant to deter Iran, as defense officials remain divided over the risk posed by the regime …
Discussion:
New York Times, The Western Journal, Associated Press and Al Jazeera
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Tom Nichols / The Atlantic:
Trump Could Still Start a Last-Ditch War With Iran
Trump Could Still Start a Last-Ditch War With Iran
Discussion:
Washington Post, TheBlaze, Raw Story, Washington Examiner and The New Arab
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 New Arab and The Guardian
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:
IJR, USA Today, The Week, The Hill, Newsy, Washington Times, Political Wire, New York Magazine, CBS San Francisco, Common Dreams and The Daily Caller
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Ursula Perano / Axios:
McConnell: “No realistic path to quickly pass” stimulus check increase
McConnell: “No realistic path to quickly pass” stimulus check increase
Discussion:
Mock Paper Scissors, IJR, Fox News, The Daily Caller, NPR, CNBC, Newsy and The Western Journal
Rachel Siegel / Washington Post:
Here's how $2,000 stimulus checks would work, and who would qualify
Here's how $2,000 stimulus checks would work, and who would qualify
Discussion:
Conservative News Today, CBS News, Boston Herald, Orange County Register, IJR, New York Post, Washington Times, The Hill and Raw Story
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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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
Mark Levin / TheBlaze:
On January 6, we learn whether our Constitution will hold — And whether congressional Republicans care — January 6 is the day we learn whether our Constitution will hold and whether congressional Republicans care. — The 2020 presidential election was, in several targeted battleground states …
Discussion:
RedState
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