1. New group tries to convince Cheney to run in 2012 19 hours ago   permalink

Rsinderbrand / CNN

A new group wants Dick Cheney to challenge President Obama in 2012. Washington (CNN) – A new group wants former Vice President Dick Cheney back in the White House. The organization - "Draft Dick Cheney 2012" - launched on Friday, and unveiled their new Web site. Their aim: To convince the former vice president to seek [...]

discussions

Steve Benen / Political Animal :   Friday's campaign round-up

Ron Chusid / Liberal Values :   They Must Be Kidding

Booman Tribune / Booman Tribune :   Dick in 2012 Pilgrim150 / Say Anything :   Cheney in 2012? Daniel Tencer / Raw Story :   ‘Draft Cheney’ group wants Dick back in the White House Ronin / The Jawa Report :   Listen. Can You Hear The Heads Of Liberals Exploding Like Popped Balloons? Greg / Rhymes With Right :   Something That Should Be Considered Melissa McEwan / Shakesville :   LOL! No.

related items

The Swamp Draft Dick Cheney: A committee is born   —  by Mark Silva Here's a conversation starter: "Draft Dick Cheney.'' An admirer of the former vice president filed papers today in Washington for a committee with a goal of getting Cheney to run for president in 2012 . "The 2012 race for the Republican nomination for president will be about much more then who will be the party's standard bearer ...

2. Justice Department Says Acorn Can Be Paid for Pre-Ban Contracts 17 hours ago   permalink

CHARLIE SAVAGE / NYT

The administration is advised to honor contracts signed before Congress banned providing money to Acorn.

discussions

Pilgrim150 / Say Anything :   Shocker: Obama’s Justice Department Rules That ACORN Can Be Paid For ExistingGovernment Contracts

Muriel Kane / Raw Story :   ACORN reprieve sparks GOP fury

Pamela Geller / Atlas Shrugs :   The Most Corrupt Administration in US History: NY TIMES: Attorney General Holder Says ACORN Can Be Funded by Federal Govmnt... Jim Hoft / Gateway Pundit :   Obama Administration Approves of ACORN Funding John Elwood / The Volokh Conspiracy :   Five New OLC Opinions Steve / Sweetness :   Obama To Pay ACORN Despite Congress

related items

Biggovernment.com Calif AG Brown defends ACORN right to privacy   —  On Tuesday November 24th, the day after Big Government broke the story revealing tens of thousands of documents containing sensitive material had been unceremoniously dumped in a trash bin behind the San Diego ACORN office, Attorney General Jerry Brown appeared on Talk Radio KABC’s Peter Tilden Show. Glenn Reynolds / Instapundit :    BIG GOVERNMENT: Calif. Attorney General Offers Incoherent, Troubling Answers When Asked About ACORN… Pamela Geller / Atlas Shrugs :    The Most Corrupt Administration in US History: NY TIMES: Attorney General Holder Says ACORN Can Be Funded by Federal Govmnt...

The Orange County Register Editorial: Jerry Brown vs. ACORN   —  It might sound little cliché, but ACORN is the gift of controversy that keeps on giving. This time the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now is putting Jerry Brown, California's attorney general and likely gubernatorial candidate, in... Glenn Reynolds / Instapundit :    ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: Jerry Brown Needs To Get Serious About Investigating ACORN….

ABCNews.com / Political Punch Justice Department Questions Retroactive Ban on Federal Funds to ACORN   —  The Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel this week posted a legal opinion saying that the Obama administration may continue paying the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) for contracts signed before Congress in September passed -- and... () / The Corner on National Review Online Holder Justice: The Gift That Keeps On Giving. -- By: Jonah Goldberg   —  From the NYT: WASHINGTON — The Justice Department has concluded that the Obama administration can lawfully pay the community group Acorn for services provided under contracts signed before Congress banned the government from providing money to the group. Stage Right / Big Government Calif. Attorney General Offers Incoherent, Troubling Answers When Asked About ACORN Doc Dump   —  On Tuesday November 24th, the day after Big Government broke the story revealing tens of thousands of documents containing sensitive material had been unceremoniously dumped in a trash bin behind the San Diego ACORN office, Attorney General Jerry Brown appeared on Talk Radio KABC’s Peter Tilden Show. Considering this document dump occurred  Confederate Yankee / Confederate Yankee Holder Goes Around Congress, Enables ACORN to Receive Funds   —  Needless to say, those in Congress who voted to strip them of funding are not happy: Since 1994, ACORN, which stands for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, has received about $53 million in federal aid, much of... Don Surber / Don Surber ACORN loses backers in Pelosi-land   —  “The troubles of the nation’s largest community organizing organization, ACORN, are being felt in the liberal Bay Area, where there is normally no shortage of supporters of the group’s efforts to provide free tax help and other services to low-income residents and people of color,” reported Joe Garofoli of the [...]

3. Obamas’ Uninvited Guests Prompt an Inquiry 20 hours ago   permalink

Www.nytimes.com

WASHINGTON — The Secret Service is investigating how a couple aspiring to be reality-show celebrities managed to appear at President Obama’s first state dinner without being on the guest list, provoking questions about security at the White House.

discussions

Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo :   Big Deal or No?

ROBERT STEIN / The Moderate Voice :   Hug a Terrorist for the Holidays

Melissa McEwan / Shakesville :   What the...?! BrothersJudd Blog :   IT'S KNOWN AS THE OBAMA PATH TO THE WHITE HOUSE, ISN'T IT? : Adrian Chen / Gawker :   Did an Indian Diplomat Help the Salahis Crash the White House? Tommy Christopher / Mediaite :   White House Dinner ‘Party Crashers’: Help From The Inside?

related items

Gawker.com Did an Indian Diplomat Help the Salahis Crash the Whitehouse?   —  The Secret Service is currently investigating how fameballs Michaele and Tareq Salahi crashed Obama's first state dinner, Bravo camera crew in tow. We have a theory: Their polo buddy, Indian ambassador Arun K. Singh, got them in on the DL. Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo :    Another Theory Tommy Christopher / Mediaite :    White House Dinner ‘Party Crashers’: Help From The Inside?

Www.politico.com Party crashers recorded by Bravo crew   —  Two aspiring socialites who allegedly slipped uninvited into the White House for a state dinner Tuesday night were being filmed by a camera crew for a reality television show as they prepared for their headline-grabbing caper. Rileyc / CNN :    POLITICAL HOT TOPICS: Adrian Chen / Gawker :    Did an Indian Diplomat Help the Salahis Crash the White House?

ABCNews.com / Political Punch White House Christmas Tree Arrives   —  The First Lady and First Tweens were on hand this afternoon to accept the White House Christmas tree. As is tradition on the day after Thanksgiving, the tree arrived via a horse-drawn carriage at the doors of the North Portico, as a band played “O Christmas Tree.” Mrs. Obama and her daughters walked outside to greet the 18½ foot Douglas-fir ... ABC News :    Couple Donates White House Christmas Tree ABCNews.com / Political Punch White House Crashers Met the President   —  It turns out the couple who crashed the White House State Dinner got a lot more access than previously thought. Michaele and Tareq Salahi met with President Barack Obama in a receiving line before guests sat down to dinner. James Joyner / Outside The Beltway :    White House Party Crashers Met Obama CNN.com White House crashers met president   —  A couple who allegedly crashed this week's state dinner at the White House met President Obama in a reception line at the event, a White House official told CNN. Jason Horowitz / Wash Post Politics Secret Service takes blame for uninvited couple's access to White House   —  © Copyright 1996- The Washington Post Company | User Agreement and Privacy Policy | Rights and Permissions Rsinderbrand / CNN White House crashers named in 16 civil suits   —  Washington (CNN) - The Virginia couple accused of crashing President Obama's first White House state dinner on Tuesday are named in at least 16 different civil suits in Fauquier County, sometimes as plaintiffs, sometimes as defendants. A trawl through court records on Thursday revealed a more complete picture of Tareq and Michaele Salahi, who ... David Kurtz / Talking Points Memo We Just Crashed Your Party!   —  The White House just released a photo of President Obama greeting, unbeknownst to him apparently, the state dinner crashers in a receiving line. More here . Latest Politics Headlines Video: Gate Crashers Safety Breach   —  Secret Service officials are still trying to determine how Michaele and Tareq Salahi attended the President's state dinner even though they were not invited to the White House. Bob Orr reports. Vladimir (Profile) / RedState Further on the Matter of the Party Crashers: An Open Letter to the Secret Service   —  [UPDATE: It turns out that the Salahis had contact with President Obama . Oy vey.] Dear Sirs: I expect better of you. Seriously. Even if, as some have suggested , this is a put-up deal, it can’t help but reflect poorly on the reputation and performance of your fine Service, which has provided a century and a half of efficient ... Rsinderbrand / CNN Christmas season kicks off at the White House   —  (Photo credit: Getty Images) Michelle Obama and her two daughters, Sasha and Malia, began Christmas preparations Friday, receiving the official White House Christmas tree.  Continuing a White House tradition, the tree was delivered on a carriage to the North Portico. It will be decorated and displayed in the Blue Room later during the day. This [ Kevin Aylward / Wizbang Obama And The Party Crashers   —  It turns out that the couple who crashed the White House state dinner, Michaele and Tareq Salahi, did meet with President Obama. The White House released the following photo on... Baltimoresun.com White House: Couple who attended dinner without an invitation met Obama in receiving line   —  WASHINGTON (AP) — A White House official says the Virginia couple who attended a state dinner without an invitation met President Barack Obama in the receiving line. Scott Wilson / Wash Post Politics Australian leader will visit Obama   —  Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd will visit the White House on Monday as President Obama begins a week during which he will announce his war strategy in Afghanistan and appeal to allies such as Australia for more help. FOXNews.com Facts Belie Fantasy Resume of Socialite Who Crashed White House Dinner   —  The Secret Service has launched an investigation into the security breach and has not ruled out filing criminal charges against the couple Yahoo! News White House endorses IAEA censure of Iran   —  AP - The White House says a vote by the U.N. nuclear watchdog's board to censure Iran over its disputed nuclear program shows the "growing international deficit of confidence" in Iran's intentions. Noel Sheppard / NewsBusters.org ClimateGate Scientists Cited in Report to White House and Congress   —  Scientists involved in the growing ClimateGate scandal were cited in an October climate change report prepared for the White House and Congress. Titled "Our Changing Planet," the 172-page document was created by The U.S. Global Change Research Program along with the Subcommittee on Global Change Research, and was submitted as a ... AHN Media White House Lambasts New Charges Against American-Iranian Detained In Tehran   —  The White House says new charges against New School University professor Kian Tajbakhsh are "baseless." Tajbakhsh was arrested in his home in Tehran in July on charges that he had led in organizing the massive aniti-government demonstrations this year after incumbent Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won disputed elections. - (AHN) Directorblue / Doug Ross Obama Calls for Immediate Probe of White House Crashers; As For Millions of Missing Jobs? Not So Much.   —  A headline in this afternoon's Wall Street Journal ("Obama Calls for Probe of White House Crashers") describes the president's anxiety over his personal security.As for the economic security of millions of Americans -- who are victims of Democrat policy failures and Cloward-Piven government -- well, the President has plans.He plans to convene a " ... () / Media Blog on National Review Online Crashing the White House Party -- By: Greg Pollowitz   —  It's looking more and more like the cable network Bravo helped Tareq and Michaele Salahi crash the recent White House state dinner. Bravo is owned by NBC. If Bravo is found to have helped these two idiots, what penalty is appropriate for NBC? I'm sure if Fox were somehow involved, the Left would be calling for a ban of Fox News. Let's see if the ... Scott Ott / ScrappleFace State Dinner Crashers Make White House Retro Guest List   —  The White House today attempted to quell alarm over two interlopers who somehow breached security to attend a state dinner for the prime minister of India this week. Although Tareq and Michaele Salahi were not on the initial guest list, said White House press secretary Robert Gibbs, “They do appear on the retro guest list, thus negating ... The Seattle Times Secret Service: officers didn't verify crashers   —  The head of the Secret Service says his agency failed to verify whether a Virginia couple was on the guest list when they crashed a White House state dinner. The Seattle Times White House says uninvited dinner couple met Obama   —  A White House official says the Virginia couple who attended a state dinner without an invitation met President Barack Obama in the receiving line. FOXNews.com Lawyer: White House Cleared Crashers   —  The northern Virginia socialite couple now being investigated by the Secret Service for crashing President Obama’s first state dinner on Tuesday were reportedly "cleared" to attend by the White House, their attorney claims. Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo Face Time   —  A White House official tells TPM the party-crashing Salahis managed to meet President Obama on the receiving line at the state dinner. Reuters World's patience with Iran is limited: White House   —  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The world is losing patience with Iran's behavior over its nuclear program and Tehran will be responsible for the consequences if it fails to meet its obligations, the White House said on Friday. Politics Secret Service: We messed up, and it's not funny   —  The couple that sneaked into a state dinner at the White House pulled off a spectacular security stunt, and the Secret Service is red with embarrassment. Reuters Gate crashers met Obama at state dinner with India   —  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A couple who penetrated layers of security to enter a State Dinner at the White House this week without an invitation met U.S. President Barack Obama in the receiving line, a White House official said on Friday. USATODAY.com News State dinner crashers could face criminal charges   —  The Secret Service is investigating how a Virginia couple slipped through security checkpoints and crashed President Obama's ... ABC News White House Crashers Met President Obama   —  Michaele and Tareq Salahi met president on a receiving line, White House says. White House - United States - Government - Executive Branch - Executive Office of the President Michael Moore Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Singh of India in Joint Press Conference   —  The White House Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release November 24, 2009 East Room [...] PRESIDENT OBAMA: I think that the review that we've gone through has been comprehensive and extremely useful, and has brought together my key military advisors, but also civilian advisors. I can tell you, as I've said before, that it is in our ... Yahoo! News Gate crashers met Obama at state dinner with India   —  Reuters - A couple who penetrated layers of security to enter a State Dinner at the White House this week without an invitation met U.S. President Barack Obama in the receiving line, a White House official said on Friday.

4. Those Who Rate U.S. Health Care System Good or Excellent Up To 49% 19 hours ago   permalink

Www.rasmussenreports.com

Forty-nine percent (49%) of voters nationwide now rate the U.S. health care system as good or excellent. That marks a steady increase from 44% at the beginning of October, 35% in May and 29% a year-and-a-half ago.

discussions

Pilgrim150 / Say Anything :   Approval For Health Care Status Quo Up 20 Points Since May 2008

Jim Hoft / Gateway Pundit :   Howard Dean: There Isn’t Any Reform In Dem’s Health Care Bill

() / The Corner on National Review Online :   Compared to What? -- By: Yuval Levin Curt / Flopping Aces :   You Never Knew What You Lost Until It’s Gone – The New Rasmussen Poll On ObamaCare

related items

() / Articles on National Review Online Kill the Bills. Do Health Reform Right. -- By: Charles Krauthammer   —  T he United States has the best health care in the world -- but because of its inefficiencies, also the most expensive. The fundamental problem with the 2,074-page Senate health-care bill (as with its 2,014-page House counterpart) is that it wildly compounds the complexity by adding hundreds of new provisions, regulations, mandates, committees, ... Glenn Reynolds / Instapundit :    CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER: Kill The Bills: Do Health Reform Right. “Insuring the uninsured is a moral i… () / The Corner on National Review Online :    Dr. K Today -- By: Kathryn Jean Lopez John / Verum Serum :    Kill the Bill: Strange Bedfellows Against ObamaCare Glenn Reynolds / Instapundit :    CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER: Kill The Bills: Do Health Reform Right. “Insuring the uninsured is a moral i…

Www.washingtonexaminer.com Dems' kamikaze mission: Health care by New Year's   —  Democratic Sen. Richard Durbin recently was asked if a national health care bill would pass the Senate by the end of the year. "It must," Durbin responded. "We have to finish it." John / Power Line :    It's B-a-a-a-ack! () / The Corner on National Review Online :    'Dems' kamikaze mission' -- By: Kathryn Jean Lopez

Tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com Backlash Grows Against NC Health Insurer's Anti-Reform Campaign   —  A North Carolina health insurer is facing a major backlash in the wake of its campaign to enlist customers in the fight against health-care reform. The state's Insurance Commissioner has begun an inquiry into a mailer sent recently by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina -- and first revealed last month by TPMmuckraker -- that urged customers ... Raw Story / Raw Story :    Blue Cross in hot water over North Carolina letter campaign Colby Hall / Mediaite Canadian Comedian Fails Miserably In Trying To Embarrass Sarah Palin   —  During a book signing event in Columbus, Ohio, Canadian Comedian Mary Walsh ambushed Sarah Palin with camera crew and microphone to seek her thoughts on the Canadian health care system (and ostensibly embarrass her as well.) While many websites are now presenting this video clip as evidence of Palin's naivete, the video actually acquits her quite ... Dan / Riehl World View :    Was Sarah Palin Really Punked By A Canadian Comic? Allahpundit / Hot Air » Top Picks :    Video: Palin, like, totally pwn3d by Canadian comedian or something Www.rasmussenreports.com Damn the Deficit: Full Speed Ahead on Health Care   —  Double-digit. That hyphenated adjective has been used most often recently to describe October's 10.2 percent unemployment rate. But it can also be used to describe the federal budget deficit as a percentage of the gross domestic product. That precise number is not yet known, but it may turn out to have a more dire effect on our national life than ... John / Power Line :    It's B-a-a-a-ack! Susie Madrak / Crooks and Liars Howard Dean to Lieberman: If You're Going to Block Health-Care Bill, Resign Your Chairmanship   —  I wonder: Now that Howard Dean's been the first person to say it out loud , will the media lemmings follow? We'll see: Former DNC Chair Howard Dean called on Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn) to resign as chair of Senate Homeland Security Committee if he can't bring himself to oppose a Republican filibuster of health care reform legislation. ... FOXNews.com Senate Poised to Take Up Health Care Bill Next Week   —  The Senate is set to begin debate Monday on its version of a sweeping legislation to remake the U.S. health care system, a showdown likely to last for weeks. Scott Maniquet / Full Comment Conrad Black: Debt vortex drowns U.S. health care ambitions   —  Washington’s massive spending stimulus and money-supply expansion have staved off the feared collapse into depression. But unemployment has continued to rise, and the economy has not really revived. Americans, who’d been encouraged by their fiscal and monetary guardians for over a decade not to save anything, but to binge on unaffordable ... Chip / AfterDowningStreet.org Senator Sanders on This Week; Take The New Health Care Poll   —  Senator Sanders on This Week Senator Bernie Sanders will be George Stephanopoulos’ guest Sunday on the ABC News program This Week to discuss the war in Afghanistan and the debate over health care reform. For more information on the health care debate visit Senator Sanders' Web site - click here . To let us know what you think, take the new ... Blue Mass. Group Senate ad watch: Coakley returns to health care   —  Martha Coakley has released a new ad that in some respects is startlingly similar to one of her old ads. Both involve a woman who has been treated badly by the health care system; both women then say that Martha's the one to fix it. Compare: New ad: Old ad: NPR Topics Hawaii Opting Out Of Health Care Overhaul   —  Hawaii wants out of the national health care overhaul because it already has one of the lowest uninsured rates in the country, thanks to its 35-year-old employer mandate system. Hawaii's congressional delegation inserted language into both House and Senate health care bills that provides explicit protection for the landmark Hawaii Prepaid Health ... Dan Perrin (Profile) / RedState MSNBC: Dean Guest Hosts on Maddow, Talks Health Care with Sen. Sanders   —  The argument being made by former Democratic Party Chairman Dean is really pretty simple: the only health care reform in the Senate bill is the public option, and if the four moderate Senators kill the public option, then the bill should die. Senator Sanders, again, re-affirms his opposition to his any bill that does not have a public option. ... Ed Morrissey / Hot Air » Top Picks Rasmussen: Approval rating of US health-care system up 20 points since early 2008   —  You don't know what you've got 'til it's (almost) gone. FOXNews.com Bill Complicates Drive to Add Primary Care Doctors   —  Pressure to keep down the health care legislation's cost has led Democrats to exclude one way of alleviating the projected shortage of primary care physicians. Greg / Rhymes With Right My Family Will Be Hurt By The Democrat Health Care Scheme   —  I've never made a secret of the fact that my wife suffers from serious chronic degenerative health issues. It is a part of our everyday life. Some folks have argued that folks like me ought to embrace ObamaCare (or one... Right Mind / Right Mind Charges Filed In Health Care Town Hall Beating Of Conservative African-American Man   —  “They were charged with “misdemeanor” violations for smashing a black man on the cement and calling him n*****.” Of course, it’s only a hate crime to use the n-word against a liberal, not against a black conservative. From The Post Dispatch : Six people arrested in August outside a raucous town hall meeting in south ... Forum Health care reform before the end of the year?   —  Byron York of the Examiner doesn't think so: "Democratic Sen. Richard Durbin recently was asked if a national health care bill would pass the Senate by the end of the year. 'It must,' Durbin responded. 'We have to finish it.' Many other top Democrats share Durbin's determination to meet this deadline. But it' USATODAY.com News Blitz of health care ads a windfall for TV   —  The congressional debate over health care has produced an unexpected recession windfall: a television advertising boom in the ... Ellen / News Hounds Anthony Weiner Smacks Down Stuart Varney On Health Care   —  Congressman Anthony Weiner is a News Hounds Top Dog. Not just because he smacked down every one of Stuart Varney's "socialized medicine" right-wing talking points but because he refused to allow Varney, guest hosting for Neil Cavuto Tuesday (11/24/09), to control the discussion. Video after the jump. (H/T Matt)

5. Weekly Tracking Poll: New Feature Paints Ugly 2010 Picture 12 hours ago   permalink

Daily Kos / Daily Kos

Research 2000 for Daily Kos. 11/22/2009-11/25/2009. All adults. MoE 2% (Last weeks results in parentheses): FAVORABLE UNFAVORABLE NET CHANGE PRESIDENT OBAMA 53 (55) 40 (39) -3 PELOSI: 41 (40) 51 (51) +1 REID: 31 (32) 59 (58) -2 McCONNELL: 15 (14) 68 (68) +1 BOEHNER: 13 (13) 66 (65) -1 CONGRESSIONAL DEMS: 41 (42) 54 (53) -2 CONGRESSIONAL GOPS: 14 (

discussions

Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo :   Watch Out

Taegan Goddard :   A Big Enthusiasm Gap

related items

Daily Kos / Daily Kos GOP won't make huge 2010 gains with this cash balance   —  Massive Democratic gains in 2006 and 2008 were fueled in part by Democratic advantages in committee fundraising. While Bush's RNC handily outraised its Democratic counterparts at the DNC, both the Democratic House and Senate committees crushed their Republican counterparts. Not much has changed . Fundraising for Democratic campaign committees is ...

Taegan Goddard Democrats Outraising Republicans   —  Fundraising for Democratic campaign committees is surging, USA Today reports, "helping the party to extend a winning streak in competitive special elections and giving House Democrats a more than 3-to-1 advantage over Republicans in cash stockpiled for the battles ahead." "The Democratic National Committee, along with the fundraising arm for ...

Daily Kos / Daily Kos Against the filibuster, against the bill   —  Now that it's 2009 and Barack Obama is president, Republicans claim that they believe voting against a filibuster is the same thing as voting for the bill. They are, of course, wrong . Think back to what happened in 2003, the last major health care debate. In that year, Republicans took the exact opposite view when the Senate passed Bush's ... Rss / MyDD A GOP Shuffle in Connecticut   —  At the urging of the Connecticut GOP establishment, Republican State Sen. Sam Caligiuri has switched from running for a seat in the Senate to one in the House of Representatives. Mr. Caligiuri will enter a primary contest against fellow Republicans Justin Bernier and Mark Greenberg. Should he prevail, he will run against Democratic ... Michael Moore President vs. party on troop increase   —  President Obama will reveal his new Afghanistan war strategy in a speech Tuesday evening to cadets at West Point, but his most skeptical audience is likely to be the powerful Democrats on Capitol Hill who oppose a troop buildup. Top Democrats have made it clear to Obama that he will not receive a friendly reception should he announce what is ... Michael Moore House Democrats from the Bay Area line up against Obama's expected troop surge in Afghanistan   —  WASHINGTON — As President Barack Obama prepares to announce his long-awaited decision on Afghanistan, many war-weary Democrats in Congress are holding their tongues, uneasy about the possibility of a troop surge but wanting to give Obama space to make a defining decision of his presidency. San Jose's Mike Honda is not one of them. "I would ...

6. Obama Bans Lobbyists from Gov Panels 17 hours ago   permalink

David Paul Kuhn / Real Clear Politics

The Washington Post reports on a subtle but substantial effort by the Obama administration to diminish lobbyists' outsized hold on U.S. policy. The Post reports: Hundreds, if not thousands, of lobbyists are likely to be ejected from federal advisory panels … The new policy -- issued with little fanfare this fall by the White House ethics [...]

related items

Dan Eggen / Wash Post Politics New Obama policy bars lobbyists from federal advisory panels   —  Hundreds, if not thousands, of lobbyists are likely to be ejected from federal advisory panels as part of a little-noticed initiative by the Obama administration to curb K Street's influence in Washington, according to White House officials and lobbying experts.

James Joyner / Outside The Beltway Lobbyists Booted from Advisory Panels   —  Josh Marshall points me to a story by WaPo’s Dan Eggen that sheds light on a little-known aspect of how Washington works: Hundreds, if not thousands, of lobbyists are likely to be ejected from federal advisory panels as part of a little-noticed initiative by the Obama administration to curb K Street’s influence in Washington, ...

Thehill.com Obama faces a daunting December thanks to make-or-break issues   —  President Barack Obama is ending a whirlwind first year in the Oval Office with a critical December that could shape the rest of his presidency. On domestic, economic and foreign policy issues, Obama faces decisions and hurdles that could make or break his presidency and shape next fall’s elections, where Democrats will try to keep a working ... Glenn Reynolds / Instapundit :    THE HILL: Obama Faces A Daunting December, Thanks To Make-Or-Break Issues…. Www.washingtonexaminer.com Is Obama's dithering similar to that of Civil War general George B. McClellan?   —  On the Charlie Rose Show, presidential biographer Doris Kearns Goodwin said President Obama mustn't be rushed to make a decision. After all, she noted, Lincoln waited until the right time to make the Emancipation Proclamation. I'm curious how a Pulitzer-Prize winning historian who has written a fantastic book on Lincoln's political genius would ... Glenn Reynolds / Instapundit :    HE SAYS HIS HERO IS LINCOLN, but is Obama Dithering Like McClellan? “General McChrystal told the pr… Rick / Wizbang Obama's Judenfrei policies   —  Lauri Regan expounds: From the outset of his presidency, Obama foolishly made Israeli settlements the focal point of his administration's admonishments of Israeli policy. Beginning with his refusal to confront... Tim Graham / NewsBusters.org Salon Bashes Google for Allowing Racist Monkey Image of Mrs. Obama; But Salon Reveled in Bush-as-Chimp Metaphors   —  Kevin Williamson at NRO Media Blog really lets Mary Elizabeth Williams at Salon.com have it as she strongly blamed Google for a demeaning racist image of Michelle Obama. Miss Williams believes that Google is at fault here, even though the search engine simply compiles what's out there, and she bemoans the "near total lack of accountability ... Latest Politics Headlines Lobbyists Pushed Off U.S. Advisory Panels   —  If you believe this comment is offensive or violates the CBSNews.com Terms of Use, you can report it below (this will not automatically remove the comment). Once reported, our staff will be notified and the comment will be reviewed. Editor / Truthdig China Sets Its Greenhouse Gas Target   —  A day after the Obama administration issued a provisional target for greenhouse gases, China—the world’s largest emitter of gases—has jumped on the bandwagon and announced it too has set a target to slow its gas emissions by 2020. —JCL The New York Times: The Chinese government announced Thursday that it had set a target to slow the ... Paul Kane / Wash Post Politics Gen. McChrystal saying little about delay in Obama's decision on troop increase   —  Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, told a group of key lawmakers on Thursday that President Obama is engaged in a "thoughtful process" of deciding on his request for additional troops in the region. Rsinderbrand / CNN CNN Radio: Obama's Afghanistan announcement   —  CNN Senior Political Correspondent Candy Crowley tells CNN's John Lisk some of what to expect as President Obama gets ready to make his Tuesday announcement on troop strength in Afghanistan. American Thinker Obama Is an Impediment to the Mideast Peace Process   —  From the outset of his presidency, Obama foolishly made Israeli settlements the focal point of his administration's admonishments of Israeli policy. Rick / Wizbang :    Obama's Judenfrei policies Greg / Rhymes With Right Americans Wising Up -- Support For Obama Dropping   —  Read 'em and weep, liberals -- Barack Obama's support is dropping like a rock. Obama's approval rate has declined among EVERY demographic group except African-Americans. Indeed, most groups have seen double-digit drops in their approval of the president. How long... Steve / Sweetness Couple Snuck Into Obama’s State Dinner   —  From a bemused Washington Post: U.S. President Barack Obama (2nd L) greets Michaele Salahi (C) and her husband Tareq (R) during a state dinner for India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (L) at the White House in this official White House photo taken November 24, 2009 and released November 27, 2009. Who are these people? The [...] Don Surber / Don Surber Gatecrashers met Obama   —  The photo. Well sure. Why not? They met Ambassador Arun Singh. This is not a little joke. This is a security breach. Heads. Should. Roll. The Associated Press report: WASHINGTON — A White House official says the Virginia couple who attended a state dinner without an invitation met President Barack Obama in the receiving line. Michaele and ... Truthout Obama's Secret Climate Pact   —  Richard Wolffe, The Daily Beast reports that there is a reason China and the White House have announced they will go to Copenhagen with plans for emissions reduction. White House officials have now disclosed that while in China and in his visit with India's prime minister, Obama has been working quiet diplomacy: read more Chip / AfterDowningStreet.org Shock Over Obama Decision to Reject Landmine Ban   —  Shock over Obama Decision to Reject Landmine Ban By Jeffrey Allen | OneWorld US "The Obama administration's decision to continue the Bush administration's policy of refusing to join the international treaty banning antipersonnel landmines is a reprehensible rejection of the most successful disarmament and humanitarian treaty of the past decade," ... FOXNews.com Liberals Vow to 'Spank' Obama for Sending More Troops to Afghanistan   —  President Obama is days away from announcing a new Afghan strategy, but his immediate battle could come from liberals within his own party who are vowing to "spank" the president for committing tens of thousands of more troops to the eight-year conflict. BBC News Gatecrashers met Obama at banquet   —  A couple who gatecrashed a state dinner at the White House met President Barack Obama, his office confirms. The Seattle Times Obama set to meet with Australian prime minister   —  The White House said in a statement Friday that Obama and Kevin Rudd will discuss a range of issues, including the war in Afghanistan and the upcoming climate change conference in Copenhagen. DAVID ADESNIK / The Moderate Voice Obama on breast cancer   —  David Gregory pointed to this Presidential declaration from July: PRES. BARACK OBAMA: We are–we’ve been under the illusion that the more health care we get, the healthier we become. And it turns out that every study shows that the question is are you getting the right care, are you getting the best care, the [...] Booman Tribune / Booman Tribune Recharging the Batteries   —  My blogging has been light over the last few days for several reasons. Obviously, I've been occupied with holiday and family related activities. But I've also been reading David Plouffe's new book, The Audacity to Win: The Inside Story and Lessons of Barack Obama's Historic Victory. In addition, after months of watching Congress struggle to pass ... David Neiwert / Crooks and Liars Beck attacks ADL for report naming him the 'fearmonger in chief'   —  [H/t Media Matters .] As one might expect, Glenn Beck has been simply cowardly about dealing with that report from the ADL titled "Rage Grows in America" , which singled him out for special attention as the nation's newest "fearmonger in chief" . Beck has been largely silent about it. He only obliquely referenced it on his Fox News show earlier ... Susie Madrak / Crooks and Liars Rep. David Obey to Obama: If You Want A War, You Should Pay for It   —  Nice to know I'm not the only person who feels this way. Because if Obama's serious about health care (or anything else), why continue to pour money down a rat hole? That said, what are the odds the congressional war lovers will vote for it ? I'd love to make them explain why: The powerful chairman of the House Appropriations Committee has a ... Brad Wilmouth / NewsBusters.org Nets Ignore Climategate While FNC & CNN Report, CNN Dismisses Relevance   —  Even though all three of Wednesday’s broadcast network evening newscasts reported on President Obama’s decision to attend the climate change summit in Copenhagen, they also continued to ignore email evidence that scientists who push global warming theory have distorted data to support their assertions while trying to suppress the views of ... Msnbc.com Lobbyists pushed off advisory panels   —  Hundreds, if not thousands, of lobbyists are likely to be ejected from federal advisory panels as part of an initiative by the Obama administration to curb K Street's influence, experts say. Michael Moore Obama plans to send 34,000 more troops to Afghanistan   —  WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama met Monday evening with his national security team to finalize a plan to dispatch some 34,000 additional U.S. troops over the next year to what he's called "a war of necessity" in Afghanistan, U.S. officials told McClatchy. Obama is expected to announce his long-awaited decision on Dec. 1, followed by ... () / Phi Beta Cons on National Review Online 'Uncool' Obama and Climate Scientists -- By: Candace de Russy   —  President Obama, it seems,�will sashay off to an international climate conference in Copenhagen next month to offer his plan for tough emission-reduction standards, which would cost trillions of�dollars and diminish the standards of living of millions of people.�He appears unfazed by�-- indeed, oblivious to --�"Climategate," the scandal�caused by� ... Warner Todd Huston / ACLU Another Obama Gitmo Official Resigns in Obama Smoke Screen Effort   —  -By Warner Todd Huston Earlier this month President Obama fired Greg Craig, his main counsel on matters concerning the Guantanamo Bay Facility. And this week Obama sheds another one of his GITMO team with the resignation of Deputy Assistant Secretary for Defense for Detainee Policy Phillip Carter. It appears that Obama’s GITMO team is ... Greg / Rhymes With Right Side With the Troops or Side With Iran -- Guess Which Obama Chose   —  If you said the troops, you fail. Barack Obama has sided with Iran's Islamist government over a US court decision intended to provide restitution to the families of Marines killed in the 1983 attack on the Marine barracks in Beirut.... Michael Moore Obama to announce Afghanistan troop strategy Tuesday   —  Washington ( CNN ) -- President Obama will announce the U.S. troop strategy for Afghanistan in a speech at 8 p.m. ET Tuesday at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Wednesday. The Pentagon was making detailed plans to send about 34,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan in anticipation of Obama' ... Forum The Five Obama Fails   —  The Obama Administration burst onto the presidency with a historic wealth of good will, hope and change. It is now marked by one failure after another. Unfortunately, these failures are not without costs. The heavy burden is born by consumers, taxpayers and to generations yet to come. Nearly one year later we have an economy heading in the wrong ... Don Surber / Don Surber News Max: Climategate includes Obama’s science czar   —  Czars? Barack Obama is the czar. I prefer calling them community organizers. But News Max reported: “The director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, Dr. John P. Holdren, is a key player in the Climategate e-mails flap, which is shaping up as the biggest scandal in the history of modern science… Canada [...] ABC News WATCH: Felony Charges for Obama Party Crashers?   —  How could the Salahis crash the president's state dinner? State dinner - Barack Obama - United States - Politics - Society and Culture American Thinker The Five Obama Fails   —  The Obama Administration burst onto the presidency with a historic wealth of good will, hope and change. It is now marked by one failure after another. The New Editor Obama's Trumped-Up Job Count Flunks Science Test   —  Caroline Baum : At first it was just an unverifiable assertion. Now it turns out to have been a case of bureaucratic ineptitude and possible fraud. Transparency and accountability aren't working out the way President Barack Obama had hoped. The administration was already skating on thin ice when it announced on Oct. 30, with great fanfare, that ...

7. Sarah Palin Dominates 5k Run 14 hours ago   permalink

Dan / Riehl World View

While my Lefty commenters already seem intent on discrediting Palin for not finishing a five k run in Kennewick, WA, it seems Palin exited to avoid the massive crowds there just to see her for a second time after the race. She wanted to get home in time for her family's dinner. Palin ran with a double jogger stroller and spent a significant ...

discussions

Jim Hoft / Gateway Pundit :   Sarah Palin Swarmed at Washington Turkey Trot– Helps Raise $45K For Red Cross

Don Surber / Don Surber :   Daily scoreboard

related items

Scarce / Crooks and Liars Sarah Palin's Fake Bus Tour   —  Celtic Diva at Blue Oasis has this interesting bit of speculation on how Miss Palin has been getting around: Sarah Palin arrived in North Carolina Sunday by way of Asheville. She was slated to have a much-touted dinner with Franklin Graham and his father Billy . While this is a video made by a fan (so pardon the drippiness) it does provide a ...

Faiz Shakir / Think Progress Bachmann and Palin to unite for Tea Party convention.   —  Sarah Palin will star as the keynote speaker at next February’s First National Tea Party Convention, which will take place in Nashville, TN. Also attending: Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN). The right-wing Minnesota congresswoman has previously asserted that Democrats are trying to “sabotage” both her and Palin “to make sure ...

Steve Krakauer / Mediaite Glenn Beck Jokes About Sarah Palin Belonging “In The Kitchen”   —  During the Fox & Friends interview with Sarah Palin last week, besides saying she wants to interview Katie Couric , she also weighed in on the potential of a Palin- Glenn Beck ticket in 2012 . She thought Beck must think the whole discussion is a "hoot" and didn't rule anything out. Beck responded to the potential ticket on the radio ... Crunchy Con Sarah Palin: Lights on, nobody home   —  My friend John Mark Reynolds and I crossed swords several times over Sarah Palin during the 2008 campaign season. He much later became disenchanted by her. Now he's reading "Going Rogue," and liveblogging it at First Things , and discovering that there's not much to Sarah Palin. Excerpt: As for political ideas, Palin is apparently for things ... Julie / News Hounds Palin Interviews with Greta “On the Record” – Blah , Blah , Blah   —  Co-written with Guest Blogger Nayef Losing the vice-presidential election, looking like a blithering idiot on interviews with Katie “Gotcha” Couric and Charlie Gibson, mixing up Iran and Iraq on Hannity – none of that has inspired the Queen of Inanities, Sarah Palin, to bone up on international issues or her do her homework on . . . well, ... Dan / Riehl World View Sarah Palin Runs 5k On Thanksgiving   —  I wonder if Newsweak dispatched a photographer to snap a picture of Palin in running clothes. At least there'd be something worth looking at inside that rag of a magazine. The Tri-City Herald reports  Palin arrived late Wednesday from Orlando, Fla. Palin plans to have dinner at the Richland home of her aunt Katie Johnson, a sister of Palin's ... Dan / Riehl World View Was Sarah Palin Really Punked By A Canadian Comic?   —  The video clip below is being touted by the liberal media and the Left as evidence that Sarah Palin was punked by an apparently not very funny Canadian comedienne. I ignored the item until seeing a Mediaite headline claiming Sarah Palin wasn't punked at all. They're correct. If anyone looks like a fool, it's the Canadian, along with  any media ... Brad Wilmouth / NewsBusters.org FNC: Sarah Palin Tops Hillary Clinton in First-Week Book Sales   —  Wednesday’s Fox and Friends on FNC passed on a piece of information not likely to receive much attention from the mainstream media – that Sarah Palin’s Going Rogue is so far outpacing Hillary Clinton’s Living History in sales. Co-anchor Alisyn Camerota relayed that "now there's a comparison between how Sarah Palin's book has done in ... Glynnis MacNicol / Mediaite Michael Steele: I Was Against Sarah Palin Before I Was For Her   —  Michael Steele , the current chairman of the GOP who continues to threaten to deal harshly with any member who does not toe the line, appears to be suffering with the same malady affecting much of the Republican party: what to do about Sarah Palin . The current answer apparently involves some flip-flopping Priscilla / News Hounds Glenn Beck Puts Sarah Palin In The Kitchen – Oh, No He Didn’t!   —  Far be it for me to defend Sarah Palin. Regarding our political and social views, she and I are in different galaxies. I disagree with her on everything. For the most part, what were perceived as “attacks” against her were valid criticisms; although when a few columnists questioned how she could balance work and family, my feminist hackles ... Blue Mass. Group Weekly Joke Revue   —  Palin, a Republican gift that keeps giving. Here the "Alaskan Aphrodite" fights through her handlers to get duped a second time (Palin aficionados no doubt remember her campaign chat with "Nicholas Sarkozy") by a Canadian comedian. She urges Canada to privatize its health care system: Next, Daniel Kurtzman: "In Sarah Palin's new book, she says ... Hyscience Competing naratives of Obama and Palin   —  Reading through " The Competing Narratives of Barry and Sarah ," we find on one hand a politician with an entitlement mentality who did little actual work, used others, played the race card to his advantage, played the system, cruised through Illinois politics on skids greased by his Chicago cronies, and is a liar. On the other hand, one who ... Right Mind / Right Mind Sarah Palin book signing   —  Sarah Palin will be signing books at Hastings Bookstore in Richland this Sunday night (11/29/09) at 6:00 PM. HT: David D....( read more )

8. INTERVIEW-Climate science untarnished by hacked emails-IPCC 22 hours ago   permalink

Www.reuters.com

LONDON, Nov 26 (Reuters) - The head of the U.N.'s panel of climate experts rejected accusations of bias on Thursday, saying a "Climategate" row in no way undermined evidence that humans are to blame for global warming.

discussions

Jonathan H. Adler / The Volokh Conspiracy :   More Responses to the CRU E-mail Leaks

Megan McArdle / Comments for More on ClimateGate :   More on ClimateGate

Glenn Reynolds / Instapundit :   MEGAN MCARDLE ON CLIMATEGATE: “This interview with the head of the UN’s climate experts is ridiculo…

related items

Www.washingtontimes.com Climate 'czar' says hacked e-mails don't change anything   —  Obama administration climate czar Carol Browner on Wednesday rejected claims that e-mails stolen from a British university show climate scientists trumped up global warming numbers, saying she considers the science settled. Jim Hoft / Gateway Pundit :    Obama’s Radical Socialist Climate Czar– And Board Member of Major Carbon Offset Company– Rejects Climategate Van Helsing / ACLU :    Science Czar John Holdren Involved in ClimateGate Nancy Morgan / Flopping Aces :    Silent Scandal Hyscience :    As damaging as those hacked CRU emails are ...

GrassrootsPA Comments Chuck - Penn State professor Michael E. Mann under fire in 'junk science' climate change controversy...   —  I want to see his financial records exposed. I have no doubt that this clown is in bed with Gore in some way.

James Delingpole / News Climategate: the IPCC is over says UEA climate scientist   —  Could this be the beginning of the end for the IPCC-endorsed AGW scam? UEA climate science professor Mike Hulme has expressed these reservations before. But Climategate is the game-changer that will make people listen. Here’s what he has to say in response to the leaked files: [Upcoming UN climate conference in Copenhagen] “is about raw [.. Wattsupwiththat / Watts Up With That? An open letter from Dr. Judith Curry on climate science   —  I asked Dr. Judith Curry if I could repost her letter which she originally sent to Climate Progress, here at WUWT. Here was her response: From: Curry, Judith A Sent: Friday, November 27, 2009 2:10 PM To: Anthony Watts – mobile Subject: Re: request Hi Anthony, by all means post it. I am trying to reach out to everyone, [...] Iwishart / TBR.cc Google appears to be censoring climate emails searches   —  Officially Google, but unofficially probably just some global warming believing oik in Google's search engine room. I agree with this poster. I hadn't noticed it until someone else posted a warning on WattsUp, but try it yourself. If you start... Steve / Sweetness Obama’s Science Czar In The CRU Emails   —  Here is some correspondence involving Mr. Obama’s ‘Science Czar’ John Holdren, from the CRU Emails, via the search engine provided by An Elegant Chaos: From: "Michael E. Mann" <mann@xxxxxxxxx.xxx> To: Malcolm Hughes <mhughes@xxxxxxxxx.xxx>, Tim Osborn <t.osborn@xxxxxxxxx.xxx>, Keith Briffa <k.briffa@ ... Little Green Footballs NZ Climate 'Science' Coalition Lies About Temperature Readings   —  Here we go again, as the climate denial front group called the “New Zealand Climate Science Coalition” tries to cash in on the stolen CRU email story, by floating another false claim about temperature readings — a claim dutifully circulated by dozens of right wing blogs, of course, with no fact checking. Here’s their ... Little Green Footballs Climate 'Skeptic' Monckton Appears on Conspiracy Show   —  Lord Christopher Monckton is often cited by anti-AGW websites as a credible figure to argue against global warming, despite the fact that he has no scientific background, and has even been caught several times cherry-picking and faking data to make his arguments. And now, Monckton will be appearing on the show of the most insane, hateful ... AJStrata / The Strata-Sphere Oh, The Horrors Of Climate Change!   —  Now I am convinced we need to spend trillions of dollars on CO2 : Global warming is giving French vintners a new potential headache: In a few years, champagne could be going head-to-head with British bubbly. A leading organization in France’s fabled wine industry sounded the alarm Friday about the ill-effects of rising temperatures on the ... Armed Liberal / Winds of Change.NET More On Climate Science   —  Mark Buehner and I have cited Prof. Judith Curry's comments earlier, but she's now posted a manifesto at pro-AGW site 'Climate Progress. ' It's worth checking out, no matter what side of the issue you stand on today. An open letter to graduate students and young scientists in fields related to climate research Based upon feedback that I've ... Guest Blogger / News Hounds Your World Jumps On Climategate   —  Guest blogged by Brian As Media Matters points out, the hacked emails that Drudge and Fox News have seized upon as “proof” that global warming is a hoax are not. As NASA scientist Gavin Schmidt says, critics "are using language used in science and interpreting it in a completely different way… There's nothing in the e-mails that shows that ... MataHarley / Flopping Aces Looking for climate change debate in all the wrong places? Turn to Russia Today TV   —  While the blogosphere remains a’fire on the global warming/faulty science debate, and the MSM appears reluctant to step into the debate other than to diss the CRU/NIWA scandals, it appears the media outlet unfraid of throwing a couple of science types together, living at extreme ends of the spectrum, comes from Moscow. Subject at [...] Dave Johnson / Seeing the Forest Emails Prove Global Warming Scam!   —  Have you heard about the emails? The emails prove that the ice isn't really melting. Those ships that you saw in the news crossing the Arctic in the summer were actually photoshopped, according to one of the emails. As were the satellite photos that show the ice receding. All the people who... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit Seeing the ... MataHarley / Flopping Aces FYI: The Copenhagen talking points provided by climate “scientists”   —  No commentary (laughing too hard??)… just a link and the summary below for those of you interested in the Copenhagen talking points, conveniently titled The Copenhagen Diagnosis, brought to you by: Citation: The Copenhagen Diagnosis, 2009: Updating the world on the Latest Climate Science. I. Allison, N. L. Bindoff, R.A. Bindoff, R.A. ...

9. Russia and China Endorse Agency’s Rebuke of Iran 22 hours ago   permalink

HELENE COOPER / NYT

Administration officials held up the United Nations nuclear watchdog’s action as a victory for President Obama’s efforts to woo Russia and China.

discussions

JAZZ SHAW / The Moderate Voice :   Iranian Regime Rocked by Strongly Worded Letter

Ed Morrissey / Hot Air » Top Picks :   The IAEA’s “ovewhelming display of disapproval” for Iranian nuclear program is …

James Fallows :   Yet more evidence of pathetic failure of Obama trip to Asia John Cole / Balloon Juice :   He’s Talking To You, Chuck

related items

BBC News Iran rebuked by UN nuclear body   —  The UN nuclear watchdog passes a resolution condemning Iran for developing a uranium enrichment site in secret.

L.A. Times IAEA board votes to censure Iran   —  Russia and China join a vote by the U.N. nuclear agency's board to issue a rebuke to Iran over its atomic program. Iran strongly objects. Russia and China joined the United States and its European allies on Friday in formally rebuking Iran over its nuclear program at a meeting of the United Nations nuclear technology watchdog.

Truthout White House Says World Moving Toward New Iran Sanctions   —  Washington - The United Nations nuclear agency blasted Iran in a resolution Friday for obstructing investigations into its suspected nuclear-weapons program and demanded that the Islamic Republic stop enriching uranium at a once-secret facility. read more Crunchy Con Metropolitan Jonah: Father Arseny is real   —  Longtime readers may recall my blogging about Father Arseny , an amazing Russian Orthodox priest who survived the gulag, and who came out of it a saint. A collection of stories from men and women touched by Father Arseny's love has become a fairly popular book among Orthodox Christians, and it truly is an astonishing testimony to how love can ... Yahoo! News Russia investigates train derailment as terror act   —  AP - Investigators on Saturday were considering whether the train derailment that killed at least 26 people was caused by a bomb on the tracks — which would make it Russia's deadliest terrorist strike outside the volatile North Caucasus in years. Jricole / Informed Comment IAEA Condemnation of Iran: An Omen of New Sanctions or a Symbolic Slap on the Wrist?   —  The board of the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency on Friday condemned Iran for secretly building a new nuclear enrichment facility at Fordo near Qom, and called on it to mothball the new site. The resolution was backed by the permanent members of the UN Security Council, including China and Russia, as well as Germany. Fully 25 ... Jricole / Informed Comment Taliban Talks Collapse; RIC Pressure on Obama to Stay Course; German Military Head Resigns over Qunduz Bombing   —  Proposed talks between the US and the Taliban, to be brokered by Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, have broken down because the Taliban are unwilling to talk to what they consider the foreign , illegitimate occupiers of their country. (See Mullah Omar's statement in the next post). On the other hand, some negotiations are doing well. Aljazeera English ... Reuters Russia, U.S. likely to miss deadline on arms pact   —  MINSK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and Russia are unlikely to finish a pact to cut Cold War arsenals of nuclear weapons by a December 5 deadline but still aim to close the deal by year-end, Russian and U.S. sources said Friday. Brad Wilmouth / NewsBusters.org NBC: Fighting Global Warming ‘Requires Balancing the World’s Needs with America’s’   —  The the three broadcast network evening newscasts on Wednesday informed viewers that President Obama has decided to attend the United Nations climate conference in Copenhagen – while ignoring news of Climategate – but the NBC Nightly News uniquely devoted a full story to Obama’s intention to take part in the conference, and the prospects ... ALAN COWELL / NYT Letter from Europe: Russia Plays by Its Own Rules in Murder Case   —  The anniversary this week of Alexander V. Litvinenko's death recalled the much broader themes evoked by his killing: justice, impunity and international accountability in modern Russia. Admin / Economist.com Putin and hip-hop   —  Choose Blog: Democracy in America Does American culture promote American values? The Economist FOREIGN POLICY last week pointed to a segment from RT, the Kremlin-funded Slavophile TV news network formerly known as Russia Today, in which a visibly uncomfortable Vladimir Putin takes to the stage of a hip-hop show and congratulates Russian MCs for ...

10. Tiger Woods Injured in Car Crash in Florida 15 hours ago   permalink

Www.foxnews.com

Woods, 33, was taken to Health Central Hospital in Ocoee, Fla. after a single-car crash at 2:25 a.m. in which he hit a fire hydrant and then a tree, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

discussions

Dan / Riehl World View :   Tiger Woods Hospitalized In Serious Condition

BrothersJudd Blog :   UH-OH, THAT RUMOR SUDDENLY HAS LEGS:

related items

Www.orlandosentinel.com Tiger Woods seriously injured in car accident   —  The "charges pending" may be only for failing to wear his seat belt, which is one of the only ways to hurt yourself at under 30 mph in a ginormous Escalade. Allahpundit / Hot Air » Top Picks :    Tiger Woods seriously injured in car crash? Update: “Domestic issue” BrothersJudd Blog :    UH-OH, THAT RUMOR SUDDENLY HAS LEGS: Adrian Chen / Gawker :    Tiger Woods "Seriously Injured" in Car Accident

Www.wesh.com Official: Tiger Woods' Wife Used Golf Club To Free Him   —  WINDERMERE, Fla. -- The Windermere police chief said Tiger Woods' wife used a golf club to smash out a car window and help free him after the golfer hit a fire hydrant and a tree Friday morning. Adrian Chen / Gawker :    Tiger Woods "Seriously Injured" in Car Accident Rachel Sklar / Mediaite :    Tiger Woods Injured In Car Accident

The Associated Press / Raw Story Tiger Woods hospitalized after Florida car crash: report   —  Tiger Woods was injured in a car accident early Friday when his car struck a tree near his mansion in a gated waterfront community, authorities said. The Florida Highway Patrol said the 33-year-old PGA star hit the hydrant and a tree after pulling out of his driveway in his 2009 Cadillac sports utility vehicle. The patrol reported [...] James Joyner / Outside The Beltway Tiger Woods Injured Car Crash   —  Tiger Woods has been seriously injured in an automobile accident, ESPN is reporting. Tiger Woods has been seriously injured in a car wreck in Florida, authorities said Friday. The Florida Highway Patrol said Woods hit a fire hydrant and a tree as he pulled out of his driveway early Friday in his 2009 Cadillac sport utility vehicle. Woods [...] Rick / Wizbang Tiger Woods seriously injured in car crash   —  Details remain sketchy: Professional golfer Tiger Woods was seriously injured in a car accident early this morning, the Florida Highway Patrol just reported. Woods, 33, pulled out of his driveway in... BBC News Golf star Woods hurt in US car crash   —  World number one golfer Tiger Woods is released from hospital after a car accident near his home in Florida. DR. CLARISSA PINKOLA ESTÉS / The Moderate Voice Tiger Woods Said to Be Seriously Injured in SUV Accident   —  UPDATE from Dr. E: ESPN Reports: “The highway patrol first reported Woods’ injuries as serious, though Woods spokesman, Glenn Greenspan, said Friday afternoon that the golfer was treated at the hospital and released in good condition. A statement from the hospital, as well as Greenspan’s statement, termed the accident as “ ... Baltimoresun.com Tiger Woods' wife used golf club to free him from SUV   —  Officials close to accident investigation told the Orlando Sentinel that Woods received facial lacerations. He was treated at Health Central early this morning and released. Annalthouse / Althouse Tiger Woods seriously injured after crashing his car into a fire hydrant... and then into a tree.   —  This happened at 2:25 a.m. as he was pulling out of his own driveway. AND: The police say it was not alcohol related. IN THE COMMENTS: save_the_rustbelt said: The only thing that would make me leave my house at that time, without alcohol but out of control, would be a raging fight with my wife. Ravi Somaiya / Gawker Tiger Woods' Wife Kicks Ass   —  According to the latest Associated Press update on Tiger Woods ' car crash in Florida his wife, Elin Nordegren , used a golf club to smash the back window of the Cadillac Escalade, then helped him out. This is despite rumors of an argument and some alleged bad behavior on the part of Woods. Which might explain why he was racing out of his drive ... Yahoo! News Police to talk to Woods about early morning crash   —  AP - There are plenty of vivid details from the car crash that sent Tiger Woods to the hospital: His SUV hit a fire hydrant and a tree; his lips were cut and he had blood in his mouth; his wife smashed a rear window with a golf club to get him out; he briefly lost consciousness. David Kurtz / Talking Points Memo Tiger Woods Injured In Car Wreck   —  Details are still sketchy, but according to local news reports in Florida, Tiger Woods was seriously injured in an early morning car accident near his home there. Although the accident happened at 2:25 a.m., it was some 11 hours before the Florida Highway Patrol issued a report and news organizations began reporting the accident. According to ... Reuters Tiger Woods hurt in car crash, released from hospital   —  MIAMI (Reuters) - Tiger Woods, the world's best golfer and a leading force in sports marketing, was hurt in a car accident in Florida on Friday but was released from a hospital in good condition after treatment. MG Siegler / TechCrunch This Is Why The Internet Wins   —  Undoubtedly by now you've heard about Tiger Woods' car crash. Early reports had him in serious condition (which remember, is better than critical condition) after he apparently hit a fire hydrant and a tree while leaving his home in his SUV. The latest reports say he has been released from the hospital and is "fine." But I'm not going to speak ... Dan / Riehl World View Agent Says Woods Fine - Accident Being Investigated   —  Further statement expected by 4PM. That sure does look like one curious accident . The agent for Tiger Woods has told USA TODAY that the golf superstar is fine after crashing his vehicle outside his Florida home early Friday. According to an official release from FHP and reported by Florida Today, Woods, had pulled out of his driveway in a ... Yahoo! News Tiger Woods hurt in car crash, released from hospital   —  Reuters - Tiger Woods, the world's best golfer and a leading force in sports marketing, was hurt in a car accident in Florida on Friday but was released from a hospital in good condition after treatment. JPost Headlines Ten lightly injured in car crash near Afula Forum Tiger Woods: Injuries Caused by Wife, Not SUV   —  Tiger Woods did not suffer facial lacerations from a car accident. They were inflicted by his wife, Elin Nordegren -- according to a conversation Woods had Friday after the accident. Tiger has yet to be formally interviewed by the Florida Highway Patrol -- that should happen this afternoon. But we're told Tiger had a conversation Friday -- ... Jeralyn / TalkLeft Tiger Woods Released From Hospital, Alcohol Not Involved   —  Tiger Woods is out of the hospital . His injuries were not serious. He did hit a tree and a fire hydrant. Alcohol was not a factor . The rumor mill: He may have been Driving while Ambien'ed or his wife and he may have fought about a woman named Rachel Uchitel. TMZ reports his face scratches came from his wife . Big Tent Democrat / TalkLeft Friday Football Open Thread   —  So you thought the football was over for the weekend? No it is just starting. Today, there are 13 college games. Here are my picks: Louisville (+3) over Rutgers. Temple (-3) over Ohio. Illinois (+21) over Cinncinati. Central Michigan (-13.5) over Western Illinois. Bowling Greeen (-7.5) over Toledo. Kent State (+3) over Buffalo. Akron (-16) over ...

11. New Report: Triggered Public Option Is Better Than The Existing Public Option Provisions 18 hours ago   permalink

Igor / Think Progress

A new report from the Urban Institute argues that a “strong” public option — one that is triggered in the event that overall growth in national health spending exceeds a pre-determined target — may do more to control health care spending than the public option proposals offered in existing legislation : In the absence of ...

discussions

Steve Benen / Political Animal :   Evolving public option choices

Owillis / Oliver Willis :   Trigger?

related items

Igor / Think Progress New Report: Triggered Public Option Is Better Than The Existing Public Option Provisions   —  A new report from the Urban Institute argues that a “strong” public option — one that is triggered in the event that overall growth in national health spending exceeds a pre-determined target — may do more to control health care spending than the public option proposals offered in existing legislation: In the absence of ...

Ken Blanchard / South Dakota Politics Where the Public Option is the Only Option   —  One of the curious things about the healthcare debate in America is how little attention has been paid to healthcare systems in other countries. You might have thought we would be hearing about how public healthcare functions in Canada and...

David Kurtz / Talking Points Memo Feelin' the Heat   —  Blue Cross/Blue Shield of North Carolina is in some serious hot water -- legally and politically -- over an anti-public option mailer (the existence of which was first reported by TPMmuckraker) and a robocall the company was using to persuade its customers to oppose health care reform. The state attorney general, state insurance commissioner and ... John Nichols / The Nation Sanders Stands on Principle: No Reform w/out Public Option   —  If Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid wants to get the 60 votes he will need to break a Republican filibuster and pass a health care reform bill, he's going to have to include a robust public insurance option. Without that basic protection for consumers and taxpayers, Reid will lose the vote of Vermont Independent Bernie Sanders, who caucuses ...

12. Next stop for Nader: US Senate from Connecticut? 12 hours ago   permalink

Www.google.com

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. — Ralph Nader says he wants to gauge the level of grass-roots support before deciding whether to make a bid to represent Connecticut in the Senate.

discussions

Rss / MyDD :   Nader Mulling Senate Bid in Connecticut

Taegan Goddard :   Nader Mulling Senate Bid

related items

Yahoo! News Nader noncommittal to Conn. Senate run   —  AP - Consumer activist and Connecticut native Ralph Nader said Friday he is "absorbing" the reaction he's receiving about a possible bid for the U.S. Senate, saying he wants to first gauge the level of grassroots support before making a decision.

FOXNews.com Nader Pondering Run for Senate   —  Connecticut native Ralph Nader says he is "absorbing" reaction he's receiving about a possible bid for the Senate.

The Seattle Times Nader noncommittal to Conn. Senate run   —  Consumer activist and Connecticut native Ralph Nader said Friday he is "absorbing" the reaction he's receiving about a possible bid for the U.S. Senate, saying he wants to first gauge the level of grassroots support before making a decision. USATODAY.com News Nader noncommittal to Conn. Senate run   —  Consumer activist and Connecticut native Ralph Nader said Friday he is "absorbing" the reaction he's receiving about a possible ...

13. Carbon Market Registries 21 hours ago   permalink

Www.apx.com

APX is the leading infrastructure provider for environmental markets in greenhouse gases including carbon commodities. These commodities include emissions allowances and carbon offsets, sometimes called Verified Emission Reductions (VERs), Emission Reduction Units (ERUs), Certified Emission Reductions (CERs), Verified Carbon Units (VCUs), or ...

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Chris Horner / AmSpecBlog :   More Climate Conflicts

Jim Hoft / Gateway Pundit :   Obama’s Radical Socialist Climate Czar– And Board Member of Major Carbon Offset Company– Rejects Climategate

Christopher C. Horner / Big Government :   Climate Czar Browner: What Conflict of Interest? Hyscience :   As damaging as those hacked CRU emails are ...

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Www.apx.com Carol Browner Joins APX's Board of Directors   —  Santa Clara, CA - March 10, 2008 - APX, Inc., the leading infrastructure provider for environmental and energy markets, announced today that Carol Browner, former Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, has joined its Board of Directors. Ms. Browner, who has a distinguished career in public service, brings to APX's Board deep ... Chris Horner / AmSpecBlog :    More Climate Conflicts Jim Hoft / Gateway Pundit :    Obama’s Radical Socialist Climate Czar– And Board Member of Major Carbon Offset Company– Rejects Climategate Christopher C. Horner / Big Government :    Climate Czar Browner: What Conflict of Interest? Hyscience :    As damaging as those hacked CRU emails are ...

Mgutierrez / IPS Inter Press Service CLIMATE CHANGE: China’s Carbon Commitment—Low But Sure   —  BEIJING, Nov 27 (IPS) - China and the United States are wrestling to claim leadership during the upcoming climate change talks in Copenhagen, unveiling proposals to cut greenhouse gases one after the other this week and setting the stage for some tough negotiations. But gauntlets thrown, both face challenges in achieving their pledged targets.

The Daily Star > Politics China unveils carbon target ahead of Copenhagen   —  China has unveiled its first firm target to curb greenhouse gas emissions, laying out a carbon intensity goal on Thursday that Premier Wen Jiabao will take to looming climate talks as his government’s central commitment.The announcement comes a day after the United States unveiled its proposal to cut greenhouse gases by 2020 and said President ...

14. David Harsanyi: Comfort food for Wall Street avengers 11 hours ago   permalink

Www.denverpost.com

With this in mind, two Democratic congressmen have cooked up a plan to help us out. The strategy entails sucking another $150 billion of capital investment out of the market each year and handing it to an organization that can't balance a budget, borrows money with abandon, runs massive deficits and excels at creating fairy tale jobs.

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Glenn Reynolds / Instapundit :   DAVID HARSANYI: With good reason, the prevailing economic concern of most Americans is jobs. W…

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Manic / Bloggerheads Simon Edhouse: adventures in the entrepreneurial mindset   —  I've been funnelling most of the 'diverting links' content through my Twitter channel lately, but it will take a smidgen over 140 characters for me to run you through this so you get the full benefit, so for the first time in a long time... I started by reading this post from David Thorne (a man who does not have any pets and once tried to pay a ...

MICHAEL SILVERSTEIN / The Moderate Voice Wall Street Bonuses — Are You Angry Yet?   —  Are you angry at the size of Wall Street bonuses at a time when so many other sectors of the economy are sagging, and so many people are suffering such economic distress? Well, maybe you’re not angry enough. Perusing the financial pages and government statistics, here’s a few comparisons about what THEY are getting this [...]

Admin / Economist.com David Obey's war tax   —  Choose Blog: Democracy in America To will the end, you must will the necessary means The Economist THERE are a lot of schools of thought on what the lessons of Vietnam were. Some people think the lesson is that America should learn how to fight counterinsurgency wars. Some think the lesson is that America should intervene in other countries only ...

15. MICHAEL SILENCE: Memo #4,618,903,347 to some journos: Online discussions are a good thing…. 8 hours ago   permalink

Glenn Reynolds / Instapundit

MICHAEL SILENCE: Memo #4,618,903,347 to some journos: Online discussions are a good thing.

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MICHAEL SILENCE / No Silence Here An Ouch! on a TN journo   —  In a column that bears the earmarks of a cranky old journalist being forced by his boss to endure the humiliation of neighborhood kids walking on his lawn, Bohs managed to misspell Dan "Gilmour" (it's Gillmor), misidentify the Center for Citizen Media as being part of the University of California (it's Arizona State and Harvard), and misspell " ... Glenn Reynolds / Instapundit :    MICHAEL SILENCE: Memo #4,618,903,347 to some journos: Online discussions are a good thing….

Alan Orfi / Wizbang Michael Steele's vision for GOP must be rejected   —  While a socialist President and far-left Congress have energized conservatives, the fact remains that the Republican Party is missing galvanizing leadership at this point in time. Michael Steele's watered-down ideologies...

James Delingpole / News Climategate: sack 'no longer credible' Michael Mann from IPCC urges climatologist   —  Not everyone shares the BBC’s rosy view of discredited Climategate scientist Michael Mann (inventor of the roundly discredited Hockey Stick graph and unlikely Youtube comedy musical star) (hat tip: Bishop Hill) (Still less will they do so after the gobsmacking revelations by Steve McIntyre that in his latest paper, he’s actually got ...

16. CONGRATULATING the prescient Joe Biden. Plus this: “The Times also ignores their own reporting o… 9 hours ago   permalink

Glenn Reynolds / Instapundit

CONGRATULATING the prescient Joe Biden. Plus this: “The Times also ignores their own reporting of two weeks back by retelling the story of Biden and the Kurds with no mention of Biden adviser Peter Galbraith, who made millions advising the Kurds.”

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Power Line "Snuck"?   —  Regular readers know that I have little regard for the New York Times. But I assumed that, no matter how misguided the paper's politics might be, it did have some standards relating to grammar and punctuation. So I was astonished to see this, on the front page of the Times' web site: My fifth-grade teacher, Miss Klock, would be spinning in her ... Ace of Spades HQ :    Overnight Open Thread - TGIF

Aidan Jones / Politics news Tories ignore Ukip's offer to disband   —  The new leader of the UK Independence party has said he attempted to broker a deal to disband his Eurosceptic party if David Cameron, the Conservative leader, agreed to a referendum on the ratified Lisbon treaty. Lord Pearson said he made the approach with the consent of Ukip's then leader, Nigel Farage, after the party beat Labour into third ...

Glenn Reynolds / Instapundit I THINK THE ANSWER IS “NATURE:” Who made Biden — and Katie Couric — Look Dumb? Plus this: “Yo…   —  I THINK THE ANSWER IS “NATURE:” Who made Biden — and Katie Couric — Look Dumb? Plus this: “You might ask why they’re throwing big parties when times are so bad. But what the hell? And when can we watch the big Oprah-Obama TV Christmas special? There’s Obama putting up the White House decorations, [...]

17. Air & Space 10 hours ago   permalink

Www.popularmechanics.com

Ten in the morning is a late start for the Super Falcon. For the past two days I’ve strolled down to the pier at dawn, just as the fog begins to roll off Monterey Bay, to watch as crewmen peel back a collapsible garage to reveal the winged submersible and prepare it for the water. But the Super Falcon’s rigorous workout has finally caught up ...

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Glenn Reynolds / Instapundit :   TEST-DRIVING the world’s fastest personal submarine….

18. Report Says Irish Bishops and Police Hid Abuse 19 hours ago   permalink

Www.nytimes.com

LONDON — The Roman Catholic Church and the police in Ireland systematically colluded in covering up decades of child sex abuse by priests in Dublin, according to a scathing report released Thursday.

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John Aravosis (DC) / AMERICAblog News :   A criminal conspiracy of pedophilia called "the Catholic Church"

Melissa McEwan / Shakesville :   More Charming Behavior from the Catholic Church

John Cole / Balloon Juice :   Just Lucky Timing, I Guess

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Editor / Truthdig Report: Irish Catholic Church Kept Child Abuse Secret   —  According to a newly released report commissioned by the Irish government, the Archdiocese of Dublin and other Catholic authorities in Ireland kept hundreds of complaints concerning the sexual abuse of children by members of the clergy covered up—for nearly 30 years. —KA CNN: Archbishop Diarmuid Martin apologized Thursday in a news conference.

The Daily Star > Politics Ireland braces for new report on Catholic child abuse   —  Ireland’s Roman Catholic Church braced for strong criticism in a new report Thursday on how it dealt with child sex abuse claims against priests in Dublin, the country’s largest archdiocese.Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin has warned the findings of judge Yvonne Murphy would “shock us all.”

Gerald Warner / News Let's get it straight: Irish child abuse was perpetrated by the trendy, modern post-Vatican II Catholic Church   —  The Obama principle that a crisis is too good to waste is clearly being applied in the case of the clerical child abuse scandal in Ireland. A spin is being put on the shocking revelations in the report on abuse in the archdiocese of Dublin to implicate the “pre-Conciliar” Catholic Church in the wrongdoings of [...]

19. Friday's Mini-Report 13 hours ago   permalink

Steve Benen / Political Animal

FRIDAY'S MINI-REPORT.... Today's edition of quick hits: * Dubai World, a government investment company, seems to be out of money. Global markets did not respond well to the news. * More on the Iran news tomorrow: "The United Nations nuclear...

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DougJ / Balloon Juice :   But what kind of countertops does she have?

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Glynnis MacNicol / Mediaite Black Friday: Dubai Debt Crisis Roils Global Markets   —  Black Friday may take on a whole new and scarier meaning today. Depending how closely you were paying attention to the news (or Twitter) between yesterday's turkey courses you may have heard whispers about Dubai — and its debt crisis which shook global markets over Thanksgiving and sent the Dow tumbling 193 points . The news is not good, ...

20. A professional journalist embarrasses himself in Jackson, Tenn. 15 hours ago   permalink

Www.yelvington.com

As Thanksgiving approaches, perhaps we all should stop and give thanks that we have not, recently at least, made fools of ourselves quite as thoroughly as did Jackson (Tenn.) Sun editorial page editor Tom Bohs when he admonished "citizen journalists:"

discussions

MICHAEL SILENCE / No Silence Here :   An Ouch! on a TN journo

Glenn Reynolds / Instapundit :   MICHAEL SILENCE: Memo #4,618,903,347 to some journos: Online discussions are a good thing….