memeorandum: Democracy won 2022. Can it keep winning? (E.J. Dionne Jr/Washington Post)

3:35 PM ET, January 1, 2023

Top Items:

Jonathan Lemire / Politico:

Biden begins 2023 with a stronger hand to play and an inclination to play it — A year makes a difference after all. — President Joe Biden begins 2023 politically stronger than 12 months ago, bolstered by his party's surprise midterms success, a robust set of legislative accomplishments …

Discussion: PoliticusUSA and Ace of Spades HQ

Jill Colvin / Associated Press:

Trump rings in 2023 facing headwinds in his White House run — Donald Trump began 2022 on a high. Primary candidates were flocking to Florida to court the former president for a coveted endorsement. His rallies were drawing thousands. A bevy of investigations remained largely under the radar.

Discussion: RedState, Los Angeles Times, The Hill and 77 WABC

Politico:

POLITICO Playbook: Welcome to 2023 — With help from Eli Okun and Garrett Ross — DRIVING THE DAY — Happy new year, y'all! — It's the first day of 2023 — time to take stock of where things are, look ahead at where things are headed and focus on building the future we want.

Discussion: Palm Beach Post

Mike Memoli / NBC News:

Biden to laud economic wins as GOP takes over House — Mitch McConnell and other leaders from both parties will join Biden this week to announce a major project funded by the new infrastructure law. — President Joe Biden will open the new year with a bipartisan show of force to tout …

Discussion: The Hill, CNN and NPR

Nicholas Confessore / New York Times:

The Invention of Elise Stefanik — To rise through the Trump-era G.O.P., a young congresswoman gave up her friends, her mentors and her ideals. Will it be enough? — Elise Stefanik had had enough. — In the wake of the 2018 midterms, the young congresswoman was sick of commuting …

Discussion: RedState, Twitchy, Insider, Raw Story and Mediaite

Fox News:

Suspect in NYC police stabbing may have Islamic extremist ties — The FBI's counterrorism task force was monitoring the suspect for weeks, police sources say — Coming up on ‘Fox News Sunday’: January 1 — The suspect taken into custody for the stabbing of two New York City police officers may have ties to Islamic extremism.

Discussion: NBC New York, New York Post, WMTW-TV, CBS News, Associated Press, RedState and The Daily Caller

Theresa Maher / The Hill:

GOP governor: Jan. 6 should disqualify Trump from holding office — Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R-Ark.) reiterated on Sunday that he preferred a different GOP presidential candidate in 2024 who was not former President Trump, telling ABC's “This Week” that Jan. 6 should disqualify Trump from holding office again.

Discussion: Washington Times and ABC News

Hope Yen / Associated Press:

Santos should consider resigning, veteran GOP lawmaker says — Even as the House GOP leadership keeps silent, a veteran Republican lawmaker said Sunday that George Santos should consider resigning after the congressman-elect from New York admitted to lying about his heritage, education and professional career.

Discussion: NBC New York, New York Post, The Hill and Political Wire

David Moye / HuffPost:

Rudy Giuliani Records Bizarre New Year's Eve Video From Mar-A-Lago — Donald Trump's personal lawyer was drowned out by a cover band playing “Footloose.” — Rudy Giuliani seems to have had a good time ringing in the new year. — If only he could remember what year it actually is.

Discussion: PoliticusUSA, Insider and Raw Story

E.J. Dionne Jr / Washington Post:

Democracy won 2022. Can it keep winning? — We have become so accustomed to bad news, crisis and dysfunction that it's hard to accept the ways in which 2022 was a surprisingly good year for democracy, innovative government action and even a degree of social peace. — Can we build on the good news in 2023?

Nigel Gould-Davies / New York Times:

The U.S. Should Define Russia's Red Lines — “What are Putin's red lines?” — This question, asked with growing urgency as Russia loses its war in Ukraine but does not relent in its aggressions, is intended to offer analytical clarity and to guide policy. In reality, it is the wrong question, because “red line” is a bad metaphor.

Jared Gans / The Hill:

Bipartisan lawmakers call for legislation to regulate Big Tech — Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) on Sunday voiced support for legislation to increase regulations on Big Tech, expressing their concerns on NBC's “Meet the Press.”

Discussion: Washington Times and NBC News

Peter Staley / New York Times:

Anthony Fauci Quietly Shocked Us All — The first time I met Dr. Anthony Fauci was at the International AIDS Conference in Montreal during the summer of 1989. ACT UP, the AIDS activist group I was a part of, had scared the bejesus out of conference organizers by seizing the stage during …

Discussion: Balloon Juice and Digby's Hullabaloo

New York Times:

Benedict XVI, First Modern Pope to Resign, Dies at 95 — He defined a conservative course for the Roman Catholic Church, but his papacy was noted for his struggle with the clergy sexual abuse scandal and for his unexpected resignation. — Benedict XVI, the pope emeritus …

Washington Post:
How Benedict's death could reshape the Catholic Church

Discussion: Crux Now, New York Post, The Hill, Metro.co.uk, The Daily Register, Slate, Deutsche Welle, TheBlaze, NPR, CBS News, KLAS, America Magazine, Associated Press, NBC News, Washington Times, TMZ.com, Wall Street Journal, NewsNation, Breitbart, USA Today, Semafor, 77 WABC and Denver Post

CNN:

Authorities tracked the Idaho student killings suspect cross-country to Pennsylvania, sources say — Authorities tracked the man charged in the killings of four Idaho college students all the way to Pennsylvania and surveilled him for several days before finally arresting him on Friday, sources told CNN.