Newt Gingrich Said What?  —  Recalling a speech where Newt Gingrich proposed abolishing tenure at state universities, I decided to go through the news archives for other examples of bold, intriguing ideas that went nowhere.  There is no doubt that Newt Gingrich is one of the most creative and energetic thinkers in the Republican Party.

Shockingly, Morning Joe Transcript Actually Worth Five Minutes of Your Time  —  But only five minutes.  —  Down on Obama, and that includes the liberals, who are beginning to get as distracted and depressed as he is, over the burden of having to spin his failures.  —  Video at the link, but here's some good parts.

Occupy L.A.: 30 tons of debris left behind at City Hall tent city  —  Sanitation officials said Wednesday that they expect to haul away 30 tons of debris from the Occupy L.A. encampment — everything from clothing to heaps of garbage to oddball curiosities left behind by the protesters …

Schumer: Democrats can gain Senate seats in 2012 election  —  Sen. Charles Schumer says the political landscape has shifted dramatically from the 2010 election and predicts that Senate Democrats will hold their majority and might even expand it next year.  —  In an interview with The Hill …

In New Hampshire, Herman Cain vows 'it ain't over yet'  —  Herman Cain reacts to supporters at his campaign headquarters in Manchester, N.H., on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011.  (Elise Amendola / Associated Press)  —  Reporting from Manchester, N.H.— Stridently denying allegations of an extramarital affair …

Three inconvenient truths for Occupy Wall Street  —  Occupy Wall Street needs to recognize some realities about what drives income inequality.  —  Occupy Wall street demonstrators lock arms as they block Broad street near the New York Stock Exchange in lower Manhattan on Nov. 17.  (Mike Segar / Reuters)

Stocks & Bonds: Markets Surge on Action By Several Central Banks  —  A move announced by central bankers on Wednesday to contain the European debt crisis resulted in euphoria in global stock markets, but it also prompted skeptics to wonder: will this time be different?

Pike church takes stand against interracial couples  —  A small Pike County church has voted not to accept interracial couples as members or let them take part in some worship activities.  —  The decision has caused sharp reaction and disapproval in the Eastern Kentucky county.

A Banker Speaks, With Regret  —  If you want to understand why the Occupy movement has found such traction, it helps to listen to a former banker like James Theckston.  He fully acknowledges that he and other bankers are mostly responsible for the country's housing mess.

US Embassy in Iran?  Michele Bachmann's ‘Oops’ Moment  —  ABC News' Molly Hunter reports:  —  Did Michelle Bachmann have her “oops” moment?  —  In light of the British Foreign Ministry pulling all U.K. nationals out of the British embassy in Tehran after students stormed the building in protest …

A second Iranian nuclear facility has exploded, as diplomatic tensions rise between the West and Tehran  —  SHEERA FRENKEL - … AN IRANIAN nuclear facility has been hit by a huge explosion, the second such blast in a month, prompting speculation that Tehran's military and atomic sites are under attack.

Mayor Bloomberg: ‘I Have My Own Army’  —  In a speech at MIT last night to discuss the packed sweepstakes to build a tech campus in New York City, Mayor Bloomberg said he prefers City Hall to the White House.  Almost immediately after Mayor Bloomberg dampened recent speculation he's eyeing a White House bid …

Barney the bully: Congressman Frank's other legacy  —  The morning after his retirement announcement, Rep. Barney Frank scored an interview on NBC's “Today” show, gaining the opportunity to act as an elder statesman in front of a TV audience of millions.  Instead, the Massachusetts Democrat chose to quarrel with the interviewer.

Obama's city visit, Rockefeller tree tourists create traffic ‘nightmare’  —  Is he gone yet?  —  President Obama's fund-raising foray into Manhattan today created enough gridlock to make Congress envious — at almost the exact moment that thousands of tourists jammed into Rockefeller Center to watch the Christmas tree-lighting.

Early Results in Egypt Show a Mandate for Islamists  —  CAIRO — Islamists claimed a decisive victory on Wednesday as early election results put them on track to win a dominant majority in Egypt's first Parliament since the ouster of Hosni Mubarak, the most significant step yet …

Dem Recruit Attacks GOP Congressman for Backing Obama  —  Here's a telling sign of how much President Obama's fortunes have changed since 2008 — a leading Democratic Congressional recruit is now attacking a Republican congressman for supporting the president.

A Club of Liars, Demagogues, and Fools  —  The German newsweekly Spiegel takes the latest disclosures concerning Herman Cain and the rise of Newt Gingrich as an opportunity to offer a foreign bird's-eye view of the current Republican Party and the American media froth around it.  My translation: