memeorandum: The Students Returned, but the Fallout From a Long Disruption Remained (Erica L. Green/New York Times)

12:00 PM ET, December 26, 2021

Top Items:

Maxine Bernstein / Oregonian:

Oregon father of four who told President Biden 'Let's Go Brandon' on Christmas Eve call said he meant it in jest — A Central Point father of four who wished President Joe Biden and the first lady a wonderful Christmas and added “Let's go, Brandon,” at the end of a live streamed Santa tracker call told …

Zachary Petrizzo / The Daily Beast:

'Let's Go Brandon' Christmas Caller to the Bidens Says It Was a ‘Joke’ — ‘FREEDOM OF SPEECH’ — The caller who blurted out “Let's Go Brandon” to Joe and Jill Biden, while they were fielding calls from the NORAD Santa tracking service on Christmas Eve, said it was intended as a lighthearted joke …

Discussion: Louder With Crowder and Slate

The White House:
Statement by President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden on Christmas

Discussion: Breitbart

Washington Examiner:
‘They are the blue Grinch that wants to steal Christmas’: Quotes of the week

Discussion: National Review and Politico

ABC News:
Bidens' Christmas message recognizes those ‘who have lost loved ones’ during pandemic

Discussion: Breitbart, CBS Philly and Politico

Marilyn Berger / New York Times:

Desmond Tutu, Whose Voice Helped Slay Apartheid, Dies at 90 — The archbishop, a powerful force for nonviolence in South Africa's anti-apartheid movement, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984. — Desmond M. Tutu, the cleric who used his pulpit and spirited oratory to help bring …

Discussion: Al Jazeera, Bloomberg and The Full Belmonte

Glenn Frankel / Washington Post:

Desmond Tutu, exuberant apostle of racial justice in South Africa, dies at 90 — Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu, South Africa's ebullient apostle of racial justice and reconciliation who won the Nobel Peace Prize for his struggle against the system of white domination known as apartheid, died Dec. 26 in Cape Town.

Discussion: Associated Press, Rolling Stone and CNN

BBC:
Desmond Tutu: South Africa anti-apartheid hero dies aged 90

Discussion: France 24, CBS News, Reuters, UPI, WSVN-TV, Al Jazeera, Metro.co.uk, The Times of Israel, Just The News and Politico

Sabrina Tavernise / New York Times:

First They Fought About Masks. Then Over the Soul of the City. — In Enid, Okla., pandemic politics prompted a fundamental question: What does it mean to be an American? Whose version of the country will prevail? — ENID, Okla. — On a hot night in July, the first summer of the pandemic …

Trip Gabriel / New York Times:

‘Magic’ Weight-Loss Pills and Covid Cures: Dr. Oz Under the Microscope — The celebrity physician, a candidate in Pennsylvania's Republican primary for Senate, has a long history of dispensing dubious medical advice on his daytime show and on Fox News. — A wealth of evidence now shows …

Discussion: Raw Story

John Harwood / CNN:

Biden's struggles shouldn't eclipse GOP's year of dangerous falsehoods — (CNN)America's running political conversation defaults to the sitting president. Today, Joe Biden's legislative struggles, pandemic management and weak approval rating drown out most everything else.

Discussion: Mother Jones, Washington Post and The Welcome Party

New York Times:

A U.S. Navy combat ship is stranded in Guantánamo Bay with a virus outbreak. — A Navy combat ship deployed to intercept drug trafficking in the Caribbean and East Pacific is stuck in the port at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, with a coronavirus outbreak among its fully vaccinated crew.

Discussion: Washington Post, RedState, Campaign Update and New York Post

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

PG Special Report: With shadowy money, Ukraine oligarch became Cleveland's biggest landlord — For Ukraine oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky, the Westin hotel in Cleveland that he owns with partners became the center of the most powerful Republican gathering in the nation during the 2016 convention.

Vincent Ni / The Guardian:

China replaces Xinjiang party boss associated with Uyghur crackdown — It is not known if Chen Quanguo's replacement by Guangdong governor Ma Xingrui signals fresh approach — China has replaced the Communist party official widely associated with a security crackdown targeting ethnic Uyghurs …

Discussion: Reuters

ABC News:

‘This Week’ Transcript 12-26-21: Dr. Anthony Fauci & Dr. Ashish Jha — A rush transcript of “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” airing on Sunday, December 26, 2021, on ABC News is below. This copy may not be in its final form, may be updated and may contain minor transcription errors.

Discussion: Politico and New York Post

The Hill:

Jan. 6 panel signals interest in whether Trump committed crime — The Jan. 6 Select Committee has signaled it intends to explore potential criminal wrongdoing by former President Trump, marking a significant escalation for the investigation that could put pressure on the Biden administration.

New York Times:

As Prices Rise, Biden Turns to Antitrust Enforcers — A wide-ranging presidential order helped block a railroad merger and tackle supply-chain problems, and it is planting the seeds for bigger actions. — WASHINGTON — As rising inflation threatens his presidency, President Biden is turning …

Kristen Rogers / CNN:

Why you should upgrade your mask as the Omicron variant spreads — (CNN)As the highly contagious Omicron coronavirus variant continues to spread, some experts say it's past time to reconsider your face mask options — especially if you're still wearing the cloth variety.

Discussion: Outside the Beltway and Ty’s Newsletter

Andrew Miller / Fox News:

MSNBC columnist calls for end of NORAD Santa tracker 'out of concern for Santa's safety' from US military — The columnist wondered if a military that ‘wrongly’ kills would ever come clean if it assassinated Santa — Pastor Brooks spends Christmas on a Chicago rooftop, reminds everyone you can bounce back

Discussion: RedState