Sunday Shows

The Sunday Show Line-Ups

Eric Kleefeld | December 10, 2010, 5:29PM

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner

Here are the line-ups for the Sunday talk shows this weekend:

• ABC, This Week: Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, Israeli Opposition Leader Tzipi Livni.

• CBS, Face The Nation: Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, former DNC Chairman Howard Dean, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY).

• CNN, State Of The Union: Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA).

• Fox News Sunday: Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer.

• NBC, Meet The Press: New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I).

Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton Backs Tax Deal: 'I Hope That My Fellow Democrats Will Support It' (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | December 10, 2010, 5:13PM

It seems like old times. Former President Bill Clinton took to the White House press room this afternoon, to voice his support for a compromise policy with Republicans, and to urge dissatisfied liberal Democrats to come over and vote for it. This time, though, he was offering his assistance to the current President Barack Obama, and for the tax cut and unemployment benefit deal that Obama and Republican leaders rolled out this week.

"So in my opinion, this is a good bill, and I hope that my fellow Democrats will support it," said Clinton. "I thank the Republican leaders for agreeing to include things that were important to the president. There's never a perfect bipartisan bill in the eyes of a partisan. And we all see this differently. But I really believe this will be a significant net plus for the country. I also think that in general a lot of people are breathing a sigh of relief that there's finally been some agreement on something."

After introducing Clinton, Obama actually left the briefing, leaving Clinton alone with the White House press corps.

The former president also added this advice to Democrats who are opposed to extending the Bush tax cuts on the top income brackets: "I think this a net plus. And you know how I feel, I think the people that benefit most should pay most. That's always been my position -- not for class warfare reasons, for reasons of fairness and rebuilding the middle class in America. But we have the distribution of authority we have now in the congress, and the one we're gonna have in January. And I think this is a much much better agreement than would be reached were we to wait until January, and I think it will have a much more positive agreement on the economy. So for whatever it's worth, that's what I think."

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Rick Santorum

Populism, Santorum Style: Hide The Starbucks Card

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 10, 2010, 3:44PM

TPM Illustration

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum (R) looks like he's running for president. Or maybe he's not. Either way, he's reaching out to the average folk in Iowa and New Hampshire by declining to inform them of his love for Starbucks coffee. Otherwise they might think he's an effete east coast liberal, or something.

In a long profile in the Washington Post today, Karen Tumulty catches up with Santorum in the nascent stages of his expected bid for the Republican Presidential nomination in 2012. Like most of his fellow would-be candidates, Santorum is making stops in the all-important states of Iowa and New Hampshire, dropping in to visit with local conservative groups, major Republican players and what Tumulty describes as "grass-roots leaders" (cough tea partiers cough).

It's all pretty standard stuff -- but with a Comeback Kid twist for Santorum, who lost his Senate seat to Bob Casey in 2006 after backing then-Republican and pro-choice Sen. Arlen Specter in 2004 over soon-to-be Republican Sen. Pat Toomey (who's still very much anti-choice). Santorum has spent much of the early phase of his presidential run apologizing for that decision, which pitted the uber-socially conservative Santorum against his friends in the pro-life community.

But then comes the inevitable "how are you going to do this?" section of the profile. And that's when we learn that reaching out to the grassroots includes sort of pretending you don't really, really like Starbucks coffee.

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Michele Bachmann

Bachmann: I Don't Think Tax Cuts Should Be Defined As Part Of A Deficit (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | December 10, 2010, 2:42PM

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) speaking at CPAC

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), the Tea Party mega-star, has emerged in the past few days as a leading opponent of the Obama-GOP tax cuts compromise from the right. And in the process, she is elaborating on the common theme among conservatives that tax cuts should not be paid for in terms of their effect on the deficits. Or as she puts it, cutting taxes shouldn't be defined as part of a deficit, and only spending should be viewed through this lens.

"I don't agree with that definition," Bachmann told Meredith Viera on the Today Show. "When people keep their own money, that's considered a deficit to government, but it's not a deficit to your pocket or mine, so I think it's important that people can keep their money."

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iPhone App

Must-See Kabul: There's (Almost) An App For That

December 10, 2010, 1:53PM

Kabul, July 2009

by Adrianne Jeffries

When entrepreneur Eamonn Carey started talking about building a Kabul travel guide iPhone application, everyone - friends, family, potential sponsors, the Afghanistan Tourist Office - thought he was joking. "The initial reaction was one of total surprise in almost every instance," he said.

But Carey and his business partner Conor Purcell were completely serious. Kabul has robust 3G coverag, because of the reconstruction money from the military, NGOs, and the return of wealthy expatriated Afghanis. BlackBerrys, Nokias, iPhones and Android phones are abundant, and download speeds are fast, Carey said.

A Kabul app wouldn't -- and clearly couldn't -- just be for tourists, according to Carey, so it will feature maps, news, security tips, updates on roadblocks and checkpoints -- as well as the usual suggestions for hotels and things to do. They expect that troops, aid workers, diplomats and contractors stationed in Kabul could use the app -- and their families and friends at home could download it to get a glimpse of daily Kabul life. People in the U.S. and other countries -- where Kabul has been in the news since the Afghanistan war began a decade ago -- might download the app out of curiosity.

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Bernie Sanders

Sanders Ends Daylong Filibuster Of Tax Cut Compromise

Brian Beutler | December 10, 2010, 1:47PM

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT)

Updated 7:22 p.m. ET

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) finally yielded the Senate floor Friday evening after nearly nine hours of speaking against the Obama tax cut plan. He was spelled briefly by Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) but otherwise had the floor to himself for the bulk of a day when there was no other Senate business pending.

Original Story:

About three hours ago, just as he took the Senate floor, Sen. Bernie Sanders' (I-VT) staff, tweeted: "You can call what i am doing today whatever you want, you it [sic] call it a filibuster, you can call it a very long speech..."

And he's been speaking, almost uninterrupted, ever since.

[TPM SLIDESHOW: Block That Bill! A History Of The Filibuster]

It's a filibuster as filibusters were originally intended -- and, as such, makes a mockery of what the filibuster's become: a gimmick that allows a minority of senators to quietly impose supermajority requirements on any piece of legislation.

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Bush Tax Cuts

Congressional Black Caucus Offers Progressive-Friendly Tax Cut Proposal

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 10, 2010, 12:48PM

Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA)

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus are so exasperated by President Obama's tax cut deal with Republicans that they're offering up their own progressive-friendly proposal -- and lashing out at the White House.

At a press conference today, CBC members basically said they didn't believe Obama will be able roll back the Bush tax cuts on the wealthiest in the midst of a presidential election year. Obama has said he'll fight for the an expiration of the Bush tax cuts on the wealthiest Americans after the two-year extension contained in his deal.

"We've already established the principle that failure to extend tax cuts amounts to a tax increase," Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA), who authored the CBC's alternative plan, said, pointing to the conservative rhetoric of the past year. "If we can't cut them off now, what is the chance that we'll be able to 'increase taxes' in the middle of a presidential and congressional election?

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AK-SEN

Cornyn: I Hope Alaska Can Have Full Two Senators Soon (Really?)

Eric Kleefeld | December 10, 2010, 12:11PM

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX)

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, has expressed his hope that litigation in the Alaska Senate race -- where Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski's apparent victory as a write-in candidate is being challenged by the Tea Party-backed GOP nominee Joe Miller -- ends soon and the state has full representation in the Senate. Hmm...

As Roll Call reports:

"We just have to be patient and wait for the judge to decide," said Cornyn, a former judge. "I understand that could be as early as [Thursday], and I hope it doesn't go on much longer because I think the people of Alaska deserve to have a Senator when we reconvene again in January, and not still have that up in the air."

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Sarah Palin

Palin Brings Back 'Death Panels' Smear -- Against The Deficit Commission!

Eric Kleefeld | December 10, 2010, 11:22AM

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin (R)

Sarah Palin is now getting on the conservative bandwagon to oppose the Bowles-Simpson deficit plan -- which of course, already failed to receive the approval of a supermajority of the commission itself. And along the way, she's bringing back her greatest hit from the health care debate: The Death Panels!

As Palin writes in a new guest column in the Wall Street Journal:

Not only does it leave ObamaCare intact, but its proposals would lead to a public option being introduced by the backdoor, with the chairmen's report suggesting a second look at a government-run health-care program if costs continue to soar.

It also implicitly endorses the use of "death panel"-like rationing by way of the new Independent Payments Advisory Board--making bureaucrats, not medical professionals, the ultimate arbiters of what types of treatment will (and especially will not) be reimbursed under Medicare.

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Barack Obama

2008 Obama Critic Enjoys Renewed Prominence After Tax Cut Cave (VIDEO)

Brian Beutler | December 10, 2010, 10:57AM

President Barack Obama

In the wake of President Obama's capitulation to the GOP on tax cuts, one of his fiercest critics during the 2008 Democratic primary is getting a second look.

In an Ohio speech at a Hillary Clinton event two years ago, Tom Buffenbarger of the International President of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers stopped just short of calling Obama a wimp and a fraud.

"'Hope'? 'Change'? 'Yes We Can'? Give me a break! I've got news for all the latte-drinking, Prius- driving, Birkenstock-wearing, trust fund babies crowding in to hear him speak! This guy won't last a round against the Republican attack machine. He's a poet, not a fighter."

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DREAM Act

Poll: Majority Of Americans Would Vote For DREAM Act

Jon Terbush | December 10, 2010, 10:00AM

The Senate may be deadlocked over what to do with the DREAM Act in the lame duck session, but if the general public were able to vote on the immigration bill, at least one poll suggests it would pass.

According to a new Gallup poll, a narrow majority of Americans would vote to pass the DREAM Act. Fifty-four percent of respondents said they favored the measure -- which would grant legal residency to illegal immigrants who entered the U.S. as children if they graduate high school and complete two years of college or military service -- while 42% said they were opposed.

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Jon Stewart

Jon Stewart On GOP Blocking 9/11 Responders Bill: Bros Before Heroes?

David Taintor | December 10, 2010, 9:55AM

Jon Stewart

Jon Stewart last night was aghast over Senate Republicans blocking the 9/11 responders bill, part of the GOP's vow to block all legislation until the Bush-era tax cuts deal is passed.

"You couldn't even get 60 senators to agree to vote on the 9/11 responders bill, because the top 2 percent of Americans haven't officially received their engraved notifications that their taxes won't go up 4 percent?" Stewart asked. "That's the principled pledge you want to stand by? 'Bros before heroes?' "

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Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Pelosi To Senate: Send Me A Stand-alone DADT Repeal And I'll Pass It

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 10, 2010, 9:41AM

Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Rep. John Larson (D-CT)

If the Senate is ready to end Don't Ask, Don't Tell, the House is ready to help. That's the word that came from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi just hours after the Senate failed to achieve cloture on a defense spending bill containing a repeal of the military's ban on openly gay servicemembers.

"An army of allies stands ready in the House to pass a standalone repeal of the discriminatory policy once the Senate acts," Pelosi said in a statement to reporters.

Out of the smoldering embers of last night's failed cloture vote in the Senate rose a legislative phoenix for repeal supporters in the form of a stand-alone repeal bill sponsored by Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Susan Collins (R-ME), Majority Leader Harry Reid and others. The plan is a long shot -- debate and passage of the bill would have to be squeezed into to the Senate's already jam-packed lame luck legislative calendar -- but it offers hope for supporters of repeal that the job can be done before the end of the year, as President Obama has urged.

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White House

White House Scrambles To Save Tax Cut Deal

Brian Beutler | December 10, 2010, 9:30AM

President Barack Obama

The White House hoped to set its tax cut compromise on a glide path: announce a deal, pass it in the Senate, pass an identical version in the House, sign it, move on to the next big thing.

But yesterday, after House Democrats voted no confidence in the Obama plan, that's anything but certain. And with House Democrats vowing to tweak the package the Senate sends over next week, the White House is scrambling to make sure that doesn't happen.

"We are in the contact with the leaders in both houses and lots of individual members," said White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer on a conference call with reporters yesterday.

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Republicans

Meet The Chairmen! House GOPers Get Back To The Gavels

Eric Kleefeld | December 10, 2010, 8:40AM

The Republicans' midterm sweep in the House of Representatives doesn't just mean that John Boehner will become Speaker -- it means a drastic shift of leadership and legislative priorities throughout the whole chamber.

This week, House Republicans officially rolled out the list of committee chairs in the new Congress. And as can be expected, some of them are really interesting personalities. It is these individuals who will be holding hearings on legislation and oversight of the executive branch -- that is, attacking the Obama administration and trying to dig up scandals, as typically occurs during periods of divided government.

So let's take a look at several of the key GOPers who will be heading up these important House panels: Their backgrounds, their positions, their histories -- and a few gaffes, too.

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Barack Obama

Lindsay Graham: 'Whining' Obama's Tax Cuts Work Reveals 'Political Immaturity'

David Taintor | December 10, 2010, 8:30AM

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)

Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC) has some tough words for President Barack Obama -- who this week reached across the aisle to strike a deal with Republicans over extending the Bush-era tax cuts -- calling him "politically immature."

How does he figure? "By using rhetoric that calls us 'hostage-takers,' he believes, somehow, that the Left will give him some credit for hating us, or putting us in a bad light. But it just lowers him," Graham told the National Journal Online. "He is whining, and no one likes a whining president. ... There is a lot of disappointment on our side. Quite frankly, this is going to be hard to forget."

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Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Manchin Explains His No Vote On DADT

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 9, 2010, 6:55PM

Joe Manchin

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), one of the Senate's freshest faces, broke with his party today and voted no on the cloture vote that would have likely moved Don't Ask, Don't Tell one step closer to an eventual repeal. After the vote, one Democratic aide said Manchin's vote was something of a stunt, coming as it did while cloture was sure to fail thanks to Republican opposition. The aide claimed that the former Governor of West Virginia wouldn't allow himself to be the vote that stops repeal from going forward.

In a statement to reporters tonight, Manchin suggested that as long as a vote on repealing DADT comes this year, he'll be more than willing to shut it down.

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Blanche Lincoln

Root Canal'd! Lincoln Misses DADT Vote In Dentist Chair

Brian Beutler | December 9, 2010, 6:28PM

Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)

The only Democrat who opposes repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell is Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV). All others support it. So why did only 56 out of 58 Democrats vote for it today?

"Senator [Blanche] Lincoln didn't make it back to this vote because she was in a dentist chair, and ran back and missed it by three minutes," Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) told reporters tonight. "She was very frustrated and apologized to both of us."

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Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Senate Aide: Manchin 'No' Vote On DADT Was A Stunt

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 9, 2010, 5:40PM

Joe Manchin

For observers closely following the Don't Ask, Don't Tell proceedings in the Senate over the past several days, it's all been about Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME). Her demand to hold four days of debate and allow amendments on the Defense spending bill that included DADT repeal (and do all that after a vote on the tax cuts) essentially doomed the bill to failure, a senior Democratic aide said.

But in the end, when Majority Leader Harry Reid put the bill to a cloture vote this afternoon, Collins voted yes. Republican Sens. Scott Brown (MA) and Lisa Murkowski (AK) -- who also preferred Collins' timetable -- voted no.

So did Joe Manchin (D), the freshly sworn-in Senator from West Virginia, thus helping ensure that ending Don't Ask, Don't Tell in this Congress is extremely difficult, at best.

A senior Democratic aide was unaware if Reid knew Manchin would vote no, but said that the understanding is that Manchin's vote was something of a stunt.

"If he was somehow the 60th vote, I don't think he would have voted the way he did," the aide said.

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Don't Ask, Don't Tell

The Long Shot, Last Ditch Effort To Repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Brian Beutler | December 9, 2010, 5:25PM

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT)

A long shot, last ditch effort to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell could still succeed.

At a press conference today, after the Defense Authorization bill -- and with it the DADT repeal -- went down to defeat in a cloture vote, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) explained. "Senator Collins and I, Senator Udall and others will be, perhaps by the end of this day, introducing a free-standing bill -- a separate piece of legislation -- to repeal the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy," he said.

Senators introduce legislation all the time, so this wouldn't mean much -- except for the exchange Lieberman had on the floor with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

"I informed Senator Reid during the vote... that we're going to do that, and he said, 'Same language as in Defense Authorization bill?' I said, 'yes.' He said, 'put me down as a co-sponsor.' I said, "Harry, we're going to ask you to bring this to a vote before the end of the lame duck session.' He said, 'I will bring it to the active calendar under Rule 14.'"

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Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Senate GOP Blocks Cloture On Repeal Of Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 9, 2010, 4:05PM

Harry Reid (D-NV)

After negotiations between Senate Democrats and Republicans apparently broke down today, the Senate GOP just blocked a cloture vote on the defense spending bill that includes a repeal of the military's ban on openly gay servicemembers. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), the focus of the negotiations, voted in favor of cloture while Republican Sens. Scott Brown (MA) and Lisa Murkowski (AK) voted no. Freshly-elected Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) also voted no.

Three Senators missed the vote: Sam Brownback (R-KS), John Cornyn (R-TX) and Blanche Lincoln (D-AR). Brownback and Lincoln are both leaving the Senate after the lame duck -- Brownback was elected governor of Kansas, and Lincoln went down in defeat to Sen.-elect John Boozman (R).

The final vote was 57 for cloture, 40 against it, just shy of the 60 Democrats needed.

The bill could theoretically be brought up again before the end of the lame duck session, but a Democratic leadership aide tells TPM that negotiations are basically at an impasse. Collins had said she wanted time to debate and amendments, and apparently she got what she wanted. But Republicans like Brown and Murkowski who also wanted time to debate the bill apparently were not satsified.

"I don't know what more we can do," the aide told TPM.

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Earmarks

Another Incoming GOP Chairman Was 'Porker Of The Month'

December 9, 2010, 3:32PM

Rep. John Mica (R-FL)

Yesterday we brought you the hilarious tale of the anti-pork GOP's new pork-loving appropriations committee chairman. He's since pledged to change his ways and adhere to the Republican's self-imposed earmark ban.

But another incoming GOP chairman also won an award for his penchant for earmarking. Meet Rep. John Mica (R-FL), who will soon chair the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure:

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9/11

Democrats Aghast Over GOP Blocking 9/11 Responders Bill

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 9, 2010, 3:26PM

Sen. Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY)

The Senate Republicans did what they said they'd do today -- they blocked a bill aimed at providing over $7 billion in federal money for 9/11 responders and their families because it came before a vote on taxes. But despite the almost scripted outcome, Democratic Senators behind the bill seemed shocked at the outcome.

"We are gravely disappointed," Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), a key sponsor of the bill, told reporters following the failed cloture vote. "When every Senator on the Republican side signed a letter saying no business can be done until they had a vote a vote on a tax issue, I find [it] to be morally reprehensible."

Sen. Chris Coons, a Democratic Senator from Delaware for all of three weeks, said the bill was the first one he chose to co-sponsor. The fact that the GOP stopped it in its tracks (for now, at least) was a surprise, he said.

"If patriotism means anything, if respect for the victims of 9/11 means anything, it should mean this," he said. "This Senate should be able to come together across this shocking partisan divide and support a bill such as this."

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Fundraising

Square's New App Could Prove A Boon To Campaigns, Non-Profits

December 9, 2010, 2:44PM

Square's application and device works on iPads, iPhones and iTouches.

by Adrianne Jeffries

Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey is making the unusual leap from software to hardware with his new startup Square -- a device that enables anyone to accept credit and debit card payments with a smartphone. His company has been touting its value to small businesses since February, but the device also has the potential to revolutionize fundraising for non-profits, advocacy groups and political campaigns.

Square replaces the credit card processing systems used by most organizations that process credit-card transactions: often-expensive card readers, complicated transaction fees and onerous contracts from banks and processing companies. Instead, Square offers a free device that plugs into the headphone jack on an iPhone or Android phone and a straightforward fee system: $.15 plus a 2.75% to 3.5% transaction fee. That's often ends up being cheaper than the bundle of verification fees, transaction fees, statement fees, set-up cost and monthly minimums that come with the traditional swipers.

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Bush Tax Cuts

Tea Party Patriots Reject Tax Cut Deal, Call For It To Be Destroyed

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 9, 2010, 2:33PM

It seems President Obama's deal with Republicans on tax cuts has done something few may have thought possible: united the most progressive wing of the Democratic party with the most conservative of the Republicans.

In an email dispatched just minutes ago, the national office of Tea Party Patriots -- the largest umbrella for grassroots tea party groups in the country -- is calling on its millions of members to bombard Republicans on Capitol Hill with pleas to shut down the tax cut deal which House Democrats rejected earlier today.

"'The Deal' or 'The Tax Deal' as it is becoming known around the country between President Obama and Congressional Leadership is problematic," TPP's national coordinator team writes in the message. "This is a deal that needs to be opposed."

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Bush Tax Cuts

Dems Square Off With White House Over Tax Cut Compromise

Brian Beutler | December 9, 2010, 1:59PM

House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and President Barack Obama

House Democrats will not silently accept the White House's edict that Congress pass the Obama-GOP tax cut compromise unchanged, touching off a brinksmanship that could kill the plan.

At a private meeting of the Democratic caucus this morning, members overwhelmingly rejected the idea that the plan is inviolable by passing a resolution agreeing not to bring up the tax package without changing it first. However, the White House and Republicans insist that the plan is in stone -- and any changes would likely prompt a GOP backlash.

The Senate could adopt the proposal as early as tonight, leaving House Democrats a choice between swallowing it, modifying it, or rejecting it and starting from scratch.

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Bush Tax Cuts

54 Liberal House Dems Release Letter Opposing Obama's Tax Cut Deal

Eric Kleefeld | December 9, 2010, 12:39PM

Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT)

In a new display of progressive opposition to the tax-cut deal, a group of 54 House Democrats have released a letter opposing the package -- and predicting that Republicans will double-cross the Dems later on when it comes to the resulting huge increase in the national debt.

The letter, headed up by Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT), declares:

Adding more than $900 billion to our national debt, as this proposal would do, handcuffs our ability to offer a balanced plan to achieve fiscal stability without a punishing effect on our current commitments, including Social Security and Medicare.

...

Without a doubt, the very same people who support this addition to our debt will oppose raising the debt ceiling to pay for it.

We support extending tax cuts in full to 98 percent of American taxpayers, as the President initially proposed. He should not back down. Nor should we.

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Don't Ask, Don't Tell

There's Still A Tough Road Ahead For DADT Vote

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 9, 2010, 11:55AM

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)

Yesterday, it seemed like a vote on repealing the military's ban on openly gay servicemembers was just a procedural wrangle or two away from happening. Today, that may still be the case, but it looks like Democrats are running out of time to get repeal done in the structure laid down by Republicans.

Earlier today on the Senate floor, Majority Leader Harry Reid said he will "likely sometime today" attempt to move a cloture vote of the defense spending bill that includes DADT repeal -- though those close to final negotiations on the bill are telling reporters that such a move will doom any chance for a vote on DADT (for the time being).

Here's why. Republican Susan Collins (ME) said last night that she would only vote for cloture if Republicans are allow amendments and four days to debate them-- and only then if that debate comes after a vote on extending the Bush tax cuts.
Greg Sargent reported that Reid had not responded to Collin's offer as of this morning.

And, in the tight lame duck calendar, that timing may be actually be impossible. "A source close to Reid" told CNN's Dana Bash "there is doubt they can ever give Collins the terms she wants to secure her vote," meaning that the vote will go ahead without her.

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Bush Tax Cuts

House Dems Vote No Confidence In Obama Tax Plan

Brian Beutler | December 9, 2010, 11:44AM

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)

House Democrats voted in a private meeting this morning to reject the tax cut plan President Obama negotiated with the GOP.

By voice vote, Democrats agreed to a non-binding resolution, introduced by Reps. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), not to bring up the Obama plan in its current form.

A House Democratic aide characterized the rebuke as a "vote of no-confidence" in the package -- a ratification of the anger Dems expressed to Vice President Joe Biden at a meeting yesterday evening about the details of the plan and the fact that House Democrats were closed out of the negotiations.

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Stephen Colbert

Colbert Celebrates Eric Cantor's Threat To Defund Art (VIDEO)

David Taintor | December 9, 2010, 11:26AM

Stephen Colbert

Stephen Colbert last night gave a "tip of his hat" to incoming House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) for threatening to defund the Smithsonian National Portrait Museum over a video installation titled "Fire in My Belly."

The Smithsonian eventually removed the piece, which briefly shows ants crawling over a crucifix, and the decision drew criticism from some art critics. But Colbert thinks the critics "just don't get" Cantor's work.

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RNC

RNC Reveals $4 Million More In Debt

Eric Kleefeld | December 9, 2010, 11:21AM

RNC Chair Michael Steele

In a possible further blow to Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele's hopes for re-election, the RNC has revealed to the Federal Election Commission in amended filings that its debts are $4 million higher than had previously been reported.

ABC News reports:

In a letter to the FEC Wednesday, RNC official Boyd Rutherford said the unreported money woes "were discovered during a self-initiated internal review process, which was undertaken in connection with the arrival of a new Chief of Staff and Finance Director."

The additional debt numbers only add to earlier reports that the RNC was not fully disclosing its unmet financial obligations. In July, ABC News and others reported that the RNC had failed to report more than $7 million in debt to the FEC in what some alleged was an attempt to make the party appear to be in better shape than it was.

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RNC

RNC Chair Race Shrinks By One As CT GOP Chair Passes Up Bid

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 9, 2010, 11:09AM

Conn. GOP chair Chris Healy (left), with Rep. Themis Klarides and Orange First Selectman James Zeoli

Chris Healy, the chair of the Connecticut GOP and one of the many Republicans in the mix for the Republican National Committee chair race in January, says he won't be seeking Michael Steele's job at the RNC after all.

In an email sent today, Healy put an end to rumors that he may run for RNC chair -- and endorsed former RNC political director Gentry Collins for the job.

"Gentry possesses the leadership skills, temperament and energy we need to take our Party forward - to preserve the gains made in 2010, to protect our interests through redistricting and to make President Obama a one-term President," Healy wrote.

Healy has been one of the most vocal critics of Steele over the past few months, publicly attacking the embattled chair while most other candidates kept their criticisms on the more subtle side.

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Harry Reid

Harry Reid Signals Willingness To Rumble Over Debt Ceiling

Brian Beutler | December 9, 2010, 11:03AM

Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV)

One of the Democrats' main concerns with the tax cut compromise is about what's not in the plan: a measure that would increase the amount of debt the United States can legally take on. It gives the Republican an opening to repeat this hostage situation next year when they control the House: agree to raise the debt ceiling, but only if Democrats agree to slash spending programs by billions. Spending cuts or default. You pick!

President Obama flubbed a question earlier this week about whether he'd given the GOP the leverage they need to repeat this scenario early next year when the country hits its debt ceiling. But maybe Dems are more prepared for that fight than critics give them credit for.

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2012 elections

Huckabee Building Mansion In Florida

Eric Kleefeld | December 9, 2010, 9:56AM

Mike Huckabee

Former Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-AR), a 2008 presidential candidate and possible candidate again for 2012, is currently having a multi-million dollars mansion built in his new primary residence state of Florida:

The Arkansas Times reports:

Former Gov. Mike Huckabee is building a $3 million house on Blue Mountain Beach just east of Destin, Fla. He bought the lot on the famous sugar sand beach last year for $800,000 and this year took out a building permit for a house expected to cost $2.2 million. The three-story house will have 8,224 square feet of living space and 2,969 square feet of decks and porch. A pool or spa is also in the works.

Walton County tax records show Huckabee has a $2.8 [million] mortgage with Centennial Bank after paying off $250,000 of the land purchase. This is in addition to a $375,000 mortgage outstanding on his vacation home in North Little Rock's Shady Valley.

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Bush Tax Cuts

Dems Held Hostage By Tax Cut Deal

Brian Beutler | December 9, 2010, 9:23AM

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL)

Democrats' unease with President Obama's tax cut compromise waned slightly yesterday -- particularly in the Senate, after members were briefed about the economic upsides to getting this package passed before the end of the year. But even as the legislation was being drafted -- in preparation for a Senate floor debate that could begin today -- Dems were hoping the framework could be tweaked a bit -- particularly the estate tax provision, which even sympathetic members regard as too-friendly to the children of the über-rich.

That's not going to happen.

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Barack Obama

Approval By Numbers: How Obama Compares To Past Presidents

Jon Terbush | December 9, 2010, 8:30AM

TPM Illustration

By some measures, it's been a rough first two years in office for President Obama, as the soaring rhetoric of his campaign speeches has given way to the unglamorous reality of governing. With the messy debate over health care reform and a slowly recovering economy steadily tugging his approval ratings down, it may seem like Obama is slipping toward a uniquely inglorious first term.

Yet despite all the chatter, Obama's slide in approval ratings is really nothing special.

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AK-SEN

Murkowski And Miller Lawyers Clash In State Court

Eric Kleefeld | December 8, 2010, 6:38PM

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Joe Miller

Attorneys for Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) faced off in state court today against the legal team of Republican nominee Joe Miller, in Miller's attempts to defeat Murkowski's write-in campaign. No ruling will come immediately today, but is expected to come by Friday.

As KTUU, the local NBC affiliate in Anchorage, reports:

Miller argues that write-in votes must name "Lisa Murkowski," exactly as her name appears on her declaration of candidacy, to be counted.

Murkowski's lawyers, who have intervened in the lawsuit, turned to a dictionary for their argument and say the word "appears" means "seems to be" and therefore allows elections officials to assume voter intent.

The state's attorney, Joanne Grace, agreed and says Miller's "standard of perfection" clearly disenfranchises voters.

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Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Collins Hands Reid A Final Offer On Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Brian Beutler | December 8, 2010, 5:58PM

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)

Here's what Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) told Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid that she needs to support a full Senate debate on the defense authorization bill (the vehicle for Don't Ask, Don't Tell repeal): 15 guaranteed votes on amendments (10 for Republicans, and 5 for Democrats), and somewhere around four days to debate the bill.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid already promised her the 15 amendments, but his initial offer was for a day or two of debate. Here's her response to reporters tonight, after a Senate vote.

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Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Family Research Council In A Panic Over Looming DADT Vote

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 8, 2010, 5:44PM

Tony Perkins

The prospect of a vote moving Don't Ask, Don't Tell one step closer to being repealed in the Senate tonight is sending the vehemently anti-repeal Family Research Council into a bit of a tizzy. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is expected to call for a cloture vote on the defense spending bill that includes a repeal of the military's ban on openly gay service -- possibly sometime this evening -- and the FRC is firing up its phone banks in response.

"Call your Senators today," an "Action Alert" email sent this afternoon by the FRC reads, "and tell them to stop using the military to impose this Administration's radical anti-life/pro-homosexual agenda."

The FRC, a leader in conservative social politics, has led some of the most ardent opposition to repealing DADT. The action alert email tonight could signal that the group is worried that the end of the fight is near -- and that it's not ending the way they hoped.

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Rand Paul

Rand Paul: Obama Will Be 'Pragmatic' With New GOP Congress

David Taintor | December 8, 2010, 5:02PM

Kentucky Senate Candidate Rand Paul (R)

A day after President Barack Obama's White House's compromise with Republicans on extending the Bush-era tax cuts, Sen.-elect Rand Paul almost had a compliment for the president.

"I actually think that President Obama is going to turn out to be fairly pragmatic with the new Republican Congress," Paul told CNN's Wolf Blitzer in an interview to be broadcast later.

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Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Obama Calling Senators To Get DADT Repeal Over The Finish Line

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 8, 2010, 5:01PM

President Barack Obama

President Obama has been calling Senators on both sides of the debate over Don't Ask, Don't Tell to urge them to vote for a repeal of the military's ban on openly gay military service. Obama, who made repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell a highlight of his campaign and a policy aim after his State Of The Union address, has been a central part of the negotiations with Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) to get to cloture on the defense spending bill that includes the DADT repeal and, TPM confirms, he's been calling other senators on behalf of repeal as well.

"The President has been reaching out to Senators from both sides of the aisle to reiterate his desire to see Congress pass the National Defense Authorization Act, including a repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' during the lame duck," White House spokesperson Shin Inouye told TPM.

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Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Lieberman To Reid On DADT: Back Off, I Got This

Brian Beutler | December 8, 2010, 4:13PM

Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) and Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT)

Senate Democrats are on the precipice of getting a Don't Ask, Don't Tell repeal past a key procedural hurdle tonight. But key negotiators have grown frustrated by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and his staff for upping the pressure at a fragile moment, potentially scuttling the deal.

"I've been pleading with Senator Reid, don't hold a vote on the defense authorization bill, the repeal of DADT, until we have a good opportunity to work out a fair process for the consideration bill with Senator Collins and some of the other Republican," said Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) this afternoon after a Dem caucus meeting. "Senator Collins really wants to vote for the bill with the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and Senator Scott Brown is the same and I think there may be at least one other Republican Senator to make that clear today."

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Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Murkowski: I'll Vote Yes On DADT Repeal If Debate Is Long Enough

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 8, 2010, 3:59PM

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R) has climbed off the Don't Ask, Don't Tell fence and decided to cast her vote for repeal. That makes her the third member of the Republican caucus -- behind Scott Brown (MA) and Susan Collins (ME) -- to say they'll vote to end the military's ban on openly gay service members, a number that should give proponents of repeal much to celebrate. It seems entirely likely now that Democrats have the necessary votes to block a filibuster of the defense authorization bill that includes the DADT repeal language.

But like Collins, Murkowski's vote comes with the stipulation that Democrats allow enough amendments for the debate to be deemed "open." Exactly what number that may be is the subject of much gnashing of teeth up here on Capitol Hill today.

As Greg Sargent reports, Murkowski's staff hasn't spelled out what her magic number of amendments is.

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2012 elections

PPP Poll: Pawlenty Trails Obama In Minnesota -- And Romney Does Better

Eric Kleefeld | December 8, 2010, 3:57PM

Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN) and President Barack Obama

The new survey of Minnesota from Public Policy Polling (D) finds President Obama leading various potential Republican challengers for 2012 -- including the state's departing governor, Tim Pawlenty. And not only that, but this poll has an extra-bad data point for Pawlenty. Mitt Romney actually does better in Minnesota than Minnesota's governor.

Obama carried Minnesota by a 54%-44% margin against John McCain in 2008. The state has not voted Republican at the presidential level since the Nixon landslide of 1972. It was the only state to vote for its Democratic native son Walter Mondale in the Reagan landslide of 1984, but in fact he won it only narrowly.

In this poll, Obama leads Newt Gingrich by 51%-38%, leads Mike Huckabee by 50%-40%, and trounces Sarah Palin by 54%-36%. As it turns out, he leads Pawlenty by 51%-43%, but only leads Romney by 47%-42%.

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Mark Sanford

Gov. Mark Sanford Reflects: Scandal Helped Me Govern

Eric Lach | December 8, 2010, 3:29PM

Mark Sanford

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford (R) has stumbled upon a simple formula for legislating: experience a career-killing scandal. The term-limited Republican, who will leave office in January, saw his upward political trajectory apparently end in June 2009, after he disappeared for six days and later admitted he'd run off to Argentina to be with his lover. But his approval ratings have bounced back (Rasmussen recently pegged him at an Obama-would-be-envious 55%) and in an interview with WISTV this week, he credited the scandal itself with helping him accomplish a number of things in his last legislative session. How's that?

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Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Team Collins: We're Making Progress On DADT Negotiations

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 8, 2010, 3:06PM

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)

Staff for Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), who Democrats point to as the woman who can make or break Don't Ask, Don't Tell's repeal in the Senate this year, say their boss is negotiating in "good faith" on a compromise that will allow a cloture vote on the Senate defense spending bill containing the repeal language.

And when I asked whether they were making progress, I was told that "yes," and that "negotiations continue."

"Senator Collins is working in good faith with the Majority Leader to come up with a fair process under which the Defense Authorization bill could be considered," spokesperson Kevin Kelly told TPM. "She and Senator Lieberman met with the Majority Leader last week and they shared with him very specific information about how the Defense Authorization bill has been handled in the past."

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Hal Rogers

New GOP Approps Chair Rogers Was 'Porker Of The Month' In August

Brian Beutler | December 8, 2010, 2:29PM

Representative Hal Rogers (R-KY)

Yesterday, House Republicans dealt the Tea Party and conservative advocacy groups a blow by electing Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY) to chair the powerful Appropriations Committee next year.

Rogers is a famous earmarker, and a lot of critics see this as a harbinger that the GOP earmark ban might not be as ironclad as they'd like folks to believe. But just how much earmarking did Rogers really do? Enough to be named "Porker of the Month" by an anti-pork pressure group just four months ago.

Citizens Against Government Waste saddled Rogers with the award for "sponsoring legislation that could give federal funding to his daughter's nonprofit organization, which promotes overseas wildlife protection for cheetahs."

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Fox News

Anthony Weiner And Megyn Kelly Spar Over Obama Tax Cut Deal (VIDEO)

David Taintor | December 8, 2010, 2:22PM

Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) and Fox News' Megyn Kelly this afternoon spent the better part of 10 minutes talking over each other on the White House's compromise with Republicans to temporarily extend the Bush-era tax cuts for all Americans.

Weiner lamented the fact that the House in the past two years has sent more than 200 bills to the Senate only to see them "die," which he said makes it essentially impossible to get much of anything done.

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Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Lieberman: DADT Negotiations With Collins Continue 'In Good Faith'

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 8, 2010, 1:35PM

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT)

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) confirms that he's still negotiating with Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) to bring a repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell to the Senate floor as early as today. In a statement just released to reporters from his office, Lieberman says that despite Democratic claims that Collins is holding up the works with "unreasonable" requests, the negotiations are continuing apace.

"Senator Collins has been working in good faith to achieve an agreement on the process to move forward with the defense bill that contains the repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.' I categorically reject reports by uninformed staffers who have suggested otherwise," Lieberman said. "As she always does, Senator Collins is working diligently and across party lines to find solutions to the challenges that confront our country."

Lieberman took a swipe at Democratic aides who are telling reporters that Collins doesn't seem willing to budge. "I call on those responsible for such baseless allegations to stop immediately and instead work to get to an agreement to bring this critical bill to the floor for Senate action."

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Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Dem Aide: Fate Of DADT Rests With Susan Collins

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 8, 2010, 1:01PM

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)

Maine's junior Senator, the Republican Susan Collins, has the power to end the military's ban on openly gay soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen today -- or the ability to crush the hopes of those hoping to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell this year, according to a Democratic aide. It's her choice, says the Senate Democratic aide, who has direct knowledge of the talks leading up to today's planned cloture vote on the defense spending bill that contains the repeal language.

The aide says supporters of repeal have all the votes they need to move the bill to a final vote, save for Collins, who has been the focus of a coordinated campaign to shift her position by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and President Obama, who the aide said called Collins yesterday to lobby her on DADT.

All three have attempted to get Collins to budge from her position that a cloture vote on the defense bill must be preceded by unlimited debate, which in Senate parlance means any Senator -- including the many vocal opponents of DADT repeal -- could offer a "non-germane amendment" (the aide suggested repeal of the health care law as an example) that would shut down debate and prevent a final vote on DADT. The aide said that an unlimited debate process would be all but unprecedented on a defense spending bill, and amounts to an "unreasonable demand" on Collins' part.

Now, with the hours ticking down until Reid announces a cloture vote on the defense bill, Democrats are waiting for Collins' counteroffer to their proposal to offer ten amendments before the final vote, which the aide says is a good faith effort to give Collins what she has professed to need all along.

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Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Reid Puts DADT Repeal On Senate Agenda Today (VIDEO)

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 8, 2010, 12:16PM

Harry Reid may attempt to push a repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell onto the Senate floor today, a move that few expect to result in an end to the ban on openly gay servicemembers in the military.

This morning, Reid announced on the Senate floor that a push for cloture on the defense spending bill that includes a repeal of DADT could happen as early as this afternoon.

"I'm likely going to move to my motion to reconsider on the defense authorization act this evening," Reid told his colleagues. Reid said details on the vote -- which he said will include "time for amendments," the key for some possible Republican votes on repeal -- will be forthcoming.

But most already think the cloture vote will be largely symbolic, and is destined to fail.

"It won't happen," one Republican aide told NBC News.

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MN-GOV

Republican Tom Emmer (Finally) Concedes MN-GOV Race

Eric Kleefeld | December 8, 2010, 12:14PM

Gov.-elect Mark Dayton (D-MN) and Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer

The Minnesota gubernatorial recount has now come to an end, with Republican state Rep. Tom Emmer conceding defeat to Democratic former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton -- bringing this story to a much quicker end than the long and drawn out Senate race from 2008, which lasted for eight months of recounts and litigation with a much, much closer margin.

Emmer appeared with his family on his front porch, and addressed reporters. "Well, Minnesotans made their choice, by however thin a margin, and we respect that choice," said Emmer. "Now is the time for all of us to come together and do what is best for Minnesota."

Going into the recount, Dayton led by 8,770 votes, or 0.42%. While this was within the 0.5% needed to trigger a statewide recount, many observers doubted from the start that Emmer could have pulled ahead -- including Fritz Knaak, a former lawyer for Norm Coleman. By comparison, the 2008 Senate recount and litigation resulted in a net change in the margins of only a few hundred votes. However, a possible drawn-out legal contest could have resulted in Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty staying in office in the interim, with the opportunity to work with a newly elected Republican legislature.

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Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Poll: 67% Of Americans Support Gays Serving Openly In The Military

Marc Kilstein | December 8, 2010, 11:49AM

While a growing number of Democrats are pushing to keep the Senate in session longer than planned in order to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," one thing appears clear -- the majority of Americans are fine with allowing gays to serve openly in the armed forces.

Following a number of November polls that all showed a majority of respondents supporting the repeal of DADT, a newly released Gallup poll finds 67% of respondents in support of "a law that would allow gays and lesbians to serve openly in the U.S. military." Only 28% indicated they would oppose such a law.

When Gallup conducted a survey to determine what Americans deemed to be the top priority for Congress to address during its lame-duck session, 32% of respondents expressed that it is "very important" to resolve the issue of gays serving openly in the military before year's end.

On Monday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates told Navy sailors that despite the push from him and other Pentagon leaders, the ban on openly gay servicemembers is likely to continue into next year.

The margin of error for the latest survey is ±4.0 percentage points.

Bush Tax Cuts

Influential Conservatives Line Up Behind Tax Cut Compromise

Brian Beutler | December 8, 2010, 11:27AM

Mitch McConnell (R-KY)

Here's the counterpoint to the threat Sen. Jim DeMint and the Club for Growth pose to President Obama and Mitch McConnell's tax cut compromise. A number of influential conservatives have already endorsed the plan, including Grover "Drown It In The Bathtub" Norquist.

A GOP source sent over a sampling of those endorsements.

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Christine O'Donnell

O'Donnell: Unemployment Benefits Deal 'Tragedy' Like Pearl Harbor And Elizabeth Edwards

Eric Kleefeld | December 8, 2010, 11:13AM

Christine O'Donnell

Christine O'Donnell, the religious right activist and recent losing Republican Senate nominee in Delaware, offered her two cents Tuesday on the deal that President Obama worked out with the Republican leadership on extending both tax cuts and unemployment benefits -- likening it to the death of Elizabeth Edwards, and the anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

The Hill reports:

Today marks a lot of tragedy," O'Donnell, the Tea Party-backed GOP Senate candidate from Delaware, said Tuesday night during an appearance in Virginia.

"Tragedy comes in threes," O'Donnell said. "Pearl Harbor, Elizabeth Edwards's passing and Barack Obama's announcement of extending the tax cuts, which is good, but also extending the unemployment benefits."

O'Donnell continued: "The reason I say this is a tragedy is because his announcement of economic recovery was more of a potpourri of sound bytes. It's like he took a little bit of what each party wanted and put it together. It's not a solid plan constructed on sound economic principles."

The Daily Show

Daily Show On Tax Cuts Deal: Like Exercising With 'Laziness And Bacon' (VIDEO)

David Taintor | December 8, 2010, 11:08AM

Jon Stewart

Jon Stewart last night focused his attention on the White House's compromise to extend the Bush-era tax cuts, declaring the winner ... "lower taxes and more spending!"

"Wait, that wasn't an option," Stewart said. "That'd be like, 'Hey, you know how we'll all get in shape after New Years? Laziness and bacon.' "

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Christine O'Donnell

Failed Senate Candidate Christine O'Donnell Forming PAC

Eric Kleefeld | December 8, 2010, 10:53AM

Christine O'Donnell

Christine O'Donnell, the religious right activist and recent Republican Senate nominee in Delaware, is now moving to the next phase in her political career -- forming a PAC to finance her issue activism.

The Hill reports:

Tentatively named Christine PAC, O'Donnell said she expects the paperwork for the committee to be filed as early as the end of this week.

"It's in the works right now," said O'Donnell. "The sooner, the better so we can be more vocal. The purpose of my PAC is not getting behind individual candidates but more so issues. I talked about repealing the death tax but also Obamacare."

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Barack Obama

Fox Reporter: Obama Basically Told Terrorists He'll Negotiate With Hostage Takers (VIDEO)

Rachel Slajda | December 8, 2010, 10:33AM

Bill O'Reilly, Carl Cameron and James Rosen

Here's one way to look at President Obama's press conference yesterday on his tax cut deal.

Fox News reporter James Rosen, one of the network's ostensible straight news reporters, said last night on The O'Reilly Factor that Americans should be concerned about national security after Obama, Rosen said, showed he's open to negotiating with hostage-takers.

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Mary Landrieu

Landrieu Blasts 'Obama-McConnell' Plan For Selling Out Black Voters

Brian Beutler | December 8, 2010, 10:28AM

Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA)

Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) blasted President Obama's tax cut compromise yesterday. She decried the "moral corruptness" of the idea of giving wealthy Americans a tax cut extension on the backs of poor and middle class workers.

To many, it came out of nowhere. After all, she voted for these tax cuts back in 2001, and, by her own admission, isn't really known for taking on progressive causes against the center and the right. But check out this portion of her criticisms of the plan, which went unreported.

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NY-01

Dem Rep. Tim Bishop Wins Final Contested House Race Of 2010

Eric Kleefeld | December 8, 2010, 10:20AM

Rep. Tim Bishop (D-NY)

The 2010 House cycle is now officially over, with Republican nominee Randy Altschuler conceding to incumbent Rep. Tim Bishop (D-NY) in the final disputed House seat of the cycle.

In the most recent totals, Bishop leads by 263 votes, with under 1,000 absentee ballots remaining to be counted. Bishop led by a very narrow margin in the Election Night count. However, during the recanvassing process -- when the counties essentially proofread their spreadsheets compared to the numbers from the voting machines -- Altschuler briefly pulled ahead.

However, absentee ballots remained to be counted, and Bishop took the lead as that process went forward. The Altschuler campaign attempted for a time to challenge absentee ballots on the grounds of residency or handwriting on the envelopes. But in the end, Altschuler called Bishop this morning to concede.

This finalizes the Republican gains of the cycle at 63 House seats, for a total House makeup of 242 Republicans to 193 Democrats.

Bush Tax Cuts

Bloomberg Poll: Americans Don't Want To Extend Tax Cuts For Wealthy

Marc Kilstein | December 8, 2010, 10:08AM

President Barack Obama meets with Democratic and Republican leaders

On Tuesday, President Obama defended his tax cuts compromise, suggesting the deal will result in effective policy, rather than merely "sanctimonious" pride in the purity of one's belief. The American people, however, don't appear to see eye to eye with the President on this, according to a newly released Bloomberg poll.

When respondents were asked if they generally favor or oppose eliminating tax cuts that the wealthiest Americans have received in recent years, 59% say they are in favor while 38% say they oppose.

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Barack Obama

Maddow And Olbermann Slam Obama's Tax Cut Compromise (VIDEO)

Megan Carpentier | December 8, 2010, 10:03AM

Rachel Maddow and Keith Olbermann

If you were first astonished at the outlines of President Obama's tax cut compromise with GOP leaders on Monday and then angry yesterday when Obama called liberals "sanctimonious" for suggesting that he compromised too soon, you weren't alone. MSNBC hosts Rachel Maddow and Keith Olbermann came out last night with guns blazing, and spared few shots.

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MN-GOV

Tom Emmer Expected To Concede MN-GOV Race Today

Eric Kleefeld | December 8, 2010, 9:23AM

MN Gov candidate Tom Emmer (R)

The Minnesota gubernatorial race is expected to come to an end today, five weeks plus one day after Election Day, with Republican state Rep. Tom Emmer reportedly to concede defeat to Democratic former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton.

The news was first reported by KSTP, the local ABC affiliate in the Twin Cities area, and has also been confirmed by the Star Tribune. Emmer has an announcement scheduled for 10:30 a.m. CT. This election follows the disputed Minnesota Senate race from the 2008 cycle, which lasted for eight months of counting and litigation -- but this current race always seemed likely to take much less time, because even its close margin of about 9,000 votes was far wider than the Senate race that came down to just a couple hundred votes.

Going into the recount, Dayton led by 8,770 votes, or 0.42%. While this was within the 0.5% needed to trigger a statewide recount, many observers doubted from the start that Emmer could have pulled ahead -- including Fritz Knaak, a former lawyer for Norm Coleman. By comparison, the 2008 Senate recount and litigation resulted in a net change in the margins of only a few hundred votes. However, a possible drawn-out legal contest could have resulted in Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty staying in office in the interim, with the opportunity to work with a newly elected Republican legislature.

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Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Conservative Dem Mark Pryor Signs On To DADT Repeal, Calls For Vote This Year

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 8, 2010, 8:44AM

Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR)

Democratic Sen. Mark Pryor (AR), long on the fence about the future of the military's ban on openly gay service members, has come down on the side of repeal.

"On many previous occasions, I have said that I would oppose repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell until I had heard from our servicemen and women regarding this policy," Pryor said in a brief statement this morning. "I have now carefully reviewed all of the findings, reports, and testimony from our armed forces on this matter and I accept the Pentagon's recommendations to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

Pryor was one of the few Democrats whose support of repealing DADT was not assured. A growing number of Democrats are supporting keeping the Senate on Capitol Hill longer than scheduled to see a vote on repealing DADT, and Pryor says he "will support procedural measures to bring it to a vote this year."

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Bush Tax Cuts

House Dems Identify Key Objection To Obama Tax Compromise

Brian Beutler | December 7, 2010, 10:45PM

Majority Leader Steny Hoyer with other House Democrats

Angry House Democrats identified their key objection to President Obama's tax cut compromise Tuesday night, after they were briefed on the deal in a private meeting by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other leaders.

Several members are withholding their support for the legislation unless the details of an estate tax agreement between the White House and Senate Republicans become more progressives.

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Barack Obama

Two Major Conservative Obstacles Emerge To Tax Cut Compromise

Brian Beutler | December 7, 2010, 9:19PM

Jim DeMint

Two key obstacles emerged Tuesday night to the passage of President Obama's tax cut compromise with the GOP. This time they come from the right: The influential anti-tax group Club for Growth and conservative kingmaker Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) both came out in opposition to the agreement, threatening the breadth of Republican support for the plan.

"This is bad policy, bad politics, and a bad deal for the American people," said Club President Chris Chocola in a statement. "The plan would resurrect the Death Tax, grow government, blow a hole in the deficit with unpaid-for spending, and do so without providing the permanent relief and security our economy needs to finally start hiring and growing again."

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Elizabeth Edwards

Elizabeth Edwards Dead At 61

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 7, 2010, 6:22PM

Elizabeth Edwards at a cancer event this September in Los Angeles

Elizabeth Edwards, a familiar face to anyone following politics in the last few years, died Tuesday at her home in Chapel Hill, NC. She was 61.

An accomplished author, attorney and health care reform advocate, Edwards burst onto the national stage as the wife of former Democratic Senator, vice-presidential nominee and presidential candidate John Edwards. She quickly became a public figure in her own right, thanks to her public battle with breast cancer and her fierce advocacy for progressive causes -- including health care reform.

Thrust into the political spotlight by her husband's political ambition, and into the tabloid limelight by her husband's infidelity, Edwards emerged as a political star that shone as bright -- if not brighter than her husband's in the end.

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MN-GOV

Tom Emmer Loses Court Fight On Key Argument In MN-GOV Recount

Eric Kleefeld | December 7, 2010, 5:46PM

MN-GOV candidate Tom Emmer (R)

The Minnesota Supreme Court just handed down its full opinion on a key issue that Republican gubernatorial nominee Tom Emmer had been trying to fight on during the current recount -- and which he might have continued to fight in a post-recount lawsuit. And as the opinion shows, they appear to have done nothing less than shoot him down entirely.

Emmer has tried to make an issue of cases where precincts have more votes than the total number of people who signed in on the register. But, Emmer didn't just lose the argument in the courts -- he lost it big, and is running out of legal avenues by which his campaign could even try to contest the election once the recount is over.

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Bernie Sanders

Sanders Outlines Plan To Sink Obama Tax Compromise

Brian Beutler | December 7, 2010, 5:06PM

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT)

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) is making the loudest filibuster threats in the Senate right now, vowing to do all he can to block President Obama's tax cut compromise.

Here's how: "Find a handful of Republicans who are willing to vote no on this agreement and then come back and come up with a proposal that is much stronger and much fairer," he told reporters today.

"What I'm saying as a progressive should appeal to conservatives all over this country," Sanders added. "I think we have a winnable fight here. I think the American people are with us and I intend to do everything that I can to defeat this proposal."

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MN-GOV

Emmer Drops Almost All Ballot Challenges In MN-GOV Recount

Eric Kleefeld | December 7, 2010, 4:52PM

Minnesota gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer (R)

Republican nominee Tom Emmer has now withdrawn almost all of his campaign's challenges of ballots in Minnesota's gubernatorial recount.

As the Star Tribune reports, Emmer had about 650 challenges remaining, going into today. By today's deadline of noon Central Time, his campaign had cut that down to a mere 131 challenges. The board will meet tomorrow to adjudicate the remaining challenges from Emmer, as well the challenges from Democratic nominee Mark Dayton.

This follows his campaign's actions over last weekend, when they withdrew over 2,500 challenges in heavily Democratic Hennepin County (Minneapolis), which the local officials at the counting tables had deemed to be frivolous.

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RNC

Preibus Wins Key Endorsement In RNC Bid

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 7, 2010, 4:17PM

Reince Priebus

Reince Priebus, the chairman of the Wisconsin GOP and the latest entrant into the crowded field of Republicans seeking to replace Michael Steele as chair of the Republican National Committee, just snagged a big name endorsement, CNN's Peter Hamby reports. Henry Barbour, RNC member from Mississippi and nephew of the state's governor, sent an email to the 168 voting members of the committee praising Priebus' tenure as RNC general counsel, a job he resigned this weekend.

"Let's face it, that was a tough job and he did as well as reasonably can be expected," Barbour wrote of Priebus. "He was always fair-minded, candid and inclusive with members. I also believe Reince was one of the few people in the inner circle who talked straight with Chairman Steele when he disagreed with him."

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Barack Obama

Senate Democrats Slam Obama-GOP Tax Cut Framework

Brian Beutler | December 7, 2010, 4:05PM

President Barack Obama

It's been less than 24 hours since President Obama announced he'd reached agreement with Senate Republicans to temporarily extend all the Bush tax cuts, but already it's clear that it faces an uncertain future on Capitol Hill within the President's own party. Some Democrats criticized the plan in withering terms, and most Democrats refused to take an unequivocal position in favor of the plan.

Butt there were many other signs of uncertainty: Senate aides suggested that Republican members will have to provide the bulk of the votes for the plan; and one top Democratic aide worried that the President's hastily-announced press conference indicated that the plan "may be taking on too much water," and might sink.

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Progressives

Obama Dresses Down 'Sanctimonious' And 'Purist' Progressives (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | December 7, 2010, 3:52PM

In the final question of today's press conference, President Obama was asked by Jonathan Weisman of the Wall Street Journal how he would respond to Democrats who think he's compromised too much in agreeing on a two-year extension of all the Bush-era tax cuts -- even for the wealthiest Americans -- and that they have a hard time figuring out his core principles on what issues he would go to the mat for. Obama then responded forcefully, saying that the positions of such people on the left would result in getting nothing done, except having a "sanctimonious" pride in the purity of their own positions.

The president compared current complaints from progressives to sparring over health care reform, saying that "this is the public option debate all over again." Then, Obama said, while he was able to pass reform Democrats had fought for for a century, they instead viewed it as "weakness and compromise" that there was no public option. "Now, if that's the standard by which we are measuring success or core principles, then let's face it, we will never get anything done."

"This is a big, diverse country," Obama also said. "Not everybody agrees with us. I know that shocks people."

"This country was founded on compromise. I couldn't go through the front door of this country's founding," he later added. "And you know, if we were really thinking about ideal positions, we wouldn't have a Union."

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Barack Obama

Obama On Tax Cuts Deal: I'd 'Stick To My Guns' ... 'If There Was Not Collateral Damage' (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | December 7, 2010, 2:59PM

President Obama giving press conference on tax cuts. Dec. 7, 2010

At his press conference just now, President Obama explained that he was compromising with the Republicans on a two-year extension of the Bush tax cuts for the highest incomes, in order to avert the expiration of all the tax cuts that would result in across-the-board tax increases at a tough time.

"Now if there was not collateral damage, if this was just a matter of my politics, or being able to persuade the American people to my side, then I would just stick to my guns," said Obama. "Because the fact of the matter is, the American people already agree with me. There are polls showing right now that the American people for the most part think it's a bad idea to provide tax cuts to the wealthy.

"But the issue is not me persuading the American people -- they're already there. The issue is, how do I persuade the Republicans in the Senate who are currently blocking that position? I have not been able to budge them. And I don't think there's any suggestion that anybody in this room thinks realistically that we can budge them right now. And in the meantime, there are a whole bunch of people being hurt, and the economy is being damaged."

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Polls

Poll: Obama Supporters Overwhelmingly Oppose Tax Cuts Deal

Jon Terbush | December 7, 2010, 2:25PM

President Barack Obama

Throughout the 2008 campaign, President Obama repeatedly stated that he would not extend the Bush tax cuts for Americans making more than $250,000 a year. Now, in the wake of Obama's announcement of a deal with Republicans to extend those very tax cuts for another two years, he's taking some heat.

As Greg Sargent reports, a SurveyUSA poll of voters who contributed time or money to Obama's campaign found that a vast majority oppose extending tax cuts for the nation's top earners, even if it comes as part of a deal with Republicans. Eighty-three percent of the surveyed Obama backers said they were opposed -- 70% of them strongly -- to extending the tax cuts for people making over $250,000 a year, with 74% opposing a Republican compromise that would result in an extension of those cuts.

In addition, 51% of the respondents said they would be less likely to contribute to Obama's reelection campaign if he struck such a deal, while 57% said they would be less favorable toward Democrats who back the compromise.

The tax deal currently being mulled would extend the Bush tax cuts on all Americans, regardless of income, for two years in exchange for a 13-month extension of unemployment benefits, among other things. Congressional Democrats have hardly embraced the proposal, with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer saying this morning that a top bracket tax cut extension "is not appropriate," and that the compromise could still change.

The poll, commissioned by MoveOn, surveyed 1,132 voters in twenty states who donated to or campaigned for Obama in the 2008 presidential election. It was conducted December 6.

Paul LePage

Tea Partying Maine Gov-Elect Scrambles To Explain His Constitution Goof

David Taintor | December 7, 2010, 2:17PM

Paul LePage, 2010 gubernatorial candidate in Maine.

Gov.-elect Paul LePage (R-ME) on Monday tried to walk back his claim that if 35 states join a lawsuit against the federal government, the health care law "dies automatically."

It turns out it's not quite that simple. No such provision exists in the Constitution. So LePage's spokesman Dan Demeritt explained what he really meant to say.

As the Portland Press Herald reports

"His intent was to discuss the concept of broad-based political opposition, rather than a nonexistent statutory or constitutional trigger."

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Nancy Pelosi

Pelosi: 'We Will Continue Discussions' With Obama And Dem Caucus On Tax Cuts

Eric Kleefeld | December 7, 2010, 1:21PM

Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has released a statement on President Obama's tax compromise with the Republicans -- and it sounds some clear notes of skepticism on the Republicans' conditions of a two-year extension of the Bush tax cuts on the top income brackets.

"The tax proposal announced by the President clearly presents the differences between Democrats and Republicans," Pelosi says. "Any provision must be judged by two criteria: does it create jobs to grow our economy and does it add to the deficit?"

Pelosi then compares and contrasts the Dem proposals on middle-class tax cuts, saying that "Republican demands would provide tax cuts to the millionaires and billionaires, fail to create jobs and increase the deficit."

Take it as another sign that the White House could have a tough road ahead to bring House Democrats on board.

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Bush Tax Cuts

Hoyer: No Dem Agreement On Tax Cuts; Deal Could Still Change

Brian Beutler | December 7, 2010, 12:49PM

House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and President Barack Obama

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer today expressed serious reservations with the tax cut framework President Obama reached with Senate Republicans, and declined to say whether his caucus would support the plan or even whether the leadership time would whip votes to ensure that it passes. However, Hoyer also chastised Republicans for their willingness to let all the Bush tax cuts expire, suggesting Democrats will figure out a way to assure the President's plan doesn't fail entirely -- including, perhaps, by making some changes to it.

"There was no consensus or agreement reached by the House leadership," Hoyer told reporters this morning, reiterating the broad view of the Democratic caucus that "giving tax cuts to high-income Americans is not appropriate."

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2012 elections

PPP Poll: Obama Leads All GOPers In Michigan, Only Romney Comes Close

Eric Kleefeld | December 7, 2010, 12:34PM

President Barack Obama and former Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA)

The new Public Policy Polling (D) survey of Michigan, which saw strong Republican gains this year with a pickup of the governorship and other offices, suggests that President Obama is still the early favorite to hold the state again in 2012.

Obama previously carried Michigan by 57%-41% against John McCain in 2008.

In this poll, Obama was tested against various Republicans: He leads Newt Gingrich by 52%-37%, leads Mike Huckabee by 51%-39%, and leads Sarah Palin by 56%-36%. Only native son Mitt Romney comes close -- as the son of the late Michigan Governor and auto executive George Romney -- but Obama still leads by 47%-43%.

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Bush Tax Cuts

Colbert To Obama: 'Republicans Just Aren't That Into You' (VIDEO)

David Taintor | December 7, 2010, 12:30PM

Stephen Colbert

Stephen Colbert last night celebrated the White House's compromise on extending the Bush-era tax cuts, saying he "cannot wait to create all those jobs."

"We rich folks wouldn't have our tax cuts if (President Barack Obama) wasn't willing to fight all the Democrats who want him to fight the Republicans," Colbert added.

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Iowa

Iowa GOPer Branstad: Dem Leader 'Dictator' For Not Holding Anti-Gay Marriage Vote

Eric Kleefeld | December 7, 2010, 11:14AM

Gov.-elect Terry Branstad (R-IA)

Gay marriage is heating up as a political issue in the big presidential caucus state of Iowa. Gay marriage was legalized by the state Supreme Court in 2009, and now Republican Gov.-elect Terry Branstad is attacking Democratic state Senate Majority Leader Michael Gronstal, for saying that he will not hold a vote to send a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage to the state's electorate.

As the Quad-City Times reports:

"Just because you're a leader in the Legislature doesn't mean you're a dictator where you have the right to make a unilateral decision, I think, on an issue of this importance and magnitude," Branstad said. "Certainly the senators should be given an opportunity to vote on this."

Asked about Branstad's comments during a separate session at the seminar, Gronstal said he has no intention of reversing course.

"Dictators are people who take away other people's rights," said Gronstal. "I'm not going down that road."

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MN-GOV

PPP Poll: Minnesotans Say Dayton Won Gov Race, Emmer Should Concede

Eric Kleefeld | December 7, 2010, 10:52AM

MN-GOV candidates Tom Emmer (R) and Mark Dayton (D)

A new Public Policy Polling (D) survey of Minnesota finds that Minnesotans far and wide say that Democrat Mark Dayton was the winner of the gubernatorial race -- he leads by about 9,000 votes -- and that Republican nominee Tom Emmer should concede.

Still, it looks like Republicans could be gearing up to legally contest the gubernatorial race at the conclusion of the recount process.

The poll asked: "Do you think the rightful winner of the Governor's race was Mark Dayton or Tom Emmer?" The answer was Dayton 68%, Emmer 21%. Democrats say it was Dayton by 95%-3%, independents say Dayton by 72%-13%, and Republicans only say Emmer by a plurality of 46%-37%

The next question: "Do you think Tom Emmer should concede the Governor's race or not?" The answer here was 68% yes, 22% no -- nearly identical to the previous number on who the rightful winner is, with internal numbers that closely match it given the margins of error.

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The Daily Show

Jon Stewart Lampoons The 'War On Christmas' (VIDEO)

David Taintor | December 7, 2010, 10:49AM

Jon Stewart

Jon Stewart last night got in the holiday spirit by expressing his disbelief that the annual Christmas parade in Tulsa, Oklahoma, has been renamed the Holiday Of Lights.

"Nietzsche was right, God is dead," Stewart said.

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RNC

After Palin Rebuffs Them, Tea Party Nation Backs Saul Anuzis For RNC Chair

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 7, 2010, 10:06AM

Fmr. Michigan Republican Party Chairman Saul Anuzis

Tea Party Nation chief Judson Phillips isn't going to get his first choice for Republican National Commitee chair, so he says he'll settle for Saul Anuzis instead. Yesterday, Phillips implored Sarah Palin to make a run for the top job, claiming that Palin was the best chance the tea party has to keep the "establishment" from taking over. Palin said thanks but no thanks, stating that "there are others who would probably be much more comfortable asking people for money than I would be."

In a new statement on the Tea Party Nation website, Phillips said he expected Palin to say no to his idea, but "I was surprised at how quickly that 'no' came." Still, he writes, Palin's rejection doesn't mean the tea party can't have a candidate in the race for RNC chair.

"Fortunately for us, there is a conservative alternative," Phillips writes. "Saul Anuzis."

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Don't Ask, Don't Tell

More Dems Sign On To Extended Session Plan To Save DADT Repeal

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 7, 2010, 8:51AM

Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI)

Add Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) to the list of Democrats who say the Senate should stay open long enough to give Republicans the time they require to bring the military's ban on openly gay servicemembers to an end. Asked by TPM yesterday if he supported Sen. Joe Lieberman's (I-CT) call for the Senate to keep the lame duck session going past the scheduled break if necessary to get repeal passed, Levin's office confirmed his endorsement of the idea.

Levin's the chair of the Armed Services Committee, and a powerful backer of repeal. But he's just the latest Democrat to say he'll work through Christmas if it means bringing the military's ban on openly gay servicemembers to an end. Yesterday, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) signed on via her Twitter feed.

A Democratic leadership aide tells TPM that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is working behind the scenes to get Don't Ask, Don't Tell repealed this year, but didn't commit to keeping Senators in town longer than planned to get it done. In order to keep the doors open longer than scheduled, Reid would need the vote of the entire Democratic caucus

"Senator Reid is focused right now on working out an amendment strategy that will get the necessary 60 votes to pass a repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell," the aide said. "This is a law he thinks should be addressed once and for all this Congress, before we adjourn for the holidays."

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Economy

Economists Say Tax Cut Deal Won't Stimulate The Economy Much

Brian Beutler | December 7, 2010, 8:34AM

President Barack Obama

Democratic Congressional leaders are steamed at President Obama for locking in a deal with Republicans to extend all the Bush tax cuts temporarily. It's just caving, they say, and it punts the tax cut fight into the next election. But in exchange for agreeing to the extension, Obama got Republicans to agree to a year-long extension of unemployment benefits, and a year-long, two percentage point reduction in the payroll tax, meant to mimic a temporary extension of the tax breaks that were in the stimulus bill. Each of these concessions will inject much-needed demand into the economy. Could this silver lining be bright enough to make the extension of all the cuts worth it?

According to progressive economists, it will help, but won't make a huge dent.

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Bush Tax Cuts

Unhappy Dems Mull Obama-GOP Tax Cut Deal

Brian Beutler | December 6, 2010, 8:11PM

President Barack Obama meets with Democratic and Republican leaders

Senior White House officials tonight put a positive spin on the tax cut framework President Obama has agreed to with the GOP, while insisting, repeatedly, that they oppose -- and will only reluctantly swallow -- a two year extension of the Bush tax cuts. But the tentative deal is now subject to the consideration of Congressional Democrats who have already telegraphed serious concerns with the plan.

On a conference call with reporters, administration officials boasted of securing nearly $200 billion in new stimulus measures -- a one-year, two-percent payroll tax cut, and a year-long extension of unemployment insurance -- in exchange for giving the wealthiest Americans two further years of tax cuts. But though this framework will punt the tax cut fight into the 2012 elections, frightening a number of Congressional Democrats, the officials insist that they will not shy away from the fight as election season heats up.

Addressing the media tonight, President Obama outlined the compromise.

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Bush Tax Cuts

They've Got A Deal? White House And GOP Come To Terms On Tax Cuts

Brian Beutler | December 6, 2010, 5:49PM

President Obama speaks at a bipartisan White House gathering with Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) in the background.

The White House and GOP reached an agreement in principle today to extend all the Bush tax cuts for two years, TPM has confirmed.

In exchange, the GOP has agreed to the Kyl-Lincoln estate tax compromise: raising the estate tax on estates larger than $5 million to 35 percent for two years and continuing to exempt smaller estates. The GOP has also agreed to a temporary stimulative payroll tax cut: instead of extending the making-work-pay tax credit in the stimulus bill, they've reportedly tentatively agreed to a one-year, two percent reduction in the payroll tax. Lastly, the Republicans have agreed to a extend unemployment benefits retroactively from December through the end of 2011 -- 13 months altogether.

These details were first reported by the Daily Caller.

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AK-SEN

Joe Miller: Nobody's Proven It'll Hurt Alaska If Senate Race Continues (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | December 6, 2010, 5:46PM

Alaska Senate candidate Joe Miller (R)

Alaska Republican Senate nominee Joe Miller appeared today on Fox News with Neil Cavuto, and brushed off concern that his legal maneuvering to try to stop the apparent victory of incumbent GOP Senator and write-in candidate Lisa Murkowski would damage the state, by depriving it of a second Senator. Furthermore, he seemed to say that Alaska having a full complement of senators would only further the "fiscal destruction of the nation" if the other senator is Murkowski.

Cavuto asked about comments today from Alaska's Democratic Sen. Mark Begich, who called upon Miller to concede and not hold up the certification of Murkowski's win: "I'm sorry, but are you concerned, as Sen. Begich pointed out, that whatever your reasons -- and they might be perfectly justified -- Alaska stands a pretty good likelihood now of having just one senator for a while, when some of the biggest issues of our time are being debated."

"Yeah, and I guess the question becomes, is that one extra vote gonna be used to continue to grow government, continue the largesse, to continue earmarks -- to basically continue the fiscal destruction of the nation?" Miller responded. "And frankly, I don't think we need that.

"But you know, getting more to the point, I don't think anybody's actually proven there's gonna be adverse impact. Hopefully, this process can be resolved quickly, and before, you know, the January swearing-in date."

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Elizabeth Edwards

Elizabeth Edwards's Illness Takes Turn For Worse

Eric Kleefeld | December 6, 2010, 4:29PM

Elizabeth Edwards at a cancer event this September in Los Angeles

News has emerged that the health of Elizabeth Edwards, the estranged wife of former U.S. Senator and presidential candidate John Edwards (D-NC), has taken a turn for the worse. A statement issued by her family indicates that she is no longer receiving treatment for her metastatic breast cancer, and is resting at home with her family and friends.

People magazine reports:

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Sarah Palin

Sarah Palin: I'm Not Running For RNC Chair

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 6, 2010, 3:18PM

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin

Sorry, Tea Party Nation: Sarah Palin will not be replacing Michael Steele at the helm of the Republican National Committee. This morning, Tea Party Nation leader Judson Phillips called on Palin to take the reins at the RNC, for fear that it may fall into "establishment" hands after the 168 voting members of the committee convene to choose a chair in January.

This afternoon, Palin gave ABC News her answer to Phillips' request: not interested.

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AK-SEN

Alaska Dem Sen. Begich Calls On Joe Miller To Concede

Eric Kleefeld | December 6, 2010, 3:11PM

Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK) and Alaska Senate candidate Joe Miller (R).

Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK) is now wading into the intramural Republican battle in Alaska, calling upon GOP Senate nominee Joe Miller to concede the race against incumbent GOP Senator and write-in candidate Lisa Murkowski.

As the Anchorage Daily News reports:

Begich, though, said it's time for Miller "to put Alaska interests ahead of personal ambition and allow the State of Alaska to certify Lisa Murkowski as the winner."

"Failure to certify the election could prevent Senator Murkowski from being sworn into office in early January when other new senators officially take office," Begich said.

...

"Without both senators, Alaska's interests will be at risk on critical issues from energy development to job creation and reducing the national debt in a way that's fair to Alaskans," he said.

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Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Defense Secretary: It's Not Looking Good For DADT Repeal In 2010

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 6, 2010, 2:22PM

Sec. of Defense Robert Gates

Defense Secretary Robert Gates told Navy sailors serving in the Arabian Sea today that despite the push from him and other Pentagon leaders, the military's ban on gays serving openly is likely to continue into the next year.

From the AP report on Gates' visit to sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln:

Gates said that he was "not particularly optimistic" that Congress would overturn the policy soon, even though he wishes it would.

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Health Care

The Courts Divided: How Health Care Lawsuits Have Exposed A Partisan Judiciary

Brian Beutler | December 6, 2010, 2:07PM

When the health care law passed earlier this year, Democrats and Republicans had already been bickering for months over one of the central provisions of the legislation: the individual mandate. Can Congress, under the Constitution's commerce clause, compel people to purchase health insurance? The fight was just one of many health care-related disagreements that have divided conservatives and liberals since the issue took center stage, but it's the one major aspect of the new policy that gave Republicans an opening to take the Affordable Care Act to court.

Normally, a lawsuit challenging the scope of Congress' power under the commerce clause would be open and shut -- it's been a perennial loser for plaintiffs going back decades. But in that time, the court has moved to the right, and become more partisan. And the early rulings in these health care lawsuits indicate what Republicans knew all too well -- that Republican-appointed judges will be as sympathetic to their arguments as Democrat-appointed judges will be opposed. And that could presage several major victories for conservative foes of the health care law as their challenges make their way toward the Republican-leaning Supreme Court.

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War On Christmas

Inhofe: I Would Expect 'Holiday' Parade In Other States -- But Not Oklahoma (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | December 6, 2010, 1:31PM

Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK)

Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) appeared today on Fox & Friends, to elaborate on his decision to not attend the local "Holiday Parade Of Lights" in Tulsa, on the grounds that the organizers had officially removed "Christmas" from the table.

"But you know, this is a bigger picture," said Inhofe. "You look around the country, you see the atheist billboards, you see the New York school board saying you can't have a nativity scene but you can have a Muslim star, the North Carolina school board taking Christmas off the calendar.

"You know, I would expect it some other places, but not here in Oklahoma. So my decision was a personal decision. I'm not really boycotting it -- I'm just not gonna be there. To me, last time I checked, Gretchen, Christmas meant the birth of Jesus Christ, and that's what we're celebrating, that's what I'm celebrating, that's what my 20 kids and grandkids are celebrating."

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Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Lieberman: Let's Stay In D.C. Until DADT Is Repealed

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 6, 2010, 12:59PM

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT)

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) says the Senate should vote on repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell before it goes home for Christmas -- even if that means keeping Senators in town through the holiday.

"Wanting to go home is not an acceptable excuse for failing to pass a bill that provides essential support for our troops and veterans and failing to take action that the president, the secretary of Defense and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff have called for," a Lieberman spokesperson told The Hill.

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RNC

Former Steele Backer To Make His Own Run For RNC Chair

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 6, 2010, 12:46PM

Wisconsin GOP Chairman Reince Priebus

Ending widespread speculation today, Wisconsin Republican Party chairman Reince Priebus has thrown his hat into the ring to be the next chair of the Republican National Committee. Priebus -- a key backer of current chair Michael Steele's 2009 election to head the RNC and until this weekend a powerful member of Steele's staff -- sent a letter to RNC members today announcing his campaign to run for chair and taking a swipe at Steele, the man he helped take the reigns at the RNC a little less than two years ago.

"The RNC must be at its best during this next election cycle. There is too much at risk for our Party and, more importantly, for our country. That is why I am running for Chairman," Priebus wrote in his letter, according to the Hotline. "It is not just about fundraising. It is not just about communicating our message. It is not just about standing up for our conservative values and party platform. It is not just about putting together successful victory programs. It must be all those things to win in 2012."